Marc-Antoine Dubuc: from student to colleague at LaSalle College
Name: Marc-Antoine Dubuc
Title: Customer Service Agent
Study Program: Business Management
Degree to be obtained in: 2023
1. What is your position and what are your main responsibilities?
I’m a Customer Service Agent for LaSalle College. I’m mainly responsible for scheduling meetings between prospective students and the College’s admissions advisors. I also do a lot of follow-up calls on files and am on the front line to answer questions from the public.
Sometimes I represent the College at events, like fairs and open houses, or I visit high schools to present our programs and what we offer to young people.
2. How did you hear about this position and what was the LaSalle College hiring process like?
I wasn’t really looking for a job... But one of my teachers had suggested that I go to the College’s Career Meetup event (job fair) to network for a possible internship opportunity.
The College was there and had its own booth for recruiting. My current manager was there so I gave her my resume. I kind of did it on the spur of the moment! Things happened quickly after that. I had an interview with her. It was a fairly normal hiring process.
3. Why did you pursue a professional career at LaSalle College?
First of all, because I feel a strong sense of belonging and identity with the College. I’ve played sports all my life, so I’m someone who values that sense of belonging. I feel like the College logo represents me.
But also, because this job gives me a lot of flexibility, which is very important to me because I’m still a student. My manager was looking to make room for College students on her team, so it’s only natural that she’s given me that flexibility. I work full time and can continue my DEC full time! The College has really accommodated me and this kind of flexibility is rare in the job market.
4. What concepts/skills learned during your studies have you been able to put into practice in your current position?
We go over a lot of concepts in Business Management, including a course in customer service. So obviously I found that course very useful!
The concepts I learned about time management and project management have been really useful too. The program teaches you how to manage teams and projects, so I can see the difference in my role and I’ve realized that I’d have liked to know these concepts earlier in life!
5. What have you learned in your current role that you’ll use throughout your professional career?
There are lots of things! I’d say professionalism is the main skill I’ve developed in my current job that will follow me throughout my professional life.
I’ve also learned to communicate well and to convey certain messages tactfully. Since I want to become a manager, this is something that will be very useful throughout my career, no matter what industry I’m in. Communication between managers and employees is really important!
6. What are your future professional goals? What would be your dream career?
I’d like to be a manager. Management is very broad and it includes several departments (operations, marketing, finance, etc.). Personally, my ultimate goal would be to manage a team in marketing, sales or operations.
Customer service is the foundation: when customers buy or use a product or service they go through customer service. Customer service agents need to know everything about the company they work for. So I see my current position as a great starting point to reach my professional goals.
Links to his social media accounts:
- LinkedIn: Marc-Antoine Dubuc