Career Shadowing

Time: 30 minutes for initial planning, 1–4 hours for shadowing sessions

STEP 1: Arrange a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with your manager to discuss your career aspirations. Prepare by:

• Outlining your desired career move (transitioning to a project management role or advancing in data analysis).
• Noting current skills and areas where you need growth to achieve this goal.
• Sending a brief agenda: “I’d like to discuss my career goals and identify skills I need to develop for [desired role]. Can we explore shadowing opportunities to support this?”

STEP 2: During the meeting, collaborate to pinpoint specific skills, knowledge, or experiences required for your career move. For example:

• Ask: “What skills are most critical for success in [desired role]?” or “What gaps in my experience should I address to move toward this role?”
• Discuss technical skills (e.g., proficiency in a tool) and soft skills (e.g., stakeholder communication).
• Document 2–3 priority skills or insights in a notebook or digital tool to guide the shadowing plan.

STEP 3: Work with your manager to identify a professional whose role or expertise aligns with the identified skills. 

STEP 4: Draft a professional request to shadow the identified individual, reviewed by your manager for alignment. Spend 10 minutes crafting an email or message, such as:

“Hi [Name], I’m working toward a career in [field/role] and, with [Manager’s Name]’s guidance, identified your expertise in [specific skill/area] as a great learning opportunity. Could I shadow you for a few hours to gain insights? I’m flexible with timing.”

STEP 5: Once approved, schedule a 1–4 hour session with the professional, focusing on tasks or projects tied to the skills you need. Prepare by:

• Researching the professional’s role or recent work to ask informed questions.
• Preparing a list of 3–5 targeted questions (“How do you approach [specific skill] in your work?” or “What challenges did you face transitioning to this role?”).
• Setting up a notebook or app for detailed note-taking during the session.

 STEP 6: Within 24 hours, send a thank-you email to the professional, summarizing 1–2 key takeaways and expressing gratitude. Then, schedule a 15-minute follow-up with your manager to discuss:

• What you learned and how it addresses the identified skill gaps.
• One actionable step to apply the learnings, such as practicing a skill or taking a relevant course.