Informational Interviewing and Job Shadowing

Talking to current professionals is a great way to determine if a career field is for you. An informational interview is a 10–30 minute conversation with someone working in a position or field that interests you.

During a typical job shadowing visit, you "shadow" an employee at work for a couple of hours, or sometimes even a full day. The visit provides an up-close look at workplaces and the "real job" from an employee's view. You have a chance to observe daily office activities, ask questions, and consider the potential pros and cons of a particular profession or industry. You will also discover what workplace skills and career-related experiences are essential to being successful in your chosen field.

The process for setting up an informational interview or job shadowing visit is the same—for a job shadow, you are just asking for a bit more time. Consider starting with an informational interview, and following up with a job shadow if you want to get a deeper view.

To learn more about job shadowing and preparing for your career path visit www.careernetwork.msu.edu