Job Shadowing

Wanted!  Dynamic and engaged Job Shadow Hosts for Lakehead University business students.

Work-Integrated Learning at Lakehead is launching a Job Shadowing Project to help students explore and experience career choices that they are considering.

These will be half day shadowing opportunities where students are exposed to the host's job and career.

Shadowing could include:

  • Observation of daily routine (What does it mean to sit in a cube or office?)

  • Participation in meetings or presentations

  • Listening in on customer/ conference calls

  • Facility tours

  • Speaking with a variety of employees in different departments & review of organizational chart

  • If applicable, a “hands on” project/assignment

  • Lunch with you and other employees

What do students do during the Job Shadow?

  • visit with you at your workplace

  • see your work in action

  • may be allowed to participate in some type of meaningful activity

The experience can be structured in many ways with the goal being to provide a realistic understanding of the career field.

Talking with your student about why you are in that career field, what you enjoy about it, the disadvantages of the career field will be helpful to the student.

What information should I share with the student?

Occupational field: How has it changed from the time you graduated? How do you see it affected, if at all, by the economy? What graduate degrees are prominent in the industry?

 

Current job: What do you like best and least about your job? What types of people do you work with and for? What is your current role and responsibility? How did you get your current position?

 

Career Future/Alternatives: What other jobs and careers could you go into? If things continue as you would like, what types of career goals do you see for yourself? Before choosing your current path, what other employers were you considering?

 

Lifestyle: What obligation does your work place upon your personal time? How much flexibility do you have in terms of dress, hours of work, vacation schedule? How often do people in your line of work change jobs?

 

Advice for a New Professional: How is the current workforce in your industry in relation to the economy? What do you look for in a new hire? What keywords do you look for on a resume?

 

College Activities: Which campus activities helped you prepare for your current professional position? Which courses or activities do you wish you had taken or been a member of that would have better prepared you for what you are doing right now?

 

Feedback: What should the student think about for future job shadow experiences?

What questions will students ask me?

  • Where did you attend college? LU alumnus? What was your major?

  • What helped you decide on this profession?

  • Are there specific courses which were especially beneficial?

  • What kind of activities were you involved with on campus?

  • What do you like most/least about your job?

  • What kind of training do new employees receive?

  • What are the typical career paths in this field?

  • Are you able to manage work/life balance?

  • What kind of advice would you give me to prepare for this field?

  • What kind of challenges do you see day-to-day?

  • Are there professional associations I should be involved with for this field?

  • How can I learn more?

To become a Job Shadow Host

with Work-Integrated Learning at Lakehead

contact:

Huiqi (Vicky) Ye, (MBA)
Experiential Learning Navigator
Faculty of Business Administration
Lakehead University
807-346-8547

hye3@lakeheadu.ca