Shadowing Jobs - What Are They and How to Get One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

The major difference between job shadowing and an internship is that you perform more duties as an intern than as a job shadow participant. Interns are hired for temporary positions, and they can be paid or unpaid. Most job shadowing opportunities are unpaid and primarily offer the job shadow participant a sense of the field and the specific type of work they would do if they entered the profession. However, the goal of both internships and job shadowing is to provide participants with industry experience or knowledge.

Job shadowing is when a prospective employee, student, or participant in an employment, school, or community program is assigned to observe a more senior worker perform their job on a daily basis. Some participants may also work with a supervisor whose duties are to teach and provide career development advice and support. The goal of a job shadowing program is to gain valuable skills, knowledge, and experience as a participant works their way through the program or decides if a career is right for them. Job shadowing can be sponsored through a company, school, community learning, or workforce program.

Many different jobs have shadowing opportunities, and shadowing may be available in any industry. Nearly all clinical professions, particularly nursing and medicine, require a period of shadowing before employment. Medical and nursing students often shadow more experienced doctors or nurses during rounds or on specific rotations in a clinic where they learn practical skills. Other industries may not have such specific requirements, but encourage candidates to shadow different jobs before choosing a particular career route. Qualifications for job shadowing opportunities may include being enrolled in a high school or college program or sponsored by a workforce agency, along with identifying an employee willing to provide observation.