Hi from Houtan!

So you might be wondering who this fine young gentleman is?! Well this is Houtan and some of you  might not have met him before because has been out of the office for a little while. Currently, Houtan is working out of Toronto but will be back in the office in the next few months so here is a quick introduction to a new face (for some of you at least) and check out baby Nala in the picture…too cute!

What is your name?
Houtan

Where are you from?
Tehran, Iran

What languages do you speak fluently other than English?
Russian. I can also communicate in Ukrainian and Arabic and a bit of German, and of course Persian my mother tongue

What position do you hold at INTERNeX? and for how long?
Good question, I have no idea what one would call my position or anyone else’s position for that matter at INTERNeX International Exchange..funny thing is that part of our job is to try and envision what working in a Canadian company would be like to most people who are about to work within a Canadian organization through one of our programs. Yet we work in a company that demonstrates and represents a Canadian organization based on employees from different parts of the world who wear different hats on a daily basis to provide excellence in service. That is why I can’t really tell you what my position is. (does this make sense?) I think Im just blabbing on again, but hey that’s me!! Lol And I have been working at INTERNeX just over 2 years and they have been  full of excitement

What made you want to get involved with INTERNeX in the first place?
Like minded people, think alike…well, I’ve had quite a background in travelling from A to B (never enough though), learning about visas, after finishing up school and getting involved with Canadian Resorts and the hospitality industry, it all seemed like a good match with what INTERNeX had to offer, so there I was getting started and here I am still rocking it

In what ways do you think INTERNeX is unique from other international placement agencies? What does INTERNeX offer that no other company can?
Aside from the fact of how thorough our service is and its not even comparable to any other agency, it’s also that we don’t think our programs are for everyone. The participant needs to understand the purpose of the program before being forced to be a part of it. Our honesty in delivering the service is a key in managing expectations

What changes have you personally noticed within INTERNeX?
I have noticed a number of little programs come and go, but the city placement program was a great success and it still is both in Vancouver and recently in Toronto. We also now have more representatives abroad, an official office in New Zealand, and a more so active presence in Toronto, ON

Where would you like to see INTERNeX in the next 10 years? Do you have any New Year’s goals for the company?
I truly believe that the possibilities are endless. Obviously I, along with the rest of the team, would like to see a world wide network of services provided by INTERNeX offices across the world. Now the services provided by INTERNeX within the next 10 years is what I would like to see continue on its journey to completion and perfection so that one day we’d be a tool for anyone from anywhere in the world that would like to take a trip to any part of the world for the purpose of work experience and/or self development

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
As a kid I always wanted to become a vet

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
It is really hard to answer this question, I love travelling and I don’t think I can settle anywhere for too long. I like what Toronto has to offer as a city, yet Vancouver’s geographical location is much more attractive than Toronto. On the other hand, Kiev Ukraine is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever lived in due to its historical background and remarkable architecture. But again, the grass is always greener on the other side, so we’ll keep on moving

If you have any more questions or queries about our programs please do not hesitate to contact us at the office:
INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: info@internexcanada.com

Meet a New Staff Member

So it has been a few weeks since we had our last INTERNeX staff member introduction. Life here in the office has been pretty crazy and I’ve had a few bumps along the rode so i hope you enjoy one of the few remaining expose’s. This week you will gain a glimpse into Marien one of our lovely staff members who has a lot to offer to both INTERNeX and you…

What is your first name?
Marien

Where are you from?
Mexico City

What languages do you speak fluently other than English?
Spanish and I used to be fluent in Italian because I used to live there back in 1991-1992, but not anymore

What position do you hold at INTERNeX? And for how long have you been working here?
I am the program manager for hospitality and I have been working in/at INTERNeX for the past two years and a half

What made you want to become involved with INTERNeX in the first place?
Years ago I was working in an international programs office at one of the main private universities in Mexico City. I was primarily responsible for student placements within their field of study and INTERNeX was actually one of our partners and that is how I came to meet Tim.

In what ways do you think INTERNeX is unique from other international placement agencies? What does INTERNeX specifically offer that no other company can?
First and foremost our tailor made placements. In this process we are focusing primarily on the participants and their personal goals and from there we find a suitable position for them. Another important and unique aspect of our company is our international team and work environment. We are all highly committed to this companies missions and values and we appreciate the fact that even though we have a substantial amount of systems and procedures in place, we are granted a considerable amount of freedom in which we can truly flourish. Given this room for innovation INTERNeX can always be one step ahead

What changes within INTERNeX have you personally witnessed since you have joined the team?
The city placement program has grown and developed on an exponential level. And we now have INTERNeX New Zealand

Where would you like to see INTERNeX in the next 10 years? Do you have any New Year’s goals for the company?
As other staff members have mentioned previously, I too would like to see at least one INTERNeX office, both for in and outbound, in each continent all around the world. Now what I mean by in and out bound is that we will cater to both international clients wanting to come into Canada and Canadians interested in travelling/working abroad

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
As most of my candidates I took a gap year myself back in high school. I lived, worked and traveled in Europe for a year and a half. I studied English, worked as an au-pair and even as a cleaner so I can truly relate with all of the participants of our hospitality program.

Oh and another thing is that when I was young I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast. At age 6 I was already training 4 hrs a day, but then my family and I moved to a smaller city where there were no Olympic trainers so I unfortunately had to find a new dream.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
Well surprise surprise I have to say Vancouver. Coming from Mexico, which is a highly commercialized area with lots of, Vancouver just seems like this evergreen oasis in comparison. It is by far one of the most beautiful cities in the world and everyday I continue to be taken aback by all that is has to offer. But open to new cities and experiences.

If you have any more questions or queries about our programs please do not hesitate to contact us at the office:

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: info@internexcanada.com

INTERNeX Family Interview#5

So i realize that it has been a while since you last were introduced to another one of our staff members but don’t worry they are all coming. The next one we have for you is an interview with Mina who has been with the company for the longest out of anyone. So hope you all enjoy it she has a lot of great things to say!

What is your first name?
Mina.

Where are you from?
Originally I am from Seoul, South Korea.

What languages do you speak fluently other than English?
Korean.

What position do you hold at INTERNeX? And for how long have you been working here?
I am the program director and I am responsible for training new partners and running the entire Internship program, which is no easy feat. I began at INTERNeX back in March of 2004, so by next month I will have been here for six years.

What made you want to become involved with INTERNeX in the first place?
Well I was initially hired by INTERNeX back in 2004 on the basis of an extremely specific project where I was responsible for working with the Korean Government. Throughout this project I worked to forge links between INTERNeX and the Korean Government in order to satisfy a need this country had for sending their university students and recent graduates to Canada. They wholeheartedly believed that Korean students would have a greater chance of getting employed in the future if they gained some international work experience and our Internship program fit perfectly into their long term goals. Then in 2005 I was able to branch out further within the company and my scope of reach was considerably widened. I was now responsible for interacting with potential and current partners and doing Internship placements for all nationalities.

In what ways do you think INTERNeX is unique from other international placement agencies? What does INTERNeX specifically offer that no other company can?
First and foremost INTERNeX is all about the team. We are a multicultural and passionate set of people who can not only bring an invaluable amount of knowledge to this industry and our clients but also to each other. Each and every team member see this as more than just a job but rather an opportunity that we can provide to our clients that can truly be rewarding for both them and us.

What changes within INTERNeX have you personally witnessed since you have joined the team?
We have grown on an exponential level from what we were back in 2004 in terms of our general company size and the amount of systems and procedures in place. Now we also have an extremely active online community which is constantly fed by our PR interns who can dedicate themselves solely to interacting with our clients in a successful manner. And last but certainly not least our team; I have seen various changes in human resources at INTERNeX but I wholeheartedly believe that we now have a cohesive team that shares a common goal and this is an essential element for the ultimate success of our company.

Where would you like to see INTERNeX in the next 10 years? Do you have any New Year’s goals for the company?
I would like to see INTERNeX offices in all the major cities of the world. But personally what I think is most important is recognition from the Canadian Government and receive special visas especially designed for INTERNeX participants. Now the reasoning behind this is that our government provides different countries with certain quota of visas that can be made available. So even if we want to increase the number of opportunities we provide, our ability to do this is hindered by this quota and therefore we need to have the government see that what we do is beneficial to Canada.

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
For fours years I practiced a traditional Korean martial arts known as Kook Sul. This martial arts system taught me things such as self defense and sword fighting and I even participated in demonstrations in front of hundreds of people.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
Honestly I couldn’t imagine living anywhere but in Vancouver permanently; however, if I have to choose anywhere else I would say the Netherlands. This is because that is where my in-laws are living and I always like to be close to my family.

If you would like to know more about INTERNeX as a company and all the programs and possibilities it has to offer please do not hesitate to contact us at the office:

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: info@internexcanada.com

INTERNeX Family Interview #3

So it’s that time again everyone…another staff member introduction. This interview is quite amusing because Simon is a little bit of the office joker. I work with him quite a bit so i hope you guys will finally be able to put a face to the person who is largely responsible for a number of your social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, the INTERNeX website and of course our blog. Happy reading!

What is your first name?
Simon, a.k.a The Dungeon Troll.

Where are you from?
Berlin, Germany.

What languages do you speak fluently other than English?
German.

What position do you hold at INTERNeX? And for how long have you been working here?
I am the IT manager and the online marketing/public relations manager; so basically I’m the big man haha. I have been officially working here since March 2008 but I was an IT consultant here since 2006.

What made you want to become involved with INTERNeX in the first place?
It’s hard to answer this question simply because my involvement was a gradual process. Step by step I became more and more involved and before I knew it I was a permanent member of the INTERNeX family.

In what ways do you think INTERNeX is unique from other international placement agencies? What does INTERNeX specifically offer that no other company can?
First and foremost I believe whole heartedly that we are a company for and about the people…you. We genuinely care about our candidates and see them as people not just dollar signs. Our tailor made programs provide our clients with unique opportunities that allow them to grow in a monumental way. And now that the number of international partners has increased we are able to exponentially increase our scope of reach.

What changes within INTERNeX have you personally witnessed since you have joined the team?
Definitely more systems, better IT and a stronger network in terms of our connection with our candidates via various social media networks. Also I have worked extremely hard to increase our level of visibility on the World Wide Web… just Google us.

Where would you like to see INTERNeX in the next 10 years? Do you have any New Year’s goals for the company?
I personally would like to see an INTERNeX office in every major city around the world! I know that this is a huge statement to make; however, I truly believe that this is a possibility since we already have offices open in New Zealand, France, Toronto, Vancouver, and the list goes on. One of the new years resolutions that I set for INTERNeX has already been achieved so that’s amazing…take a peek at our new website and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
Well some people have said that I am a pretty decent chef and one of my recipes was actually published in a Canadian cookbook, which features dishes from all around the world. Was quite proud of myself for this one.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
For sure Vancouver, cause it’s the best place on earth!