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Clark University
Career Connections Center

Accepting applications for Spring Break 2020 until midnight on February 7, 2020! 

To view a new list of current opportunities by state, click here. 

 

The ClarkCONNECT Alumni Job Shadow Program is an opportunity for you to shadow a Clark alum where they work over winter or spring break.

Why would I want to shadow an alum?

  • Experience a typical day on the job in an industry you’re considering
  • Learn firsthand what employers are looking for in potential employees
  • Expand your professional network
  • Discover exciting new career paths

Sounds great! When can I do this?

Winter Break, January 2-10, 2020

Spring Break, March 2-6, 2020

What do I need to do to apply?

Applying is a simple three-step process.

  1. Fill out a brief form to identify your top three choices.
  2. Write a brief (300-500 word) statement about why you want to shadow an alum.
  3. Attach the most recent, polished version of your resume.

The deadline to apply for spring is February 7, 2020.

Click here to preview the application in advance.

Have questions about the process? Contact Elizabeth Gittens, Associate Director of Early Career Development, at egittens@clarku.edu.

Apply Here

Student job shadowing

A Day in the Life

A typical job shadow day varies from one place of work to the next, but what is certain, is that you will have an opportunity to observe firsthand a typical day on the job. You will gain a realistic picture of the everyday aspects of a workplace and begin to understand the skills and attributes necessary to succeed in a particular field. Undergraduate students (sophomores, juniors, seniors) from all majors can participate in Job Shadow.

Host a Clark Student

Students have until October 31st, 2019 to review available alumni hosts and complete the program application. Students and hosts will be matched based on availability and career path of interest within a geographic location. All program participants will attend a short, mandatory orientation prior to their job shadow day.

The application will ask you for your top preferences of hosts, companies, or industries relative to geographic locations. We’ll do our best to match you with one of your top preference host sites. Please note that it is possible that not all students will be able to match with an alumni host based on availability of geographic location.

Apply Here! 2019-2020 Program Application.

All program participants will attend a short, mandatory orientation prior to their job shadow day.

Prior to the Job Shadow visit:

  • If you are matched with an alumni, then you are expected to participate in the program. If, for any reason, you cannot participate after being matched, you should notify the Career Connections Center immediately so we can match another student.
  • Once you receive the details of your host, you will contact them directly to schedule a job shadow date that is convenient for both of you.
  • You should research the organization and prepare a list of questions for your host.
  • Respond to all correspondence from the alumni host in a timely manner.
  • Plan transportation and allow plenty of time for traffic, etc.

During the Job Shadow visit:

  • Bring a padfolio with a notebook, pen, and copies of your resume.
  • Dress and speak professionally.
  • Arrive on time (or 5 minutes early).
  • Spend the day actively listening, learning, asking relevant questions, and taking notes.
  • Ask for business cards of anyone you meet with during the day so you can follow up with them.
  • Take some photos of you and your alumni host in front of a company sign and during other activities!

After the Job Shadow day:

  • Send thank you notes to your alumni host and anyone else you met during the Job Shadow day.
  • E-mail photos to careersevices@clarku.edu so we can share them and say thank you to alumni!
Date Action Item
October 16th, 2019 Student Application Opens
October 31st, 2019 Student Application Deadline
November 5th – 27th, 2019
January 21st – February 8th, 2020		 Applicants meet with Program Coordinator to talk about career and industry interests.
December 4th, 2019
February 20th, 2020		 Mandatory Student Participant Orientation
December 10th – 18th, 2019
February 20th – March 1st, 2020		 Students contact alumni hosts to set up a shadow date
January 2nd – 12th, 2019
March 2nd – 6th, 2020		 Job Shadow!

 

ClarkCONNECT alumni at an event

Alumni Hosts

As alumni, parents, and friends, we invite you to host a Clark student for a valuable experience. Whether you can devote a day, half day, or even a lunch meeting, your time is extremely beneficial to Clark students. Whatever your field, you’ll have the opportunity to introduce careers, culture, and industry, and share your own personal career experiences. You may host multiple students if you would like – either simultaneously or on different days.

We invite alumni who have graduated from Clark University with a Bachelor’s Degree and are employed full-time, to participate as an alumni employer host. For some Clark University students, this will be their first experience in a professional work environment. The information and perspectives that you share during your time together may help inform their career decisions. The primary expectation is that you will allow a student (or multiple students) to observe you in your work place and introduce them to your industry and profession.

Outlined below, are our expectations of all alumni hosts:

  • Prior to a student’s arrival, hosts will be asked to:
    • Reply to the email they receive from their student shadow. Students will inquire about the best date and time for job shadow day and may ask how they should dress, where they should park, and what they should bring.
    • Prepare a shadow day schedule for a full day or half day based on your availability. A list of recommended activities is below.
  • On the day of the job shadow, hosts will be asked to:
    • Mentor your student shadow
      • Meet with the student shadow to get acquainted. Talk about your education, job search experience, first year on the job, things you like about your job, challenges, etc.
      • Introduce the student shadow to at least three other employees at host site.
  • After the job shadow, hosts will be asked to:
    • Complete a program evaluation via a link sent to you electronically.
  • Here is a list of suggested shadow day activities:
    • Introductions to people in different positions and levels within the organization
    • Tour of your organization’s facility
    • Review current trends and challenges in the industry
    • Bring student to meetings
    • Resume critique
    • Explore potential career paths within the organization and profession
    • Talk about your career path since graduating
    • Talk about how students can maximize their time at Clark University
Date Action Item
Early September Alumni Host applications open
October 16th Alumni Host application deadline
December 10th and February 15th Hosts are notified of their student matches
December 10th – 18th
February 20th – March 1st		 Students contact hosts to set up shadow dates and times. Hosts should reply to students with details and an itinerary.
January 2nd – 10th
March 2-6th		 Job Shadow!

Here’s a list of a few activities that you can incorporate in your job shadow agenda:

  • Observe company staff meetings or team meetings.
  • Complete office tasks or assist with projects.
  • Conduct informational interviews of both professional and administrative staff.
  • Shadow interactions with clients.
  • Observe functions and duties of a particular career role.
  • Tour the facilities.
  • Join colleagues and additional Clark alumni for lunch.
  • Review organization’s mission/vision statement and organizational charts.
  • Understand office policies and procedures.
  • Review current trends in the profession.
  • Explore potential career paths within the organization and the profession.
  • Meet with key players of the organization.

The industries often requested by students include:

  • Sustainability and Climate Change
  • Technology
  • Counseling/Psychology
  • Finance (investment banking, corporate, financial services)
  • Marketing
  • Media Production
  • Consulting
  • Nonprofit
  • Public Relations
  • International Relations
  • Sports Management/Marketing
alumni students

MIT Solve

Alumna, Sharon Bort ’14 hosted multiple Clark students at MIT Solve, a hybrid business incubator and idea marketplace from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and provided a tour of their Bootstrap Compost facility, introductions to colleagues, and a hands-on project.

student with judge smiling at camera for job shadowing

Court Day

Clark student, Elliot Anderson ’22, job shadows, alumnus, Judge Brian Stern ’88, an Associate Justice at the Rhode Island Superior Court for a closer look in to a day in the life in law.