Just one day spent onsite observing the day-to-day work of a host professional can immeasurably impact a student in his or her career planning. That's the idea behind the Lundquist College of Business's successful undergraduate Job Shadow Program.
Piloted in fall 2013, the undergraduate Job Shadow Program saw immediate interest from both students and professionals. And that notable growth in interest continued in fall 2014 as the program moved into its second year of operation.
This past fall 111 students applied to the Job Shadow Program, 63 of which were accepted and conducted job shadows in December 2014. That is almost twice as many as any previous term. Just fewer than half of those students were hosted by UO alumni in cities including Portland, Eugene, San Francisco, and Seattle. Host companies represented a range of industries with student visits to Northwestern Mutual, Wells Fargo, Yelp, Zillow, Nike, Ernst and Young, Deloitte, Umpqua Bank, Bonneville Power Administration, and UO-affiliated startup Hallspot, among many others.
“Our Job Shadow Program is really gaining momentum and both students and host professionals are finding tremendous value in this unique career development opportunity," said Chris Bennett , Assistant Director of the undergraduate Job Shadow Program.
Bennett added that host company benefits from the program include exposure, recruiting, and insight into student populations.
Katherine Suchan of Journey Tree Financial Planning and Investments, for example, noted that hosting a student provided an opportunity for her firm to share information about its industry including its services, the value it provides, and career opportunities.
“It gave us the opportunity to get to know this generation of students better—their culture, interests, and expectations," she said.
Sophomore Yessenia Carlos, who recently completed a job shadow with Wells Fargo in Portland, urged her classmates to “Sign up now."
“Job shadowing is not only following a professional around while they work," she said. “You receive advice, a look at what you might do in the future, and connections. Most importantly, you figure out the what, who, how, and why of your chosen career. You get a step forward into the game—something no one will regret having in this competitive environment."
The next one-day job shadow dates are June 12-17. Companies and professionals interested in hosting a student should look for a registration form on the Job Shadow Program page in late March. Those interested in hosting students through the program may also contact Chris Bennett to discuss details or with questions. The program is currently emphasizing growth in the San Francisco and Seattle regions but continues to fortify connections in all cities.