Four ways to offer a job shadow to college students

For many college students, it can be challenging to identify exactly what role or industry they’re interested in while enrolled. Most majors offer students a variety of skills that can be applied to many different jobs, so opening up the world of possibilities to learners is key.

A job-shadow experience can be one way to highlight available career opportunities in the local community or beyond and in addition build network connections for students to lean on.

Inside Higher Ed compiled four models of job-shadow experiences that help build students’ confidence and promote career exploration.

• Engage with alumni, parents

Having an excited host brings more meaning to a job-shadow experience, so working with friends of the university can make job shadowing more personal and powerful. One finding of Inside Higher Ed’s 2024 Student Voice survey is that 29 percent of students want institutions to connect them to alumni or other potential mentors.

At Bates College in Maine, the Center for Purposeful Work hosts purposeful work job shadows throughout the year (December to May). Students can apply for up to three experiences.

Each of the job shadows is hosted by Bates alumni and parents and can take place in person or virtually. For in-person experiences, travel is covered by the institution if the student is on financial aid. Job shadows can range from a two-hour experience to a two-day excursion and can involve up to 25 students in the more than 730 experiences.

Fairfield University hosts an alumni job-shadow program for juniors and seniors and a career exploration for first- and second-year students to learn from alumni and Fairfield parents about their studies and career transitions. The career center matches students with a host for the shadow, which can include a video call, an in-person meeting and tour, or a lunch conversation.

Not every student has the time to devote to a job shadow during the academic year, due to conflicting priorities such as paid work or family obligations. To meet students where they are, institutions should consider job-shadow opportunities during academic breaks, when there is less on a student’s schedule.

FSUshadow at Florida State University takes place during winter, spring and summer breaks and is open to graduate and undergraduate students. From 2016 to 2023, more than 3,400 participants engaged with over 920 unique site hosts, offering deeper insight into careers students may be unfamiliar with and providing industry connections in person or online, depending on how the student engages in the job shadow.

• Use your own campus community

Many higher education leaders first get their start working at their own institution, either as a student employee or a graduate student. Job shadows that engage staff and administrators at the institution can inspire the next generation of leaders.

The University of Wisconsin at Madison School of Education’s Career Center launched a one-day initiative in January to expose undergraduate students majoring in education studies, health promotion and health equity to career opportunities on campus.

The first year, 26 students engaged with 11 institutional hosts in education and health fields. The experience broadened students’ opinions of the careers available and encouraged them to pursue their passions.

The University of California, Davis, has a selective leadership job-shadow program that gives undergraduate and graduate students insight into careers at the university. Participants attend meetings and events, engage with other faculty and staff, and learn more about the day-to-day functions of the institution. Executive-level leaders participate in the program, including the vice chancellor for finance, operations and admissions; the vice provost and dean for undergraduate education; and the vice provost and dean of graduate studies.

• Offer online opportunities

With the rise of online education, not every student is located on or near their campus. Furthermore, not every student is interested in a job opportunity near their college or university. Virtual job shadowing is one way to include online-only learners and provide connections for students looking to move after graduation.

Loyola Marymount University in California offers a remote job-shadow program over the summer in the College of Business Administration. Undergraduate students are matched with working finance professionals who share insight into the business models of firms, financial tools and challenges in their role, as well as the keys to their career success, over the course of six meetings. This helps students better understand their coursework, perform better in job interviews and even land jobs, according to the university’s website.

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