Exploring Careers

Exploring careers is as important as finding the right major. Some students have a career in mind that guides that choice of major, while other students know what they want to major in and then begin searching for a career.

We have resources to help you begin the career exploration process.

Job Shadowing Resources

Job shadowing is a great way to connect your classroom experience to career paths. As you decide on a major and are exploring career opportunities, job shadowing allows you to gain first-hand knowledge on different careers, as well as begin to learn about the type of workplace and tasks you may want in a future career.

Everything You Need to Know About Job Shadowing

Where Can I Job Shadow Worksheet

Questions to Ask During Your Job Shadowing Experience

How to Request a Job Shadow

How to Request a Job Shadow: Script for Email

Once you've identified someone to email for a job shadow, you can follow this script:

Hello, my name is [your name], and I am a current student at the University of Northern Iowa. Right now I am exploring the field of [field] and I need to complete a job shadow for class. I was wondering if you or your organization would consider allowing me to complete a job shadow experience. My class schedule gives me open times between [give available times].

When waiting for a response, allow 3-4 days before you contact again. Consider following up with a phone call.

Be flexible with the times you can job shadow. We DO NOT encourage you to skip class for a job shadow.

How to Request a Job Shadow: Script for Phone Call

Once you've identified someone to call for a job shadow, you can follow this script:

Hello, my name is [your name], and I am a current student at the University of Northern Iowa. Right now I am exploring the field of [field], and I was wondering if you or your organization would consider allowing me to complete a job shadow experience?

Before you call, you'll want to have some dates and times in mind that would work for you to job shadow. If you need to leave a message, don't forget to include your phone number for a call back. When waiting for a response, allow 3-4 days before you contact again. Consider following up with an email.

Be flexible with the times you can job shadow. We DO NOT encourage you to skip class for a job shadow.