Name and title:

Camilla Schwartz Nielsen, second-year student office assistant at AAU Business School

Name three things you spend the most time on in your work?

I spend a lot of time being curious. It can be about work tasks, my colleagues and new initiatives or changes. Being challenged both personally and professionally in my work is important to me, so I also seek out the challenges that may cross my path. In addition, I’d like to develop myself and take responsibility. So I let it be known that I want independent tasks.
That was more on a general level compared to being a student assistant. If I have to mention three things I spend a lot of time on in the HR Department where I am right now, sickness absence is an example. I keep track of sickness absence at the AAU Business School and the Department of Law. This is everything from common seasonal illness to prolonged periods of illness. In addition, I help Sara Larsen with holiday registration so that all our dear colleagues can take some well-deserved vacation. Last but not least, I spend a lot on hiring. AAU is a large organization, which means we need a lot of staff. This is an area where something is always happening. 

What would you like more of at AAU? 

I would like AAU to focus even more on cooperation between departments. It is so rewarding for staff when they can interact and give each other feedback. Professionally, we can share our experiences and learn more about each other and the tasks we are dealing with. At AAU, we often hear that networking is important, and it will certainly only be strengthened if there is more focus on cooperation across AAU as a whole. It also helps to give student assistants broader insight into what AAU can do and its actual size.

What would you like to change at AAU?

I’d like to see even greater cooperation on student assistant positions. It might be possible to look at whether it should be a permanent part of the student assistant plan. It certainly takes a lot of work, but it will benefit the student assistants in every way to go somewhere else for a few months. And in the end, it's all about networking – it can strengthen opportunities for student assistants when they finish their traineeship and need to find a job. They will have been out showing their faces and their abilities. We must remember that the student assistants trained at AAU will hopefully become future colleagues.

What is your best AAU memory?

That’s a bit difficult. I think I'll change it to my best AAU experience. I think that fits better. My best AAU experience was clearly when I got the opportunity to do a traineeship at HR Shared Services on Fredrik Bajers Vej. It was an instructive and inspiring period for me where I learned more about HR related tasks and about the work they do.
It was interesting to see the execution of the tasks from their perspective. To see how they handle the cases and inquiries they receive from the decentralised units. They were just so super nice to me and I felt really welcome from day one. It was a pleasure to get to know more people and expand my network. I would strongly recommend considering and exploring the possibility of doing a traineeship at AAU.

What is the best AAU tip you would give a new colleague?

This tip is intended for future and current student assistants. Keep in mind that it's not important to be an expert right away. Rather, spend your energy on being curious, asking questions, wondering, challenging yourself, and be relaxed about the tasks you are given.
There was a colleague at AAU Business School who said to me "I'd rather you make mistakes, because then at least I know you're trying. At the same time, you learn from your mistakes and don't make them again." These words have followed me throughout this period of my life, and there is no way they could have been said better.

Who are you passing the baton to and why?

I would like to pass the baton on to Lars Bo Larsen. He is an associate professor in the Department of Electronic Systems and has a background as an engineer. I’m passing the baton on to Lars Bo because he is very experienced and has been at AAU for many years. At the same time, I think Lars teaches and does research in an exciting field that touches on things we’re all familiar with. Lars Bo has worked on projects throughout his time at AAU, and last year he collaborated with Maersk and Danpilot. Lars Bo’s knowledge and experience will certainly benefit the students.