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Job shadowing is an opportunity for you to connect with, or “shadow,” a business professional (job-shadowing mentor) who has specific knowledge about an occupation or career in which you are interested. While you shadow the mentor, you will observe the responsibilities and tasks associated with the mentor’s career and have the opportunity to ask questions about the knowledge, skills, talents, and level of education required for the observed job. While the purpose of job shadowing is to let you gather career-related information and expand your networking contacts, it also allows you to build interviewing skills, become aware of trends in the field, and see workforce technologies in action. Multiple job-shadowing experiences may be arranged to allow you to explore a variety of career paths.
Yes! Job shadowing works because most people:
- Enjoy talking about their jobs and career fields.
- Are flattered that you ask their advice to assist with your career and future.
- Are empathetic about career transitions because they have experienced them.
- Like to assist others because it makes them feel good.
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A job shadowing experience may:
- Present up-to-date facts that can assist in your decision making about an occupation.
- Inform you about the skills required for certain jobs so you can match the job with your skills.
- Provide valuable networking contacts to utilize when conducting your actual job or internship search.
- Assist in developing communication skills and self-confidence in talking with professional people in a work environment that is more relaxed than an actual work environment since your immersion in that work environment is for the purpose of learning rather than production.
- Expose you to occupational “buzzwords” unique to the career field of your choice.
- Give you an edge in future interviews by providing inside knowledge not known by your competition.
- Develop basic skills similar to those used in a targeted job search.
First you must build a potential contact list or contact the Career Planning Office or a faculty member. Determine who has the information you are seeking. Identify those people who:
- Share a common interest in, enthusiasm for, or involvement in some activity that appeals to you.
- Work in a career setting you enjoy.
- Work in career areas that interest you.
- Work in a specific job or in a specific organization which interests you.
Ask the career counseling staff about area employers who have volunteered to be contacted by students and share and discuss job- and career-related information with them.
- Contact family and friends or acquaintances to investigate, if you can generate interest.
- Contact the area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development agencies.
- Use the Internet! You might even make your first contact by e-mail.
- Check the yellow pages of the geographical areas of interest.
There are three ways to establish a job shadowing experience. You may want to use all three:
- Referral – Visit Career & Advisement Services in the Student Services Building 107.
- Telephone – Contact area business professionals and explain that you are a student conducting career research and wish to gather information to assist you in making career decisions. Your goals for the call are to connect with your shadowing mentor and schedule the time and date for the shadowing experience.
- Write a letter – If you have the name of a potential contact, you may wish to write a letter or e-mail before making the telephone call. Make sure your letter clearly states your purpose and desire to schedule a job-shadowing experience. Indicate that you will follow up by a telephone call in hopes of scheduling a specific date and time.
- Know what you want to accomplish – The primary objective of job shadowing is to investigate a specific career field so you can make an informed career decision.
- Identify your potential contacts – When you know what you want to accomplish, ask yourself, “Who has the information I need?”
- Arrange for the job-shadowing experience – You will want to discuss arrangements with your job-shadowing mentor. Your experience could be arranged for any amount of time ranging from one half hour to a day or a week. Your job shadowing will typically start with questions related to the job or specific career field.
- Prepare for your job shadowing experience - Plan what you want to discuss with your job-shadowing mentor. Come prepared with specific questions about the organization. Even though you are looking for information rather than a job, this same organization might, in the future, have an opening in which you would be interested. Being prepared will assist you in providing a good first impression.
- Day of job shadowing - Remember that this is a professional experience. You do not need to wear “interview apparel.” However, you should dress appropriately in “business casual.”
- Try to obtain additional contact names – Before you conclude the job shadowing experience, ask your mentor if he or she can think of other individuals who might be helpful contacts for gaining additional job-shadowing and career-related information. By compiling the names of career-related contacts you will gradually build your professional network.
- Follow up – Write your mentor a thank you letter as soon as possible. Mention some items that you found particularly interesting or helpful. Some contacts may ask you to stay in touch so they can monitor your career path.
- To contact, by telephone, e-mail, or letter, the job-shadowing mentor selected and to arrange a meeting date. This meeting will be at the mentor’s place of work.
- To become familiar with the job-shadowing process and prepare in advance the questions that will be asked during the meeting.
- To arrive at the agreed upon time and be dressed appropriately.
- To follow up the interview with a thank you note.
- To complete and submit a Job-Shadowing Program Evaluation Form to Career & Advisement Services.
- What are the main responsibilities associated with work in your field?
- Please describe a typical day, week, and month.
- What interests and skills are needed for successful employment in this field?
- What are the advantages of working in this field? Disadvantages?
- What salary and benefits can I expect?
- What education and experiences will I need to break into the field?
- What type of work schedule does this field require?
- Have standards or licensing requirements for this field been established by national professional organizations?
- Are jobs in this field limited to any particular geographic area(s)?
- How do people find out about openings in your occupation?
- What opportunities exist for advancement and/or lateral movement?
- What are the emerging jobs in this field?
- What is the current outlook for new college graduates in this field?
- Are you satisfied with the career field you have chosen?
- What do you see happening to your profession in the next five to ten years?
- Please tell me more about your organization and its purpose.
- Is your organization growing, diminishing, or maintaining its size?
- How does your organization compete or cooperate with other organizations within this field?
- How do you think your job would be different if you were working in a larger or smaller organization?
- How is your organization funded?
- What is unique about your organization?
- In the future, do you think your organization will need more employees in this field?
- What is your job security within this organization?
- What field did you prepare for and expect to enter originally?
- How did you get where you are in your field?
- If you needed to leave your present job, to what other jobs could you apply your skills?
- Would you advise someone to enter your career field?
- What would you have done differently in your career?
- What do you like most about your job?
- What would you identify as the top two personal rewards from the work you do?
Emily Sanchez
1519 Tainter Hall
3227 Heather Avenue
Lake Havasu, AZ 86406
March 15, 2007
Mr. Jon Hamilton
3600 Chauncey Blvd
Bullhead City, AZ 86429
Dear Mr. Hamilton,
Thank you for taking time out of your busy work schedule to provide me the job-shadowing experience on March 15, 2007.
I found the tour of the facility and the career-related information you shared to be extremely valuable. Being able to talk to other accountants helped me realize my career goals and the kind of company I would like to work for in the future. I specifically enjoyed attending a staff meeting to experience some of the everyday issues that can arise in an office setting. Thank you for answering all of my questions; the information was very educational and invaluable.
I thank you again for your generosity and patience in helping me explore my career path.
Sincerely,
Emily Sanchez
For more information, please contact:
Career Planning
(928) 757-4331
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