Job Shadowing - Advice to Students

Career resources such as assessments, career counselling and job fairs should be used as research tools to explore different career options. Once you have narrowed down your options to a few careers that you are interested in (or at least curious about), consider job shadowing as your next step.

Job shadowing involves researching an occupation by observing an individual in his/her work environment. The first step is to contact someone in a career that interests you. Use your contacts and networking skills to find somebody in a career you’re interested in.

Many individuals are happy to share information about their career with a student, as the time commitment and effort required is quite minimal. It is important to come prepared; have a list of questions to ask this person. Make sure you dress appropriately when you job shadow. It is also a good idea to send a thank-you note after your job shadow.

After your job shadow experience, evaluate whether you could see yourself in a similar position. Make lists of things you would enjoy or dislike in this career and determine whether it is worth researching this career further.

Keep in mind that the person you job shadowed might be a great contact person for you later on if you end up working in the same field. Happy job shadowing!