How Job Shadowing Works: 4 Benefits of Job Shadowing

Job shadowing is when a skilled professional allows a novice to observe them as they perform their day-to-day job activities. Shadowing allows the less-experienced person to learn first-hand about the experience of working in a specific career field. In contrast to interns—who may take on projects and perform the duties of someone working on the job—the job-shadow experience is more about observing and learning, rather than performing the tasks of a given job.

High school and college students exploring their career interests or adult professionals looking to switch careers most commonly take part in the job-shadowing experience, which can lead to new professional opportunities. Additionally, many employers train new employees by having them shadow seasoned team members.

This practical learning technique exposes job hopefuls to the real-life experience of working in their desired career field, since classroom learning or training manuals can only reveal so much. The job-shadowing process—which can be short or long-term—works in many ways. Here is a basic overview:

1. 1. Starting off: College or high school students will set up job-shadowing opportunities through their school or teachers. A department manager or human resources representative may set up an on-the-job training arrangement if you’re training as a new hire. If you’re interested in exploring new career goals, you will need to reach out to professionals in your area of interest and ask to shadow them.
2. 2. Process: Depending on the objective of the job-shadowing process, it can take place over the course of a day to a couple of weeks. Make sure to agree on the period of time for the job shadow before you get started. A school program may set up longer-term posts, while a new hire may train for up to a month. When you show up for the day, follow the company’s dress code, take notes, and ask plenty of questions.
3. 3. Next steps: When your job-shadowing stint concludes, it’s essential to leave a good impression. Follow up with a thank-you note and keep the lines of communication open. You never know when the connection might come in handy.

There are many reasons why a job-shadowing program is a useful tool for furthering your career. Here are just some of the benefits:

1. 1. Career exploration: Job shadowing is an excellent way to gauge your interest in a new job or industry. It can give you a glimpse into the day-to-day experience of a specific profession, allowing you to practically evaluate whether you want to pursue a career in that field.
   
2. 2. Networking: You will meet plenty of people during your shadowing stint who may be helpful in your next job search. In addition to being a wealth of career advice, these connections can help give you a competitive edge, especially if you’re breaking into a new or popular industry. It’s also a great opportunity to develop a relationship with someone you admire, who may become a valuable mentor in the future.
3. 3. Career development: Shadowing a leader in a different department of your current company demonstrates initiative, teaches you new skills, and can set you up for a promotion.
4. 4. Practical learning: Rather than simply telling a new hire what an exemplary performance looks like, this job-training method provides practical experience, leading to higher information retention and faster learning. Additionally, shadowing a coworker gives a new hire a better idea of how a team runs.

Job shadowing is a useful experience for many jobs and industries. Here are a couple of examples of what it looks like in practice.

• Marketing new hire training: A new marketing manager may shadow a coworker (in their department or another) as part of their training process. In addition to helping the new professional understand their role, it will help them develop the soft skills needed for this particular job environment. The new marketing manager may also get to network with professionals in different departments, which will benefit their ability to work cross-functionally.
• Nursing profession: Like with many other healthcare fields, shadowing is commonplace in nursing. A nurse-in-training (or high school or college student interested in the field) may follow a working nurse—or several nurses of different specialties—during a full shift. This opportunity gives the job hopeful a great feel for working with different types of patients with various concerns. Additionally, nursing hopefuls may follow nurses in different medical environments, like hospitals, doctors’ offices, or urgent care clinics.

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