Nike has had an incredible few years, passing the $30 Billion revenue in 2015 and driving its stock value through the roof. Many believe that its CEO Mark Parker is among the reasons for the phenomenal growth. For that reason he has been elected for the second year in a row Portland Business Journal's Executive of the Year.

With over 2000 hires in the last three years at its Portland campus alone, Nike is currently planning a big expansion of its headquarters. As a sneaker fan it is of course a dream come true to work for the Swoosh. What does it take to work for Nike? What do they look for in its employees in order to stay ahead of the competition? Mark Parker explains it in a recent interview with the PBJ:

"At Nike, we’ve built a culture that attracts smart, curious and highly creative employees. Of course a passion for sport is also critical because no matter where you work — in design, at retail or in the supply chain — we are all focused on serving the athlete.

We also look for people who strike a balance between mastering the fundamentals of their role and pushing the edges of what’s expected from them. That’s what drives new thinking across our company and that’s how people grow in their careers here. I started at Nike in design, but I was always looking for ways to contribute to the team in an expanded way.

And we are big believers in the power of the collective – in uniting individuals with different strengths, experiences and points of view. The chemistry across our diverse teams makes us stronger together than we could ever be as individuals."

Read the full interview here.