Fort Belvoir, Va. –
Ms. Andrea Robateau is a senior auditor at the South Central Branch Office. She and her mentor, Ms. Chanae Jones met in college where Ms. Jones was her college advisor. Ms. Jones introduced Ms. Robateau to DCAA and has mentored throughout her time at DCAA. Ms. Jones mentorship has “helped me develop goals, kept me on track, and pointed me in the right direction to achieve my goals,” said Ms. Robateau.
Mentors can be many things; a guide, a cheerleader, a role model. For Ms. Robateau, Ms. Jones was all of these throughout her career. During their long relationship, they have discussed career goals, work-life balance, and pursuing higher level education. They connect with to each other about every three months and talk about family, work, and goals. Ms. Jones encourages her to focus on audit and leadership skills to improve her job performance.
Having a mentor can also help one become more self-aware and identify strengths and areas for improvement. This was the case with Ms. Robateau. Ms. Jones recognized she was limiting her career potential by not seriously exploring all options available such as working toward a master’s degree, which Ms. Robateau is now pursuing.
When asked what her message to her mentor would be, Ms. Robateau said, “Thank you!!! Thank you for always answering the call, reaching out to your network to find answers if you don’t already have them, and most importantly being a great example of where hard work and dedication can get you. You don’t just talk the talk but you walk the walk in a way that others can’t help but follow.”
Ms. Chanae Jones was recently selected to the Senior Executive Service and will be the Director of the Boeing Corporate Audit in the near future.