NORTH MONTEREY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER UNIT JOB SHADOW OVERVIEW FOR CAREER MENTORS

WHAT IS A JOB SHADOW?
A job shadow is an opportunity for a student to spend several hours with one or more employees at a business, non-profit organization or government agency. The objective is to provide the student with an opportunity to learn as much as possible about a job. By "shadowing" a worker, the student will better understand the process of career exploration.

THE MENTOR ROLE
During the job shadow, mentors are encouraged to perform normal work activities with a willingness to talk to students about their work and its significance in the organization, process and end product. Students are encouraged to ask questions such as "What do you like about your job?" or "What training do you need?" Due to the many liability and workers compensation factors, students are not expected to do "real work", but opportunities that allow for brief contributions are possible.

Your willingness to accept a student into your world plays a key role in how education is applied in the workplace. For many students, this job shadow will be their first entry into the world of work as well as the first time they leave the "comfort zone" of their school.

There is often a "reality gap" between the economic lifestyle that students envision for their future and the consequences of the decisions they are making now. Career mentors help close this gap by talking about the academic choices they have made, and how those choices have affected their career.