What Is Job Shadowing

Job shadowing is a short-term, exploratory experience where you observe a professional in their workday to learn about a role, industry, and required skills, without direct participation in the work.

What might you do during a job shadow?

• Observe meetings, presentations, or client interactions
• Ask questions about the role, workplace culture, and career path
• Learn about key skills, education, and tools used in the field
• Reflect on career fit and personal interests

Why job shadowing works?

Job shadowing helps you move from guessing to seeing. It can help you:

• Understand what different roles actually involve
• Notice what types of work feel engaging (or draining) to you
• Explore options before making big decisions
• Feel more prepared to take next steps

Job shadowing is about exploring, observing and learning.

How Can You Get Started

Create your own opportunity

• Reach out to family or friends
• Connect with alumni
• Contact UF faculty or staff in areas of interest
• Use LinkedIn or Gator Network to identify professionals
• No formal application required

Explore structured programs

• Register for career treks through the UF Career Connections Center
• Apply to short, employer-organized programs designed for early-year students to explore careers (see examples below)
• Use Gator CareerLink (GCL) to search for opportunities using keywords like “externship”

These options provide built-in structure and support while you explore careers.

Job Shadowing Examples & Related Opportunities

UF Career Connections Center & UF Experiential Learning Resources

• UF Career Connections Center (C3): Offers organized career treks that function like structured job shadowing experiences. Students can also use Gator CareerLink (GCL) to find organizations open to engaging with UF students.
• Beyond 120 at CLAS: Provides excursions, shadow abroad, pre-health experiential learning opportunities, or other short-term professional exposure opportunities.
• The UF Community as a Job Shadowing Resource: UF offers many department- and unit-based shadowing and observation opportunities across healthcare, legal, business, and administrative areas, often coordinated through specific programs or offices. Examples include:
  • Pre-law and professional mentorship or shadowing programs
  • UFIT or CFO Division internships
  • Clinical and healthcare observer or shadowing programs across UF Health
  • Department-based shadowing opportunities (e.g., emergency medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, dentistry, psychiatry)
  • Virtual or in-person healthcare exploration programs (e.g., Medi-Gators, Medi-Futures)

Career Exploration Programs, Virtual Experiences & Job Simulations

Examples of Companies / Programs with Early Career Exploratory Opportunities:

Finance & Professional Services

• Citi – Early Identification / Early Careers programs
• CohnReznick – ACE (Accounting Career Exploration)

Consulting & Banking

• Boston Consulting Group Launch Program
• Goldman Sachs – Discovery/Insight programs
• JPMorgan – Early Insight Programs

Science & Healthcare

• AbbVie – EXCEL Externship
• Clinical shadowing is typically offered through hospitals, clinics or private practice (e.g., UF Health/Shands observer programs) or via virtual shadowing programs

Program availability may change, always check the organization’s website for the most current details.

Forage – Virtual Experiences & Job Simulations

About Forage — Virtual Experiences & Job Simulations

• Free online experiences designed by real companies
• Try short, self-paced projects that show what work feels like and build skills
• Great way to see different roles without a formal application or prior experience

Examples of companies featured on Forage: Citi (banking & finance), J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Walmart, BCG (consulting), Johnson & Johnson and more.

Try real-world tasks and earn certificates to share on your resume & LinkedIn.

Worksheet – Turn Curiosity Into Action

Step 1: Choose one role to explore

• Role or field I’m curious about (consider using UF’s What Can I Do with This Major? tool to find roles or fields you’re interested in): write out your answer
• Why this role interests me (even a little): write out your answer

Step 2: Identify someone to reach out to

Possible contacts include:

• Alumni from your college, or someone you identify through Gator Network or LinkedIn
• A family friend or acquaintance
• A professional your advisor or professor suggests, or someone you’ve met

Write down their name(s): write out your answer

Step 3: Reach out (sample messages)

Warm connection – someone you already know

Hi [Name],

I hope you’re doing well. It was really nice meeting you at the [event name]. I’m currently a student at [school/major], and I’m exploring different career paths. I’d love to learn more about your role in [field/company]. If you’re open to it, I was wondering if I could shadow you or ask a few questions about your work. I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience.

Thank you so much for considering,

[Your name]

Cold connection – someone you don’t know yet

Hi [Name],

My name is [Your name], and I’m a student at [school/major]. I came across your profile while exploring careers in [field], and I was really interested in your path. I’m hoping to learn more about what this type of work looks like in practice. If you’d be open to a short conversation or job shadowing opportunity, I’d really appreciate it.

Thank you for your time,

[Your name]

Step 4: Prepare your questions

Sample questions

• What does a typical day look like for you?
• What parts of your job do you enjoy most?
• What skills matter most in this role?
• What surprised you when you first started?
• What advice would you give someone exploring this field?

Step 5: Reflect after

Sample reflection prompts

• One thing that surprised me: write out your answer
• One thing I liked or found interesting: write out your answer
• One thing I’m unsure about: write out your answer

Step 6: Choose next steps

• Send a thank-you note (A short message goes a long way and helps keep the connection open.)
• Schedule another conversation (Follow up if you want to ask deeper questions or learn about related roles.)
• Decide whether an internship in this area is a good next step (Use what you learned to focus your search or rule this option out with confidence.)
• Search for internships with more clarity or job shadow again (Apply what you learned to refine your search or explore a different path.)

Final Reminder

Job shadowing isn’t about having the right answers. It’s about taking small, informed steps, and letting clarity build over time.

Have a job shadowing story to share? Email uf-explearning@ufl.edu to be featured on careerhub.ufl.edu.