About two weeks ago, I had the opportunity of shadowing Rey Alabre, a former UB student who is now a franchisee of H&R Block. Rey studied at UB for two years before transferring to Southern Connecticut State University, but he loved the feeling of community at UB and continued to work for our Dean of Students, Edina Oestreicher, even after his transfer. Now that he is running a business himself, Rey is always happy to give back to the community, including the university he once attended. When he heard about Career Development’s Job Shadow Program, he knew he wanted to support it.
That is how I ended up at his H&R Block one Monday morning instead of my multicultural management class. I had no idea what to expect upon my arrival. I knew H&R Block was a tax preparation company, but that was about it. I wasn’t sure what kind of environment it would be or what the average work day looked like, but that’s exactly why I signed up for the program: to learn.
I was nervous at first, but when I arrived that feeling dissipated. Rey was friendly right off the bat, shook my hand, and introduced me to the two employees who were there at the moment. Later I would meet three more; since it is a small location, there are only about 10 employees total.
It was fascinating to learn how Rey had received the Franchisee of the Year in the 1-2 Offices category this past October, and holds several other awards and recognitions. What struck me most was his passion to give back. His business works with the Connecticut Food Bank and Bridgeport Library through donations, and is open to other ways to give back. This impacted me because I always worry that if I work for a large company (corporate, franchise, etc.) that it conflict with my personal desires to help people, especially from a community perspective.
For the most part, I was doing a lot of sitting and watching. While that may not be the most exciting thing to do, I was observing the environment. Rey never stood in one place for too long. He was always moving. At one point, he made a comment as to how he never finishes a project because customers are always coming in and out, but he doesn’t mind. He finds his business to be a blessing. Overall Rey’s outlook on business, his humility, and the communication among his team were worth sitting and learning about. I also received great advice on classes that could help me in the future and other strategic career moves.
Job Shadows are a great opportunity to learn your likes and dislikes of a particular field or job. If your school offers one, I definitely recommend participating. There will certainly be times when you’re not doing much other than sitting, but keep in mind you are there to observe the average work day of whoever you are shadowing.
So if you happen to be unsure of your major and need some confirmation, try a job shadow. It could open your eyes and show you that maybe you should switch majors, or it could show you that you are definitely headed in the right direction. Since I am not an accounting major, H&R Block did not particularly stand out to me, but having the opportunity to meet Rey and establish that connection with him was more than enough for me. That’s another great reason to participate in a job shadow: you never know whom you will meet or what you will learn (NETWORKING IS KEY!). Thanks to my job shadow experience I now have a connection with one of H&R Block’s 2016 Top 100 Franchisees of the Year, and who knows where that will lead?
