Undergraduate Job Shadow Program
Promote your company by participating in the Fisher Undergraduate Job Shadow Program! This opportunity allows undergraduate business students to preview your company and explore career paths. This program takes place at various company locations throughout Ohio during The Ohio State University breaks. Contact Noella Mascarenhas, Senior Career Advisor, at mascarenhas.27@osu.edu with questions.
Information for Employers
| Academic Break | Dates | Registration Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Break | Thursday, October 16, 2025 and Friday, October 17, 2025 | Submit Registration by Thursday, August 28, 2025 |
| Spring Break | Monday, March 16, 2026 - Friday, March 20, 2026 | Submit Registration by Friday, January 30, 2026 |
Process:
-Register as an employer through Handshake, if you have not done so already
-Complete the Fisher Undergraduate Job Shadow Program online Employer Registration Form
-The Office of Career Management will post the information you have provided as a “Event” on Handshake for which students will apply by submitting their resumes
-The Office of Career Management will promote this opportunity to the undergraduate student population through newsletters, email, etc.
-When the application window closes, you will make selections on which students will attend your shadow opportunity/opportunities on Handshake
-You will contact both the selected student(s) and not selected students to inform of the decision
-Provide the selected student(s) with any additional details regarding the job shadow visit
Program Benefits:
-Provide exposure to students about company culture, values, and mission
-Promote career and internship opportunities
-Identify early talent for possible career and internship opportunities
-Obtain useful feedback from participating students on their interests and careers that may be useful to company recruiting team
- Must be registered as an employer through Handshake
- Must be available to host at least one Fisher undergraduate student during one day of the determined shadow
- Preferred day to host
- Timing and Agenda for the day
- Number of students to host
- Majors preferred
- Virtual platform to host program
- Provide support to employers when creating shadow agenda
- Manage registration process for employers and students
- Post shadow opportunities on Handshake for students to register
- Promote opportunities to students
Information for Students
Student Participation Requirements
Must be a first-year through junior undergraduate business students
Must be available during business hours on the day of shadow
Must arrange transportation to employer site
Must create Handshake profile and upload resume to profile
Application Process
All job shadow opportunities are promoted on Handshake under “Events” section with the keywords “Fisher Job Shadow”
Make sure you upload your most recent resume on Handshake
Fall Break Job Shadow: Applications open during August – September 2025
Spring Break Job Shadow: Application open January – February 2026
Apply by deadline listed on the job shadow details
Mandatory Orientation
Attend Fisher Undergraduate Job Shadow program orientation session in October 2025 and February 2026
Students will be required to attend pre-job shadow orientation presentation, which will serve as a final confirmation of your participation*
Complete student agreement form
*Not completing this requirement will withdraw your participation from the Fisher Undergraduate Job Shadow event
Preparation steps
Research about the job shadow hosts
Prepare any questions you would like to ask during your visit Check all email folders and Handshake inbox for itinerary details from the job shadow hosts.
If you are unable to attend your job shadow, please email Noella Mascarenhas (Mascarenhas.27@osu.edu).
No shows during the job shadows impact employer partnerships
Arrive on time – Student participants are responsible for transportation to and from the site. Have the job shadow employer’s number or email available in case you are running late. Confirm location and parking details ahead of time.
Be present – Be attentive during your job shadow experience to the professionals you interact with and the activities the job shadow hosts’ have planned during your visit. Observe the workplace culture and the workplace setup.
Be professional – Make sure you follow the expected dress code the job shadow host outlines for student participants. Ensure you shake hands with the recruiter or the professionals you are introduced to. Practice good eye contact while interacting with professionals during the job shadow visit.
Be curious - Ask questions you have prepared for the recruiter or the professionals you meet during your experience. Example questions to consider asking the Job Shadow hosts and the alumni you may meet during your visit;
How do you balance your work responsibilities?
What are the most interesting parts of your work (or work what motivates you)?
What skills do you use on a regular basis, or do you find are the most important for your role?
If you could give only one piece of advice to a current undergraduate student seeking a career such as yours, what would that advice be?
Resumes – print few copies of your resume and have a digital version ready to share with the recruiter. Some job shadow hosts identify talent for internship and fulltime opportunities by your participation in this program.
Feedback and evaluation
Students will complete a short survey along with reflection questions.
Reflection and insights
Meet with career advisor to include the job shadow experience in the resume.
Next steps
Students will send a thank you note to their host company via an email or a LinkedIn Message. Please review the samples below and the Thank You Note guide.
Sample Email:
Subject: Thank You for the Job Shadow Opportunity
Dear [Professional’s Name],
I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to sincerely thank you for the opportunity to shadow you at [Company Name] on [Date]. It was an incredibly insightful experience, and I truly appreciated the chance to learn more about your role and the day-to-day operations of your team.
I especially enjoyed learning about [mention a specific task, project, or insight you found interesting], and it gave me a clearer understanding of how my studies in business can be applied in a real-world setting. Your willingness to share your experiences and advice was very meaningful to me.
Thank you again for your time and generosity. I hope to stay in touch and perhaps connect again in the future.
Warm regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your University Name] | Business Student
Sample LinkedIn Message: Hi [Professional’s Name],Thank you again for the opportunity to job shadow you recently—it was a valuable experience that gave me great insight into [specific aspect of the role or company]. I really appreciated your time and the advice you shared. I’d love to stay connected and continue learning from your professional journey.