Max Cassily’s Post

🚗 Embracing My Roots: A Full Circle Journey at GM Canada 🚗 🌟 Introduction: Born and raised in Oshawa, Ontario, I was surrounded by the legacy of General Motors (GM) from an early age. My dad and uncles, immigrants from Northern Ireland, worked at “the motors” for decades. Their dedication provided for our families, and GM became more than just a company—its success made everything we did possible. 🎓 Education: I attended Durham College in Oshawa to study public relations and became one of only two females accepted into the temporary part-time work program at the Oshawa manufacturing plant. My weekends were spent cleaning paint thinners off robots in the paint shop and summers had me working on the line in the truck plant. Later in my career I attained a degree in politics from Queen's University. 🌿 A Unique Lens: My PR program required each student to do two work placements—one non-profit and one corporate. I chose Parkwood Estates as my non-profit placement—a historic site and former home of GM Canada’s founder, Sam McLaughlin. For my corporate placement, I initially selected a downtown Toronto agency, but fate intervened when I found myself interning at GM Canada’s head office in corporate and public affairs. This experience became the launching pad for my successful 20-year career in communications. 🌍 Global Adventures: My career journey took me beyond GM and well beyond Oshawa, I worked as a staffer for a provincial cabinet minister, spent five years working for BlackBerry (a Canadian tech icon), and later consulted, offering communications, leadership, and strategic advice to executives and politicians. My career spanned Oshawa, Toronto, Waterloo, and provided rich travel experiences to New York, San Francisco, Spain, London, and more. 🔧 GM’s Evolution: Returning to GM Canada feels like a homecoming. However, this isn’t the GM of twenty years ago. It has grown, adapted, and become a tech powerhouse. Not only does GM Canada connect with my roots, but it also aligns with the professional I am today—always willing to take risks, get creative, iterate, perfect, and make the impossible come to life. 🔍 Discovering the New GM: As the Director of Product & Technology Communications, I’m joining a massive team of experts—a well-oiled machine with a strong history and an eye for the future. The technology incorporated into each vehicle is at the forefront, and much of that tech is developed in Canada—an additional point of pride for a Waterloo-based Silicon North supporter like me. 🌟 Closing Thoughts: I’m thrilled to play a leadership role in today’s GM, completing a full circle in my career. It’s a privilege to witness GM’s transformation and contribute to its continued success. Follow me as I share my journey in discovering the new GM Canada. 🚗 #GMCanada #AutomotiveInnovation #MobilityRevolution #FullCircleJourney #publicrelations #welcomeback #newjob #autotech

To my friends and former coworker at Continental, I have heard the news. I do feel for your sudden job situation, but I hope that you can remember that this is just a job. Probably many of you are contemplating why me? Answer is simple, it is, what it is, such is life. Now i challenge you to not hold onto that closed door, with the imprint of someones foot on your rear. What is disregarded today, is tomorrow's treasure. You are all very talented and passionate for the work you have completed at Conti over the years. Take a different approach to the forced job loss differently, say to yourself now the fun can begin. You have been forced to a new chapter in life. I say think big and go boldly! Take the Risk and follow your dreams and not just take the first offer by a different company that might very well do the same thing to you again that happened today. -You have now experiencing the corporate profit cycle. Now, wake up and do what you want, look for the challenges that gets you up before your alarm clock. Or take the time to reset and evaluate. I did, my sabbatical was the best and most need reflection time of my life, I have ever done to look for where i wanted my personal, and career development to head. Resulting in my whole new look at wellbeing, life, and career. For my other friends at Stellantis, I read you were given a similar decision to make today. I pose this question at you, what is it going to be, either you make the decision, or just like the folks down the road at Continental, it will be made for you and welcome to the corporate profit cycle. I know so many of you, I hope these words resonate and you make a good decision, best of luck.

Right after college, I landed a job at Carvana. However, for the first three months after graduation, I didn't have a car, so I got around by scootering to work or taking an Uber. One day, I decided to Uber. The driver pulled up in my driveway, and as I got in, we started chatting. You know, the usual stuff: "Are you so-and-so?" and "What do you do for work?" I asked him how long he'd been driving for Uber and if it was just a part-time gig. He told me he used to work at a company that made glass for everything from houses to cars. As we talked, the conversation drifted to bad company practices. He told me about his friend, let's call him X, who had been in the glass industry for over 20 years. X was a real expert with a ton of experience in different glass-making techniques. X was given just a month to train a new hire. He did his best to teach the new person everything he knew, but the job was tough, and the new hire could only pick up about 50-75% of it. As soon as the month was up, X got called into HR and was told he was being let go. Understandably, he was pretty pissed. A few weeks later, his old company called him back. The new hire hadn't been able to do the job, so they ended up firing the new person, too. But here's the twist: they tried to pull the same move again, this time with three new hires, without telling X. But X saw it coming. This time, he only taught them half of what he knew. And just like before, they fired him. But they had to beg him to return when things fell apart again. X ensured he got a company car and doubled his salary before agreeing to return. And even then, he only shared a fraction of his knowledge with the new hires. The takeaway? Be wary of bad company practices and protect yourself. Luckily, I didn't have to deal with anything like that during my time at Carvana. #CareerLessons #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeExperience #CareerGrowth

15 months… That’s how long I called Berlin home before my path took an unexpected turn. In 2023, I packed up my life and moved from Miami to Berlin, excited for a fresh start and new challenges. But just eight months in, I found myself without a job in a new country, with intermediate language skills and a modest network. It was a frightening experience that pushed me to take swift action, dive into nearly 300 applications, 20+ interviews, and countless conversations. Eventually, an opportunity came that I couldn’t pass up—a return to hospitality, an industry I love, with another big move on the horizon. If there’s anything I’d share with fellow expats or professionals navigating new countries and careers, it would be this: - Know your rights: Familiarize yourself with labor laws, and don’t hesitate to seek advice. In Germany, for instance, legal insurance is common, and taking action after an unexpected job loss can be part of the process. - Build layered networks: A close network to lean on, a circle for professional insight, and an industry network to keep you connected. Each one made a difference for me, especially when things got tough. - Take action: Even small actions each day help fend off self-doubt and keep you grounded in forward momentum. - Balance persistence with self-care: A job search, especially in a foreign country, is exhausting. Give yourself grace along the way. - Reach out to your wider network: Connections make a difference. Someone almost always knows someone. - Learn something new: I was a trainee in a financial consultancy firm which not only helped me tremendously with my German skills, but also taught me a huge deal about German financial markets, provided structure to my schedule and made me feel productive. Looking back, the last year brought some big challenges: two international relocations, an apartment move, job loss, and the uncertainty that followed. But I’m grateful for the people who kept me grounded and for the new perspectives that came out of it all. Now, I’m in a new city, meeting new people, and stepping into a role I’m truly excited about as International Key Account Manager for Villeroy & Boch. It feels right to bring the lessons I’ve learned into this next chapter, and I’m ready to see what’s ahead. Thanks to Rodrigo Da Costa Martins, Van Sharma, David Coyle, Bea Buan, Anthony Zatorski, Elena Vargas López, Sofiia Matolinets 🌳 🇺🇦, Jordanne Brown, Vanessa Wachtmeister, MSc, Julia Niestrath, MARIANA PERESSINI, Claudia Kettmann, Shamshér Singh Sékhõn, Stephania Greco, Mat Piaggi, Monica K., Nicole (Castelli) Cheak, Liran Julia Grunhaus, Bryne V., Iris Damia, Lana Naghshineh, Guadalupe Eichner, Daniella Barriobero, Carola Chaurero, Karla Rooks, Nicole Bostick and others that escape me. Special shoutout to Philip Danes, for being my financial mentor for 6 months, if anyone needs financial consultancy in Germany, this is your guy, and Carol Hernández for the warm welcome in Luxembourg!

Happily driving to my office on a typical weekday, I watched a sports car zoom by, and I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of jealousy at its high speed. The driver quickly switched lanes, speeding ahead while I stuck to my pace, thinking, “Well, they’re in a hurry!” A few minutes later, guess who I pulled up next to at the red light? Yep, the same car !!! In that moment, it hit me: careers are a lot like this. Some people seem to fly ahead—new promotions, bigger roles, constant change. It’s easy to feel like you’re being left behind, but eventually, you may arrive at the same point, just in different ways. Speed definitely has its perks. Those racing ahead often catch opportunities on the fly, get ahead quickly, and enjoy the thrill of momentum. There’s an undeniable rush that comes with moving fast and seeing immediate results. But then there’s beauty in the slower lane too. Taking your time allows you to learn the ropes, build solid relationships and develop a deeper understanding. When you reach your destination, you are more resilient and have your feet firmly on the ground. In the end, it’s not about who gets there first—it’s about making the journey count. Whether you’re flying down the highway or cruising in your own lane, speed will always be relative to who you are comparing yourself to. Just stay committed to your goals, believe in yourself and embrace change along the way.  #EnjoyTheRide #OwnYourPace #Resilience #CareerJourney 

Team Spotlight: Meet Larah, from our team of specialist medical accountants 🩺👩🏻⚕️ Larah has been kind enough to share insights from her 14-year journey at Carleys - including advice on choosing the right career, tips for those looking to become qualified, and the importance of choosing a workplace that really fits. 📽️ Watch the full video below: #TeamSpotlight #CareerJourney #Carleys

Reportedly, the longest career in the same company is 86 years and 56 days and counting. The record belongs to a certain Walter Orthmann, who was born in Brazil in 1922. Walter began working at Industrias Renaux S.A. on 17 January 1938, and continues to work at the company, which is now called RenauxView, in Brazil as of today. Apparently, he actually retired in 1978, but was persuaded to return to work by his Boss given the level of expertise he’d gained in his field. And whilst he still manages to drive himself to work, you’ll be glad to hear that he gave up travelling for business aged 93. But such longevity with one employer doesn’t always equate to career success. Infact, for many people it could signal a career in decline and/or a salary haircut best avoided. Whether you stay where you are for 10, 20 or 40+ years, it’s important to always remember that only you can define what career success looks like for you. #careermanagement #careercoaching #hiringandpromotion #staffretention

Ready for an adventure? 🌟 Dive into our latest video where Vitaliy and Denis spill the beans on the highs and lows of life as truck drivers in the USA! 🇺🇸 From thrilling challenges to rewarding perks, they share it all. Curious about the ins and outs of this career path? 🎥✨ 📲 https://lnkd.in/dfkkeyap Don't miss out! Click the link to watch now! Like and comment 🧡 #TruckersLife #USATrucking #CareerInsights

Who likes to check ✅ boxes ? During my journey of jobs, I would always strive to the next level. Now since my diagnosis, I love to check ✅ off even the smallest things. Here are some examples: ✅ going to a stadium ✅ flying on a airplane ✅ going to a concert ✅ driving ✅ going to the movies ✅ going upstairs/downstairs ✅ taking a bath ✅ moving from a wheelchair to a walker and now a cane And today I'm walking on a treadmill for the first time in years. My plan is to continue to check ✅ off boxes in my personal life and as well as my career. I am getting there even if it may seem to take a little longer. So if you are struggling in life or your career, celebrate those little wins because they will turn into victory in the end. #inspiration #movationalpost #autoimmunedisease #supplychain #logistics #networkwiththebest