Job Shadowing

A strategy related to Information Interviewing is Job Shadowing. In this case you follow someone in the occupation at their job site during their daily routine. You have the opportunity to learn about the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities, as the person is carrying them out. Following one professional in one organization will probably result in a limited perspective so it is best to shadow a few people in different organizations.

As with Informational Interviewing, some good sources for Job Shadowing are people you know, such as relatives, friends, neighbors, co-members of community or religious organizations, local community organization leaders, trade organizations and associations. You could even ask a professional in that field that you have contact with, such as your doctor, pharmacist, cable man. With no contact whatsoever, you can always start with the yellow pages or internet sites to identify relevant businesses and then contact the human resources department requesting an opportunity and an introduction. They are likely to be aware of this procedure and have a routine for carrying it out. If they are not aware of the term, state that "I am in the process of making a career decision and would like to observe the work that goes on in your work setting for a few hours." Tell them the job title of the person you would like to observe and ask them if they can arrange it.

As with Information Interviewing, an added benefit of a professional contact is that it can lead to other opportunities, such as, a mentoring relationship, job contacts for an internship, a future part-time or full-time job. We have attached a standard Job Shadowing Worksheet to assist you in this process, but you can modify it as you need.