Job Shadowing
You may be tossing around ideas of what you’d like to do with your future. What career would you like to pursue? What type of lifestyle would you like to live? Where would you want to settle down geographically and call home? If you’re someone who is wavering on what type of career to choose or even someone who is pretty certain that you have it all figured out, you may want to set up some job shadowing experiences to make sure that you’re aware of what your “dream job” entails.
Job shadowing is the opportunity to observe an employee performing their daily work routine in their environment. It allows you to explore specific careers and to get a realistic picture of the tasks performed for that job. This will allow you to make better informed decisions on your career of choice!
Job-Shadow-Guide.pdfHow to get started...
Click the picture to the right for a complete 4 page guide. Here are three quick options:
Pick a career you’d like to “try-on.”
Search in google: job shadow (career you’d like to try).
Or try the list of an existing playlist of careers on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphixWj0dfWzj_gQ0xKWaL6-5-6MFBQ1v
Jobshadow.com also has over 400 job shadow interviews from many different career fields.
Talk with family and friends about their careers. Ask to shadow them for a day.
Talk with your teachers, counselor, or other trusted adult about a shadow opportunity with a professional in the community.
Local Job Shadow Opportunities
Please contact your counselor for more information.
Collinsville Fire Department
Collinsville Police Department
Hospitals
Virtual Resources
There are also tons of videos on Youtube such as The Career Zoo, Road Trip Nation, Career Village if you want to watch videos of a future career. We have attached links to the left and below of these resources.
The Benefits of Job Shadowing
The ability to ask questions.
Questions like these: What made you choose this career? What education do you need to become employed in this field? If you could go back, would you change anything? What is your favorite and least favorite thing about this job? Do you have advice that may help to make my experience go more smoothly?
For a full list please click the picture on the right.
Examples-of-Questions-to-Ask-During-a-Job-Shadow.pdfHands on experience
In some job shadowing experiences, not only are you able to observe how tasks are completed but you may also get some hands-on experience yourself. This is certainly beneficial to inspire or deter you from pursuing this career path further. Optimize your time at the organization and make a good impression by following these tips:
Keep your phone silenced during a job shadow. Resist the urge to browse social media or make personal calls during work hours.
Bring a notepad. Write down notes and questions as they occur to you.
Maintain a positive attitude and be enthusiastic about the job. Remember that your goal is to learn as much as possible while you’re there.
Introduce yourself to other people, make eye contact, and shake hands.
Networking
Job shadowing is a great way to meet people in the profession that you are seeking. In the future, you may be able to use those people to answer questions for you, have them write letters of recommendation on your behalf, or they may recall your experiences at their business and may want to offer you a position after you are done with your schooling!
Don't forget to write a thank you note 1-2 days after job shadowing!!!
Here is a sample. Just click the picture on the right.
Student Job Shadow Sample Thank You Note.pdfLocal Career Shadowing Programs
Collinsville Police Department Cadet Program.pdf