A Step-by-step Guide: How To Put Shadowing On Resume Effectively

Including shadowing on your resume can help you immensely, especially when you’re a fresh graduate with little or no previous experience. However, not everyone knows how to put shadowing on resume effectively. 

If you’re also one of those who are searching for some valuable tips on adding shadowing to a resume, today’s post of Jobandedu won’t let you down. Follow our complete guide below and nail your resume shadowing.  

What Is Job Shadowing?

Job shadowing, also known as an externship, is a massive plus for those with little or no experience, like fresh graduates. It helps you gain insights into a job position, including getting to know specific tasks and responsibilities from an experienced one.

As mentioned above, while you’re in job shadowing, you’ll spend most of your time watching how others deal with specific tasks. However, in some cases, a company could include hands-on work during job shadowing, too.

Moreover, when you engage in job shadowing, you can gain new knowledge and learn how the organization operates. As a result, job shadowing would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get the inside scoop of any field, which is precious.

Also, some might wonder, “Does school count as experience?” Then, it depends on the activities you took on in your school year. If the events relate to your field of interest, you could count it as a shadowing experience. 

For instance, being on the medical team of school sports events is a valuable shadowing experience if you’re entering the medical industry.

See how you could succeed in shadowing your job with these 10 effective tips below: 

What’s The Difference Between Shadowing And An Internship?

Internship and externship sound pretty similar, and thus, many cannot distinguish these two terms. As a result, they tend to mistake and equate shadowing as an internship. 

So, let us tell you what the difference between a job shadow and an internship is.  

What's The Difference Between Shadowing And An Internship?
Job Shadowing Vs, Internships: Common points and differences. – Source: SlideToDoc

In short, an internship is more practical as in which you genuinely get your hand on the job, and job shadowing is about learning solely from observation.

In other words, an intern needs to get the job done instead of just watching how people handle the task. However, most internships involve job shadowing. Read What Is An Externship and How Far Does It Differ From An Internship to learn how to benefit from both kinds.

Why Should We Include Shadowing?

If you’re wondering whether you should exclude job shadowing on your resume or not, consider some of these benefits of listing shadowing:

  • First, it reflects your dedication and passion for your desired career. 
  • Secondly, it proves that you have enough preparation for work. 
  • Thirdly, it indicates that you know what the position requires.
  • Fourthly, it shows that you have a desire to learn. 
  • Finally, it expresses that you are suitable for the job.

As a result, we recommend including job shadowing on your resume.

How To Add Shadowing To A Resume

Create a Work Experience Section

If you’re wondering where you should include your job shadowing, put it in a work experience part. 

Here is why:

The experience section on your resume features records of your previous work or work-related experience (such as job shadowing). You should present your experience in reverse consecutive structure. In other words, you should list your most recent position or other work experience first.

Critical factors you should include while presenting your shadowing experience in your resume are:

  • First, name your work experience as “Shadow Experience.”
  • Then, provide the name of the company name where you shadowed.
  • After that, include the address of that company location.
  • Also, state the timeline, including the day you started your shadowing experience and the day you finished it.
  • Make sure to list out remarkable tasks you worked on, a few notable experiences you gained, or any highlights you acquired during your shadowing experience. Don’t forget to specify your specific responsibilities or things you observed in your working period.
  • If possible, state the name and title of those who you shadow. We especially recommend doing this if you’re entering the medical or clinical industry.

Below, we’ll introduce two remarkable tips for the best shadowing experience listing.

Tip #1: Utilize action verbs

Powerful verbs, especially action ones, are helpful regarding shadowing experience listing. It helps to emphasize what you’ve gained or accomplished during your job shadowing and thus, confirms your ability and suitability for the vacancy. 

Using action verbs not only helps your shadow experience sound more professional but also makes your whole resume more captivating.

Also, avoid using verbs like “watched” or “listened.” Instead, use verbs like “observed” and “engaged” for better impressions. 

Tip #2: Read carefully the job description

Another tip is to dig in the job description to sort out relevant keywords. As a result, you would know what to present when including your experience and duties.

Also, only list less than six bullet points in the section to avoid being lengthy. For the best results, please ensure that these points offer enough information to illustrate what you can bring to their table in the future.

Add Remarkable Achievements

If you’ve gained remarkable achievements or any highlighted results while you’ve been there, adding that information after the list of duties will help. Name it “Major Achievements” and describe in whole sentences what you have accomplished.

Add Remarkable Achievements - How To Put Shadowing On Resume
Including remarkable achievements is advisable. – Source: Dreamstime

Also, it is essential always to include values or other numbers where possible so that the recruiters can measure your potential and predict your performance.

But what if I didn’t have much time working in the company or didn’t have enough chances to prove myself with an achievement? 

Don’t worry; you can still boost your value and create meaningful interactions with the recruiter. Any relevant information can help you impress the recruiters to give you a chance to go to the interview round. Show them what you’ve learned and how you can apply that to the actual work. 

Templates And Examples

If you’ve carefully read our guide above but still don’t know how to start writing one, refer to our template below.

Job Shadowing Template

[Name the section Shadow Experience or Job Shadow]

[Insert the name of the shadowed company]

[Insert the company address]

[Specify the shadowing period]

[Write the shadowing responsibility 1]

[Insert the shadowing responsibility 2]

[Provide the shadowing responsibility 3]

[Write the shadowing responsibility 4]

[Provide key achievements]

Job Shadowing Examples

Shadow Experience – Social Media Marketing Staff

XMA Company – Chicago City

May – September 2018

Manage and develop customers’ social media accounts based on their day-to-day marketing work. 

Learn how to use social media to expand business’s reputation, increase traffic and sales.

Manage some customer relationships and receive feedback on social media campaigns. 

Key Achievements: Raise traffic and sales by 50% through the company’s social media account.

Or

Shadow Experience

Mary Harper Inc, Manhattan, NY

Feb – June 2015

Shadowed the Chief Operating Officer of the company to get the inside scoop of the company’s operations which is managing over 100+ staff in New York.

Attend meetings to collect data for monthly financial outlining and reconstruction. 

Plan and participate in employee training programs on technology development and data analysis.

Manage the company’s operations and implement new plans for better performance.

Key achievement: Gave out employee’s and client’s appreciation measures like sending congratulation cards or opening more Q&A sessions. During my shadowing process, I have raised the employee retention rate by 30% and lowered the client turnover by 14%. Overall, the customer satisfaction rates rose by approximately 27%. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you know how to put shadowing on resume correctly, you can increase your chance of passing the resume screening round. This is one of the precious know-how regarding the job-application aspect.

Even when you don’t have much work experience, you can still prove to the recruiters that you know the job well, have what it takes to handle new challenges, and possess the abilities to complete them.

Ava Isabella

Author Ava Isabella has grasped the art of writing and using words to perfect her writing. Nothing seems to beat the blend of far-out ideas and a passion for striving for the best work. On top of that, to become an expert in the industry, Isabella did undergo countless hurdles and challenges. She moves mountains and nails them with flying colors and she's strongly inspired by Arthur who gave a born to the masterpiece Empire of Pain - a portrait of the excesses of America’s second Gilded Age and super elite involved. Hopefully, her great fortunes with in-depth understanding can help more and more readers on the go of finding bliss or just letting off steam.