Opinions on a teen asking to job shadow?

[LisaR]

I am considering having DD contact some companies in our area and ask if it would be possible to shadow someone for a half or full day. I think it would be great if she could spend the day with someone understanding exactly what their job involves before committing to majoring in it.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone that works in the fields that she is interested in so I can't help her out.

Have any of you every been contacted by a teenager and asked to be shadowed? If you haven't, how would you feel about it? Is this a stupid idea?

 

[My sister's princess]

I job shadowed in highschool, a few different jobs. That is how I decided I did not want to be a ADA.

I would let her express and interest in jobs, and ask her guidance counselor. I don't know if maybe I am misreading your first sentence, but it sounds like you are more interested in her job shadowing than she is.

 

[LisaR]

I job shadowed in highschool, a few different jobs. That is how I decided I did not want to be a ADA.

I would let her express and interest in jobs, and ask her guidance counselor. I don't know if maybe I am misreading your first sentence, but it sounds like you are more interested in her job shadowing than she is.

Sorry if my first sentence came off that way but that isn't the case at all. She has been asking me how she can really understand what certain jobs entail. I hate to say it but TV tends to make some jobs look so much better than they really are! My husband was joking about "Take Your Daughter To Work Day." She has been with him before and would rather be unemployed than do his job. That just got me to thinking that it would be nice if she could shadow someone that has a job she is actually interested in. She agreed and is very interested. She is homeschooled so there isn't a guidance counselor. She does go to community college but they only have some volunteering options and she didn't find anything in the areas that she was interested in.

 

[Abbie]

DS approached the orthopedic surgeon who did his surgeries to ask the same thing. He was very open to the idea and welcomed him to shadow at his convenience. DS did several times over the summer and really solidified his decision to pursue a career in that area, probably as a PA.

I second the idea to ask at guidance...I know our school has a formal intern program matching the kids up with local employers. If yours can't help, just have her get on the phone and start cold-calling to inquire. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

 

[FireDancer]

I wouldn't mind someone shadowing me. It would have to be on a day when I'm not at a critical point in a project but I think seeing what a working I.T. department is like would be beneficial to anyone entering the field. I do imagine the field she is interested in might dictate how likely she is the be allowed to shadow someone.

Most professionals I know like seeing kids show initiative.

 

[kwelch10377]

I think it really depends on what type of field(s) of work she is looking at. I think some fields may be a little more open to it than others.

You could maybe ask around to some friends to see if they know someone in any of the fields she is interested in. You could have her call around to some companies and ask to speak with their HR departments to see if they have any type of program setup or if they would be willing to let her come in. Since she is in community college she could also talk to some of the teachers there and see if they have any recommendations on where to go or if they have any contacts.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am considering having DD contact some companies in our area and ask if it would be possible to shadow someone for a half or full day. I think it would be great if she could spend the day with someone understanding exactly what their job involves before committing to majoring in it.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone that works in the fields that she is interested in so I can't help her out.

Have any of you every been contacted by a teenager and asked to be shadowed? If you haven't, how would you feel about it? Is this a stupid idea?

Has she checked out her guidance office? I know at my soon to be dd's HS they have a list of companies that offer job shadowing.

I would tell her to work through this with her guidance counselor.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

My son had done this with our dentist, she thought it was a great idea. In fact it was her idea!
She is a recent graduate and new to our dental office. Since my DS is interested in the medical field, I ask questions any time we are at the doctor and I happened to ask her what led her to dentistry.
So after we talked for a bit, she said she would be open to DS shadowing her so he can get a feel for what the field is like.

I say it doesn't hurt to ask!

 

[golfgal]

One of the hospitals in our area has a formal program to do this. DD15 is waiting to hear back from the department coordinator to set up her time to follow a radiologist and an OB/GYN.

DS15 talked to a friend of ours that is an actuary and will be meeting with him in a couple weeks.

We also have a class at our school where kids spend a trimester in career exploration but they also talk about resume writing, interview skills, etc. then another trimester where they job shadow for 2 hours/day. Our twins will be doing the class next year and the job shadow as seniors.

 

[MerMom60_94]

I think this is a great idea and agree with KWelch that you should ask around to friends to see if they know anyone in the field(s) of interest. DD has talked about working in a vets office for as long as she could talk. A few years ago we were at a birthday party and I was talking to my friend's niece. She works as a vet tech at our veterinarian's office. She gave me her email information and I had DD contact her and she had her come in a few times to see behind the scenes and shadow her. It gave DD a chance to see the various roles and the reality of working with animals. It solidified her decision to go in that direction.

 

[NHdisneylover]

The only issue I see is that some businesses might take issue with it from an insurance/liability standpoint.

Here in Germany the kids do 1-3 week practicums in a field they are interested in every year starting in 8th grade. It is actually part of their schooling. They choose the fields and contact the companies themselves and set it all up but the schools provide letters and verification that their insurance covers the students in the even of any issues--I know that was the BIG thing the company DD worked in this year needed.

 

[malibuconlee]

What fields of work interest her?

 

[jodifla]

Shadowing is a GREAT idea.

We'd certainly let somebody do it in our field. Heck I'd put them straight to work!

 

[gillep]

I have had quite a few HS students shadow me, usually half a day for a full week. I think it is a great idea and most of the students usually learn a lot (or so the thank you cards they give me say). All of our students have been friends of friends of someone in our department so I would just ask around your friends and in the community.

 

[LisaR]

We also have a class at our school where kids spend a trimester in career exploration but they also talk about resume writing, interview skills, etc. then another trimester where they job shadow for 2 hours/day. Our twins will be doing the class next year and the job shadow as seniors.

The community college offers a similar class and my DD will be taking it in the fall.

What fields of work interest her?

A few of her interests that have remained strong include curator or archivist at a history museum and advertising/PR work. She has contacted every history museum within an hour drive and none will allow her to volunteer until she is 18. Seems a bit ridiculous to me but it isn't my call. Over the summer, she will be volunteering with a nearby city that will allow her to do some PR/Advertising work for some of their upcoming events so that should help give her a little feel for that field. She would still like to shadow someone in a decent sized firm though.

 

[Pakey]

I wouldn't want anyone shadowing me. They'd see how little work I actually do.

 

[VulcanGirl]

I think that job shadowing would be a great experience and a nice chance for some of the employers in the area to see that she takes initiative. I am NHDisneyLover's daughter and as she said in German school you make a two week apprenticeship each year starting at grade eight. I spent the first week of my apprenticeship with an International Lean Consulting company. I have loved Lean and wanted to work with it ever since I can remember. I read my first business book on Lean when I was seven and have been reading up on and researching it ever since. I want to be a Lean consultant when I am older and my Praktikum (apprenticeship) really gave me a chance to see what it actually is and what I would actually do if I were to become one. It helped to get rid of any uncertainty I had about whether or not it was actually what I wanted to do the majority of my life. I consider that experience invaluable. If she can possibly shadow someone in whatever profession she wishes to pursue by all means do. Like my Mom posted one thing that can unfortunately be a major issue is insurance. My school provided the insurance during my Praktikum and that was very important to the company I was working with. Now I believe it depends in part on what sort of job she wants. Where I was I was often in manufacturing environments with safety shoes and goggles. Insurance might not be such a big deal at a museum or an office area (for Advertising? My sole knowledge of advertising jobs comes from watching Bewitched). I really hope that helps some and that she gets a chance to shadow someone.

 

[malibuconlee]

The community college offers a similar class and my DD will be taking it in the fall.




A few of her interests that have remained strong include curator or archivist at a history museum and advertising/PR work. She has contacted every history museum within an hour drive and none will allow her to volunteer until she is 18. Seems a bit ridiculous to me but it isn't my call. Over the summer, she will be volunteering with a nearby city that will allow her to do some PR/Advertising work for some of their upcoming events so that should help give her a little feel for that field. She would still like to shadow someone in a decent sized firm though.

I have a friend with a degree in marketing. She does physician and medical staff recruiting for a hospital. She's currently working for the government at a hospital on a military base, but has done it for a small community hospital as well. So she could see about something along those lines as well?

 

[FireDancer]

I am a little surprised to see that people in the medical field allow shadowing with HIPAA and privacy laws. That is one of the fields along with any kind of heavy manufacturing I thought would never allow it. I guess in the research side of medicine I could but unless the shadow can go in and watch the doctor interact with their patients it seems like a waste of time to me.

 

[LisaR]

I have a friend with a degree in marketing. She does physician and medical staff recruiting for a hospital. She's currently working for the government at a hospital on a military base, but has done it for a small community hospital as well. So she could see about something along those lines as well?

This is exactly one of the reasons I would love her to shadow a few people in the marketing/PR/advertising field. There are just so many different things one can do. We have both read about so many different avenues she could pursue that it would be nice to see people that implementing their degree in action.

Thanks everyone! DD has read this thread and is now very motivated. She is starting to put together a list of potential places to contact.