Job
Shadowing is Valuable Job Experience for Teens
By Silvana Clark
Ask most teens
what they want to be when they grow up and you'll get either a
blank stare or the reply, "A doctor like the ones on Scrubs".
Teens today gain their awareness of various professions from the
glorified images on television and movies. At the moment, there
is a rise in interest in forensics due to the popularity of several
shows depicting that career. Teens have little sense about the
true reality of job choices. Do you like computers? Great! You'll
be the next Bill Gates.
With summer approaching, teens
have the opportunity to participate in job shadow experiences.
Never heard of job shadowing? Don't worry. It simply means you
spend time observing someone at their job. Many schools now require
students to take part in several job shadow experiences as a graduation
requirement. Spending the afternoon with a veterinarian, mechanic
or graphic designer helps students gain an awareness of career
possibilities.
Fourteen-year-old Sondra Clark
experienced job shadowing on a large scale. She spent a year with
her family traveling around the United States in an RV as she
job shadowed 50 people in different careers. Her experiences included
spending time with Shamu's trainer at SeaWorld, working with a
shoe designer at NIKE and helping construct a giant model at LegoLand.
Twenty-five of her job shadows
are described in her fifth book, Cool Careers in Recreation.
Sondra wrote about her experiences and then interviewed each professional.
The book gives a first-hand look at working in jobs ranging from
a security guard at a major baseball stadium to running a sports
program for inner city youths.
As teens have more time this summer,
it's a great time to schedule some job shadow experiences. Here
are some tips to help teens participate in job shadowing:
Begin by asking to shadow family friends. Can you observe your
dentist for a few hours? Does a neighbor work at a florist? Ask
if you can watch her create floral displays.
Arrive on time! Job shadowing is like a mini-internship. You want
to make a positive impression.
Try to keep all comments positive. Even though you may realize
you don't want to work as a museum curator, it's best to avoid
saying, "This looks like a boring job."
Be sure to write a thank you note afterwards!
For inspiration, read Cool
Careers in Recreation. Readers can follow Sondra's experiences
participating in a variety of career options. You'll see her scrubbing
fish tanks at an aquarium and playing softball with children with
disabilities. Students discover what it was like for Sondra to
assist as a dance teacher. As students read the book, they might
think: "That sounds interesting. Maybe I'll see if I can
shadow a dance teacher next Saturday afternoon." The book
provides an inspirational approach along with a strong dose of
practical how-to information.
A surprising factor of Sondra's
job shadowing experiences was how often people offered her a job.
Many professionals told her, "You are so willing to help
and have a positive attitude. If you were older, I'd hire you
on the spot!" So this summer, instead of watching reruns
on television, help your teen schedule some job shadowing experiences
and gain first-hand knowledge about
various careers.
© Silvana Clark
Although she's only 14, Sondra
has published five books and is a spokesperson for two companies.
She presents motivational speeches to conferences and schools
around the country. With all these accomplishments, her parents
wonder why she can't figure out how to hang up her clothes and
make her bed. More information on Sondra is available on her web
site, www.sondraclark.com
Contact: Silvana Clark, (360) 734-9506, www.silvanaclark.com.
