THE DAY OF THE VISIT

The shadowing experience has been arranged to allow a student to view “a day in the life of an employee.” The following suggestions will help to make it an enjoyable day for both the mentor and the Trinity student.

It may be best to start the shadowing with an explanation of your job, the training or education you needed to be in this position, and a demonstration of what you do. Visuals are worth a thousand words. Show, explain, and, if possible, demonstrate any equipment you use. You might allow the student to sit in your place and actually perform a function/task. Some time during the day, give the student a brief tour, providing the student an overview of your company/workplace. You may also wish to have the student shadow others in your workplace. And, don’t forget any resources that you think may be helpful to the student.

You may want to share with your “shadow” your responses to the following questions:

On a typical day in this job, what do you do?

What personal qualities or abilities are important to being successful in this job?

What part of this job do you find satisfying? Most challenging?

How did you get your job?

What opportunities for advancement are there in this field?

What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field?

How do you see jobs in this field changing in the future?

Is there a demand for people in this occupation?

What special advice would you give a person entering this field?

What types of training do companies offer persons entering this field?

What are the basic prerequisites for jobs