Job Shadowing

What is Job Shadowing?

The Job Shadowing program, which is a collaborative initiative of the Cotsakos College of Business, the Office of Alumni Relations, and the Career Development and Gloria S. Williams Advisement Center, entails the matching of a Cotsakos College of Business student with a business leader in the area of interest. The student is provided with the opportunity to meet with the business leader, on-site, and spend one full workday together, "shadowing" the business leader at the workplace for the day. This unique opportunity provides the student with (a) an inside glimpse of what the profession of choice entails and (b) time to interact with a professional role model in the workplace. Job shadowing also serves the more general and overarching objective of providing both personal and professional networking opportunities for our students through connections with University friends and alumni.

What are the benefits of participating in Job Shadowing?

Participating students can

• experience a unique work-related opportunity
• develop familiarity with the daily routine and operations of the position held by the business leader
• receive detailed information concerning unique opportunities and responsibilities associated with the profession
• have an opportunity to ask specific job-related questions during the course of the day
• become familiar with the actual decision making issues faced by an organization from the perspective of the business leader
• develop an understanding of the requisite skill sets embodied within the profession of choice
• develop new business contacts and increase networking opportunities

Simultaneously, the sponsoring organization and business leader can benefit through the increased visibility provided by the job shadowing opportunity and the interaction with the finest academically qualified Cotsakos College of Business students who may be potential job candidates.

What are the eligibility requirements for inclusion in the Job Shadowing program?

Eligible students receive a personal invitiation from the Cotsakos College of Business Dean's office. Typically, eligibility requirements are a minimum GPA of 3.5 overall, a minimum GPA of 3.75 in the major, and senior or junior standing. Students are also expected to have completed a certain number of business courses.

Selected students will attend one mandatory training workshop that addresses a number of important issues such as resume writing, interviewing skills and business etiquette.

For more information on the Job Shadowing Program, please contact:
The Assistant to the Dean (Dr. Martin Gritsch, GritschM@wpunj.edu, 973-720-2977), or
The Office of Alumni Relations (Ms. Janis Schwartz, SchwartzJ3@wpunj.edu, 973-720-2932)