Alumni Job Shadow Program

Students have until October 15th, 2020 to review available alumni hosts and complete the program application. Students and hosts will be matched based on availability and career path of interest. This year all Job Shadow Program opportunities will be virtual. 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. We’ll do our best to match you with one of your top preference host sites.

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. (if needed).

During a typical 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!
• Please note: Job Shadow opportunities for 2020-21 will be entirely virtual. Details coming soon. 

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!

We invite alumni who have graduated from Clark University 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 typical 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

Please note: Job Shadow opportunities for 2020-21 will be entirely virtual.

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