Published By: Puja Sinha

Five Important Steps in Job Shadowing

Time to jazz up your job search and interview game

Job shadowing has tremendous opportunities to expand your knowledge across vistas to know in-depth about other relevant job areas from expert peers and working professionals. Since the professionals possess in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience, you would be well disposed to amass insights in those particular domains by interacting and collaborating with them.

Participate in a Job Shadowing Program

Sign up with a virtual job shadowing program that would allow you a kaleidoscopic view of the different professions without meddling with your assigned tasks. Reputed programs are known for providing educational tours and valuable explore with platforms for training to help you retain the information. By the end of each class, be certain to gain plethora of information regarding potential career growth in your selected domain(s).

Connect and Observe

Connecting with professionals personally to learn first-hand about the roles is a substitute to signing up with programs. The scope to physically or virtually network and learn is ample. Make sure to conduct basic research to know your skill gaps and interests which will further help the professionals in guiding you.

Research the Company & Industry

Prior research will provide a quick overview of the job role and professionals you will be shadowing. Preliminary research will lay the foundation for shadowing. You will be equipped to learn the related terminologies, services, expected qualifications and expertise and company products and goals besides learning about typical job responsibilities. Research is no doubt the first step towards familiarising yourself with the industry and forming a concrete idea about what you are looking for.

Prepare a Questionnaire 

Research will definitely instill an array of questions regarding the nitty-gritty of the job within you. Listing a few relevant questions is an efficient way to learn than asking impromptu, none or pretty obvious questions to the professional. Often you will miss out on important questions during the session as it is hardly feasible to coherently cluster inside your mind all the ensuing doubts.

Write Thank You Mails

Besides a professional courtesy, sending emails will convince the professional of your passion and appreciation. Retain their contact details to catch up on later or network / ask for recommendations when the need arises. Holding onto contacts is important and especially when you are about to take a major leap in career. The assurance and teaching you will receive from the working professionals are invaluable.

These steps would help you dig deeper into the nuances of the professions without, of course, compromising on your day-to-day job responsibilities.