Job Shadowing: 5 reasons why it’s an opportunity to seize on the fly.
What do 10 recent graduates, 8 international companies and a very active alumni network have in common?
A very special Job Shadowing, conceived by Simone Ferriani, Academic Director of the Master's Degree in International Management at the University of Bologna, in collaboration with former students who have become ambassadors of the programme within their companies.
Nowadays, education of excellence must offer numerous hands-on opportunities in addition to classroom teaching. Indeed, they have proved to be highly effective in providing students with a 360° view of the jobs in a specific sector and the world of work in general.
Job Shadowing fulfils precisely this function, allowing students to closely follow professionals as they carry out their daily activities in a structured business context. This is a way to discover 'work beyond work' comprised of corporate dynamics, hierarchies, time and resource management, unexpected events and sociability.
Job Shadowing Made in Unibo: 8 Companies, 6 Cities, 5 Countries
The opportunity offered within the International Management programme is a rare one that must be seized upon. Our students were well aware and immediately ready to reach several principal European cities and beyond. We met some of them to ask about this strong formative experience.
Andrea Rippa, Chiara Romorini and Filippo Di Bert certainly make up the group that has covered the most miles: from Amazon in Dubai to Nike in Amsterdam and Luxottica in Monaco. Meanwhile, the team composed of Simona Capecelatro, Yuliia Chentukova, Francesca Ragone and Giuseppe Mangione visited the Amazon headquarters in Madrid and those of Mongo DB and Mind the Bridge in Barcelona. Finally, Davide Settembrino, Nadine Griesser and Carlo Battistoni crossed the thresholds of Google, Microsoft and LinkedIn in Dublin.
In each of the companies, they were welcomed by one of our alumni as evidence of the strong sense of belonging to the community of the programme.
The added value of Job shadowing: 5 reasons to participate
On closer inspection, the reasons are much more numerous, but we can undoubtedly group them into five macro areas of great interest to our students and recent graduates. Let's explore them together.
1. ENTER IN TOP INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES
"There are few Universities and courses that offer Job Shadowing. To the point that, when we told our interlocutors about the project during company visits, they couldn't believe it," Carlo tells us on his return from Dublin.
Entering large and renowned international companies through the front door is not an everyday thing, especially when you are young and at the beginning of your professional career.
Similarly, Job Shadowing offers the privilege of interacting with people who hold important roles and positions, not easily met outside, bringing home a 'taste' of their daily responsibilities.
Visiting three different international companies also means being able to compare diverse types of management, as well as seeing closely how a multicultural workplace translates into practice.
"In Nike, I found the corporate culture and the sense of belonging - that could be breathed in every corner - quite fascinating," explains Filippo. "In a few days, I have gained a lot from a cultural, professional and human point of view."
2. LEARN ABOUT SECTORS, ROLES AND TASKS
When you choose a university course and then imagine your future job, you often have only a vague impression of the skills needed to cover a particular role or the characteristics of a specific sector.
Experiencing the daily life of a Marketing Manager firsthand or seeing the practical responsibilities entrusted to the Sales department can make a difference when it comes to make a choice. At the same time, you can discover numerous corporate functions never heard of before and realize that, contrary to what you have always thought, working in Fintech, for example, could be exciting.
"I found this occasion perfect for really understanding the business context and what to expect from it," says Francesca. "During our studies, little is explained to us about the roles and functions we would encounter once we enter the world of work. After this experience, I feel much more confident."
In fact, Job Shadowing was conceived precisely to experience the reality of companies and understand how well it aligns with our expectations and ambitions.
3. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Create a network, nurture your relationships, stay in touch. According to many professionals, this is the key to success.
The Job Shadowing experience responds to this need of our students on three fronts: Strengthening the bond between the students themselves, deepening the mutual knowledge with the Alumni and forming new direct relationships with the professionals met in the companies.
"What will surely stay with me the most are the people I met, who are fundamental to creating a network of valid and stimulating people," confirms Giuseppe. "Also, getting to know the Alumni who work in important international companies today and following them in their daily activities," adds Chiara, "is an incredible opportunity offered by our University and the Alumni network of the programme."
4. DIRECT APPROACH WITH HUMAN RESOURCES
"Very often curricula are sent to companies sight unseen," explains Andrea, "or at most with some advice from an acquaintance who works there. Instead, during the Job Shadowing, we got direct feedback on the options for an eventual entry into the company."
Indeed, meeting the company means that the company also meets you. What better opportunity to create a bond with human resources employees and find out which profiles are most sought after and what are the most desired skills?
Establishing a direct relationship by entering the recruiter's network represents a significant advantage at the time of the application, which can be sent to a specific person, thus bypassing impersonal online forms and automatic systems.
5. CREATE A VISION OF YOUR FUTURE
The last point of this list represents the sum of the Job Shadowing experience. Becoming the 'shadow' of a professional can make you quickly understand if that company, that position, and those tasks, fit your personal vision of the future or not.
"This eproject allowed me to experience the typical working day of three different realities just a few days after graduation," says Simona. "Now it will be easier for me to make my next choices already knowing what to expect and, above all, what I want for myself."