Picture yourself as a young adult fresh out of graduation. You’ve applied for your dream job at the place near your house. Not only is it close by, but they’re also willing to pay you super well. What more could you ask for? Well, here’s the thing. You just walked in for your first day. Sat down at your desk.
Suddenly, a thought occurs. You don’t know what to do. You look around in a confused daze, and you notice a co-worker sitting next to you, happily going about their business. You want to ask them for help, but at the same time, it’d be rude to bother them. What do you do in such a scenario? If you’re smart. You’ll shadow them as they work. This is called job shadowing.
Job shadowing sounds like a sneaky profession. Something sleuths do to scope out a potential workplace for a client. In reality, it’s nothing so suspicious. Job shadowing is something people usually do while they’re working, not when they’re off the job. When job shadowing, you’re essentially looking at what someone else is doing and, in a way, copying their work.
However, that’s a very simple way of putting it. So, let’s explore what job shadowing is in essence, the boons of the process, and what one can do when being followed.
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When to Walk in Another’s Shoes
The main point in time any employee should “job shadow” is when they’re either new to the job at hand or are someone who’s migrated from one industry to another. Job shadowing at its core is a process where one employee carefully observes another employee and learns from what they’re doing during a job. It’s something that can be done on the fly while looking at someone doing the same task you are. Simply make sure to observe what the other party is doing to gain the necessary information.
However, that philosophy only applies to jobs where one is doing repetitive tasks in a laborious motion, something even a robot can do. In the more complex white-collar world, you have to step out of your shell and interact with those around you to gain any meaningful insights. There are plenty of opportunities to do so, and one of the best ways to garner that opportunity is to simply ask for the necessary training for your job.
This is helpful in case you’re too worried about being a bother to your co-workers, who themselves are trying to do their job. More often than not, most jobs will give the requisite training beforehand so that prospective candidates and new employees are familiar with the tools a company uses during the onboarding process.
The Types of Shadow
The process of job shadowing can be divided into 3 categories:
- Observation. Watching what someone is doing daily and mimicking them in a manner that best suits your role.
- Briefing. When the one you shadow gives briefs to you on the specific type of task you’ll be doing alongside them.
- Hands-on. Doing a specific task under the supervision of the one you shadow.
Shadow Tips
Now that you know how to shadow. Here are some tips on what you should do while you shadow someone else.
- Be professional. When you’re following someone super closely or just learning from a senior employee, it’s important to be mindful and respectful of those teaching you.
- Make a good impression. When a new employee first starts, it’s important to leave a strong impression. This not only shows that you’re a good employee, but it also shows your eagerness to learn and be a part of the company.
- Communicate. Learning isn’t just a one-way street. It’s a way for you to communicate with those you learn from and establish a decent connection with them.
- Give your own input. Last but not least, it’s important to pitch in from time to time when shadowing. Giving input is a great way to change workflows that might be a bit stale and slightly reinvent the wheel on how things are usually done.
Going From Under The Radar to Under The Spotlight
Job shadowing isn’t just something that you do to learn how to do your job. If it were limited to just that, then it wouldn’t have such a cool name attached to the phrase. There are plenty of benefits that come with job shadowing. Here’s a list of a few key benefits:
- Gain industry experience and insights. Whether you’re a new employee or a seasoned pro, if you’re new to an industry, job shadowing is the best way to learn about it. And next time someone asks you what your job is, you can answer with knowledgeable confidence.
- Networking opportunities. As stated before, this is one of the best ways to gain a good foundational network.
- Enables your decision-making. When you’re new to something, you don’t have the right cards at your disposal to make judgments for yourself. However, learning from someone in a more trusted position grants you those cards.
- Furthers career growth. You may be wondering how this could be the case when you just got your job, but because of all the other benefits, even as a starting employee, you are so well equipped for your job that you can, in turn, become the one whom another new employee follows.
With the topic of someone else becoming your shadow, let’s talk about how and why you would want to be a good trainer.
Employee See, Employee Do
Let’s pretend you’re a working professional at your dream job. You’ve seen it all. You’ve been there when the company was at its lowest and when it was at its best. You’ve sailed the turbulent seas of corporate leadership as well, but you’ve got one more thing left to do. Train another employee. Do you qualify for such a role? You’re pretty sure you’re overqualified, if anything. But the responsibility to help this burgeoning bud blossom is on you. And we’ve got a couple of tips to help you out:
- Be patient. They’re new here. So don’t expect them to get everything right on the first go.
- Check on them regularly. Making sure they’re doing well helps them become more enthusiastic and builds trust between mentor and student.
- Provide honest feedback. Don’t be afraid to criticize what they do wrong, but also make sure they know they’re doing the right thing when they do a good job.
- Make sure they understand company culture. This is a great way for the new employee to become accustomed to the way the office is run.
- Don’t play favorites. Sometimes you’ll have more than one employee under your wing; just make sure no one feels left out.
With that being said, you can be assured that if you’re new and you partake in job shadowing, you may be a far better employee than without it. Just make sure you listen effectively and learn earnestly. Because in doing so, one day, even you might be able to blaze a trail for someone else in the future. For more similar blogs, visit EvolveDash today!
FAQ
- I’ve been shadowing my co-worker for a while, and it seems like I’ve made them uncomfortable. What do I do?
If you want to sort the problem out, simply communicate with your co-worker about what you were trying to do. I am sure they will understand.
- Can I book a job shadowing appointment while I apply for a job?
Yes, you can. In fact, this just shows your employer your eagerness to learn about your job.
- How can I teach my new employee better? I feel like they aren’t interested in what I’m trying to show them.
If you’re looking for ways to make the new guy interested, then try communicating with them on whether or not they’re interested in the field they picked. It will help them decide whether or not they want to keep their current job.
- Are there fields where job shadowing is mandatory?
Yes, there are many fields where job shadowing is mandatory. One such example is the medical field, where prospective doctors and nurses learn firsthand from other doctors and nurses.
