Watch, listen and learn
Job shadowing program leads to a greater appreciation of the work of fellow employees and a better understanding of student activity
Faculty of Arts Academic Advisor Anne Strangelove and Paul Cézar Tanase, a technician at the Morrisset library reference counter.
By Dave Weatherall
When Paul Cézar Tanase, a technician at the Morisset library reference counter, wanted to gain a better understanding of how students interact with other employees at the University, he turned to Human Resources, which paired him with Faculty of Arts academic advisor Anne Strangelove.
The one-day job shadowing placement provided Paul with a front row seat to the daily routine of an academic advisor, with plenty of lessons learned along the way.
“As a uOttawa employee, it was very reassuring for me to know that our students are being welcomed and served by caring professionals in other departments,” he says. “It allowed me to start from what I know: We’re both used to fielding questions from students— the only difference is with my current job it’s about their research projects, and with Anne, it’s about the rest of their lives!”
As for Anne, besides discovering the common ground of answering student questions and a commitment to providing excellent customer service, she also enjoyed the opportunity to share with a colleague the passion she has for helping students.
“I love my job and I really believe in the work of academic advising, so it was a really nice opportunity to share that with someone,” she says. “I try my best to be there for the students, and I figured if my work can be useful for someone else trying to figure out their career goals and plans, that’s great!”
“You never know who’s going to walk through your door,” she adds.
“In our positions at the University we understand students in the context of our jobs,” says Paul, who is also considering a career in academic advising. “But students interact with many services here, and I think it’s very valuable to be able to plug in to those different worlds in order to shed light on student activity across campus.”
“It really helped me understand students better.”
All employees interested in participating in the job shadowing program are encouraged to contact Andrée-Anne Maranda (or extension 1542) at the Centre for Organizational Development and Learning. The Centre is actively looking for new participants, both employees willing to host a fellow colleague for a day and those interested in placements.
“The program is designed to help employees gain knowledge and develop skills in a particular field to confirm an interest in certain positions at the University and whether or not they have what it takes to do the job,” says Maranda. “It can also lead to pursuing studies to help employees achieve their dream career.”
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