How to Shadow a Job to Learn About Opportunities
Job shadowing is the process of attending a day's work at a business or trade, spending time alongside a skilled professional in order to learn about a desired role. Job shadowing presents the job seeker with an accurate description of the role's duties and responsibilities; in addition, the job seeker gains valuable industry and workplace insight not found in other job research methods. This unique perspective is valuable as a decision-making tool for a job seeker.
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Instructions
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Decide on which position in a company you would like to shadow. This will be used to develop a targeted query.
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Research the company with which you would like to shadow. This information will be used in creating a request letter.
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Create a formal job shadowing request. See the resources for a sample job shadowing request letter. A good request letter will be targeted to both the position and the company it is being sent to.
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Follow up the request letter with a personal phone call.
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Before attending your job shadowing, write down any prospective questions regarding the career you might want to ask, such as what are the responsibilities of the job, what are the skills required, what type of training is available and what are the advantages or disadvantages of working in the field. Specific questions will help to round out a full view of the role.
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On the scheduled job shadowing day, arrive at the company and present yourself to the mentor. As this is a professional experience, be sure to wear workplace appropriate attire; if you are unsure, call ahead and ask about the dress code. You may wish to bring a pad and pen for note-taking purposes, as well as personal business cards for contacts.
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Observe your mentor at his job. This experience will vary depending upon the line of work. You may ask questions about the routine, observe the company atmosphere, and speak with other employees who may be essential to the shadowed role. This will give insight into both the company and the shadowed position.
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After the shadowing experience, be sure to follow up with a thank-you note to your mentor. A sample letter is included in the University of Wisconsin, Plattesville - Guide to Job Shadowing (see references).
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Tips & Warnings
Check to see if your local school or state employment agency has any provisions for job shadowing. Many schools and employment agencies offer job shadowing as a service and can navigate the steps of arranging a shadowing day for you. Request letters should be sent with several weeks of lead time to allow a company time to schedule and respond. A formal request letter should be sent by post.
