Job Shadowing: Make the Most of It by Knowing What to Ask

Job shadowing is common among students, less so among adults who have been out in the work force for a while. But if you're transitioning to a new job or career field, it can be a huge boost to your credibility and your performance in the interview. But you've got to ask the right questions to get the kind of information you're going to need to stand out.

I always encourage people to do job-shadows, or preceptorships, or work a day in the field of whatever they're interested in doing. In my particular field of medical sales, that means spending some time with a sales representative to see how that job works. But in any field, it just means spending a day (or even a few hours) observing what goes on in a typical day in the life of that job.

To help you with your conversation, I came up with a quick list of the kind of questions that you might want to ask this person:

How long have you been with the company?

How did you get hired?

What is your background? (Educational or work history)

Did you get the job through a recruiter or friend?

What do you love about your company?

What do you not like about the company?

What would you say about your manager?

Any advice you could give me about my job search?

How do you feel about your products/services?

Who are your main competitors?

What are the differentiating factors in the competition in your industry?

See, these aren't just "how do you spend your day?"-type questions. They are more broad-based. You're also looking to get an overall perspective of getting a job in that field--what to look for in a company or a boss, how to get a foothold, how to avoid mistakes, and more. It's like having a "mentor for a day."

These questions will give you a great opportunity to get to know that person, and give them a great opportunity to get to know you. You'll get to know more of the players in your field, which can also strengthen your network. And when you put this experience on your resumé (which you always want to do if you have no prior work history in that area), you'll have a legitimate right to include very valuable keywords that will help your resumé pop up in a candidate search.

The answers you get from these questions and the knowledge you get from this experience will make you a significantly stronger candidate in your next interview, and will make you a significantly stronger employee when you get hired.