- Virtual Job Shadowing Dates – Tuesday, January 2 – Friday, January 12, 2024
- Deadline for hosts to submit opportunities – Wednesday, October 25, 2023
- Shadowing opportunities open for students to apply – Monday, October 23, 2023
- Student deadline to apply to shadowing opportunities – Monday, November 6, 2023
- Students are notified of their shadowing matches – Friday, November 17, 2023
- Job shadowing orientation for students (Mandatory) – Friday, December 1, 2023
- Emails matching hosts w/students will be sent – starting Friday, December 8, 2023
Seth Miller ’05
Company: The Miller Law Offices
“The entire office had a great time hosting the two students. It was a wonderful way to stay connected to the Pitzer community and I would do this again in a heartbeat. Thank you to everyone who organized this!”
Mission
Career exploration during the undergraduate years is critically important for Pitzer students. The opportunity to get an “inside look” at different professions or have an immersive experience in a potential career path can be a significant driver of student success in designing and executing a post-Pitzer career plan.
About
This year’s Winter Break Job Shadowing Program is staying virtual. We’ve seen a 46% increase in student participation since going virtual and we hope that this program continues to be accessible to all students! Sponsored by Pitzer Career Services in partnership with the Office of Alumni and Family Engagement, the virtual job shadowing program is a wonderful opportunity to get to know a Pitzer student while giving them a window into your working world and exposing them to a potential career path.
The Winter Break Job Shadowing Program matches Pitzer undergraduates with alumni and family hosts who can give students this valuable professional experience. Our job shadowing partners can host a student virtually for as little as 2 hours to a full day.
What do the students who participate in this program learn? Through virtually shadowing their hosts, students will obtain in-depth information about what it takes to be successful in a specific profession and what roles interest them in a specific organization. During the virtual job shadowing opportunity, students might have the chance to attend virtual work meetings with their hosts, meet with staff and colleagues from other areas of an organization, and discuss ways to improve their resumes or interviewing skills.
What do the hosts gain? For Pitzer alumni and parents who are willing and able to host one or more students, the virtual shadowing program is a great opportunity to connect with current Pitzer students, provide mentorship and education around your career path, and really make a difference for students who are mapping out their career plans. It is also a great way to show off Pitzer’s impressive students to colleagues, clients and hiring managers. Hosts design their own virtual job shadowing agenda, but there is a sample below.
Sample Agenda – Virtual Winter Break Job Shadowing – Half Day
9-10 a.m. – Introduction of your organization, discussion of mission, vision, and department’s goals
10-10:30 a.m. – Describe your career journey and what your current position entails (including likes & dislikes). Review your job description as a guide.
10:30-11:30 a.m. – Meet office colleagues/shadow online business meetings/take a virtual tour of the office
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. – Review student’s resume & discuss interviewing
12 -12:30 p.m. – Final observations & closing
Julie Rosenberg ’84
Company: US Environmental Protection Agency
“My Pitzer student was wonderful. She was profoundly engaging and resilient, and fit right into our office. I also spent some time with her, one-on-one, and also enjoyed discussing her past, present and thoughts about her future. I also had her come to my home for dinner and she immediately clicked with my family. I sincerely appreciated the chance to be with someone else who knows and loves Pitzer College. I’m certainly interested in following her adventures and staying in touch with her. Thank you for establishing this great opportunity.”
Additional Information
Students will be able to see the alumni and parents/families who have agreed to be hosts, and will have the opportunity to apply to shadow specific hosts. Hosts should be open to any Pitzer student(s) without requirements for particular majors or other qualifications. Career Services will match students with shadowing hosts by early December and notify both the students and the hosts. Students will then be required to directly contact their assigned host by mid-December to arrange the details of their shadowing experience.
Please note that student utilization of a particular Winter Break Job Shadowing host “site” is dependent on student interest. Each year, we have wonderful host sites to which students do not match. You will be informed if a student matches to your site or does not. If not, we hope that you will consider resubmitting in the future.
Questions? Contact Jill Hawthorne’87, Interim Assistant Director, Career Connections & Alumni Support at
[email protected]
