1) The document provides information about job shadowing, including both potential benefits (PROs) and limitations (CONs). It outlines 5 key benefits, such as gaining first-hand exposure to a job and environment, and 4 potential limitations, such as only seeing a brief and possibly distorted view of the real work. 2) The document then gives tips for students participating in a job shadowing program, such as doing research ahead of time on the organization, thanking their host, asking questions, observing communications, and following up after with a thank you. 3) The tips include suggestions for how students should dress, behave, and interact with their host and others during the job shadow in order to have

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Job Shadow Program

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Shadowing: The PROs
1. Job shadowing enables you to watch a person actually working. You can
see how the person reacts, interacts and how things are done. You will
not only gain first hand exposure to the job but also environment in which
the job is done. Many times these two are totally different and job
shadowing can enable you to judge whether you can do justice to it.
2. Job shadowing will introduce you to a world of interaction with people - on
an official basis. Skills in official communication are extremely important
in a job.
3. Job shadowing exposes you to the details of the job which otherwise you
would have not known.
4. Job shadowing can teach a few tricks of the trade through observation.
People in a job often use tricks to cut time and save money in their jobs .
When you shadow you will find out their short-cuts'.
5. Job shadowing shows you whether you are compatible or not with the job
- it is a good way of testing your fit to the job.
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Shadowing: The CONs
1. Job shadowing - even if it done for a week - will not catch the
person really behaving as they would without you around. A
person behaves slightly different with a audience, so you may not
really catch the nuances of the job.
2. The very limited time spent shadowing may distort the real
picture; you see the job through a perspective which might not be
the actual reality.
3. Job shadowing may expose you to 'best practices' that actually do
not exist. The person you are shadowing may put on their best
appearance for you, thus NOT presenting the reality of working
there.
4. The brief time there may make the job look better than it is.
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Do Your Homework
• Find out which organization/company the
person that you will be matched with works at:
– Use the Internet (Google them, check their website)
• Ask Student Center staff, your teachers,
guidance counselors, family, friends, coaches,
etc. the following questions:
– What products does the company you’re going to
shadow make and / or services do they provide?
– Who are their competitors?
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Thank Them AT THE BEGINNING
• Understand/appreciate that they’re taking
time out of their hectic schedules to
participate in the program and give you a
guided tour of where they work.
• Maintain good eye contact esp. when they
are speaking to you.
• When they speak to you acknowledge
them by saying: “Yes,” “No,” “I see,” “That’s
Interesting,” etc.
• People LOVE to talk about themselves.
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Tips for Shadowing Success
• Dress as you would for a job interview.
• Bring a notepad to write useful information.
• If your professional attends a meeting on your
shadow day, ask if you can sit in. You can
learn a lot about a company's culture by how
meetings are conducted.
• Don’t ask personal questions (ex. “How much
do you make?”)
• Be prepared to get involved and help out.
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Observe Their Communications
Notice the communication channels in the
workplace. Is most communication done by
email? Do co-workers frequently communicate
with your professional by dropping by his or
her workspace? Is communication primarily
Phone oriented? What's the level of formality
in your professional's phone conversations?
Is there a lot of gossip around the workplace?
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Ask LOTS of Questions
– How did they get their start there?
– What do they do?
– What do they like most about their work?
• BE ALERT. Focus on EVERY aspect of the
workplace:
– How clean is it?
– How friendly are the employees to each other and
outsiders (like you)?
– What is the workplace environment like? Think to
yourself: “Could I work here?”
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Say Hello to Everyone You Meet
• SMILE AT ALL TIMES
• Shake hands as firmly as they do, if they
extend their hand to you. (PRACTICE)
• Say “Thank you for speaking with me” to each
person your professional introduces you to,
that takes the time to talk with you.
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Ask Questions Where
Appropriate
• Base questions on the information they
provide to you and you found out when you
did your homework. Some examples:
– What do they do for [name of company]
– What do they enjoy (most) about working there
– How long have they been working there
– What challenges do they face right now?
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Build Rapport to Obtain Feedback
• Be aware of the professional's and the
organization's needs as you're shadowing, and do
your best not to interfere with the normal
workflow.
• If you have good rapport with the person you're
shadowing, consider asking for a resume critique
and advice on interviewing at the company, as
well as thoughts on coursework, internships, and
work experience that will enable you to break into
a job at that company.
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When the Day Is Done
• Ask for their business card
• Is it alright to keep in touch with them
• Send them a “Thank You” note right away
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Reporting Back
• Report back to the Student Center and the
other faculty who administer the program how
you found the experience.
• Let them know how prepared the person was
who gave you the tour, how friendly the
people you met were, and if they should
continue to included this organization in future
programs.
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