Job Shadows

The Job Shadow Program is an opportunity for professionals to connect with students either in-person or virtually in order to help them explore different roles, career paths, and industries.

By hosting a Job Shadow experience for SJSU students, you will have the opportunity to:

• Develop emerging professionals
• Share your expertise
• Connect with diverse talent
• Give back to SJSU

Job Shadow Experience Types

Through the Employer Application, employers will have the opportunity to indicate what type of experience they’d like to provide for students. Types of experiences include:

• Full Day (In Person, 6 - 8 hours)
• Half Day (In Person, 2 - 4 hours)
• Coffee or Lunch (In Person, 1 - 2 hours)
• Informational Interview (Virtual, 30 minutes - 1 hour)

Employers who are interested in participating in the 2024 Job Shadow Program are invited to submit the Employer Application via the link below. All submissions are due by 5pm on Friday, March 1, 2024.

Job Shadow Program Employer Application

Note: Please only submit 1 application response per participating professional. If you are a recruiter or HR professional representing your organization, please contact Laura Anderson (laura.anderson@sjsu.edu) for more information regarding how to sign up for the program.

Students and employers are matched based on the responses they share in the Student and Employer Applications. If a successful match is found, students and employers will be connected to their pairing via email on Friday, March 15, 2024 in order to coordinate the final details of the Job Shadow experience.

Employers who would like to learn more about the Job Shadow Program can choose to attend 1 of 2 virtual information sessions on Friday, January 26th or Friday, February 9th. Please email Laura Anderson (laura.anderson@sjsu.edu) for details to attend.

• How long is a Job Shadow experience?

  • The length of a Job Shadow experience can range depending on its type. Please see the top of this page for more information regarding the length of each opportunity.

• Are Job Shadows virtual or in-person?

  • Job Shadows can be virtual or in-person depending on the preference and availability of the employer.

• What activities are included?

  • The activities included in each Job Shadow vary by employer. In addition to observing your host's daily responsibilities, some activities may include touring the company's campus, attending internal meetings, and participating in a networking lunch.

• Can I select the student that I host?

  • At this time we unfortunately do not allow employers to select the individual student that they would host for the Job Shadow Program. That said, we do our best to prioritize employer preferences and collect information such as desired student majors, career interests, and class year via the Employer Application.

• Are there any fees to host a Job Shadow?

  • No, there are no formal program fees to host a Job Shadow. Employer partners may choose to provide lunch and/or other refreshments but it is not mandatory.

Please contact Laura Anderson (Career Experiences Program Lead) at laura.anderson@sjsu.edu for more information regarding the Job Shadow Program.