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Externships/Job Shadowing

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Find information about posting your externship for U.Va. students…

  1. What is an externship?
  2. Why should I extern?
  3. What will I do as an extern?
  4. How do I extern at U.Va.?
  5. Will UCS place me in an externship?

What IS an externship?

An externship is a short term job shadowing experience (usually one week). Each extern experience is different depending on your interests, the career field, and the particular sponsor with whom you extern. All externships are unpaid and externs do not earn academic credit.

Why should I extern?

An externship gives you the opportunity to:

  • experience a typical week on the job.
  • investigate a career field of your choice.
  • clarify your career goals and interests.
  • "test drive" a career without the risk of longer-term commitment.
  • get your foot in the door for competitive internships or jobs.
  • add value to your resume.

A job shadowing experience can help you decide what you want to do, and just as importantly, what you do not what to do.

“By spending the week seeing what really goes on at an environmental consulting firm -- working in the field, data collection, report preparation, problem-solving -- I decided that I wanted to find a job in that field after graduation. I learned qualities of the industry that were really appealing to me: being outside, job variety, solving problems, making a difference for the environment. As a result, I pursued and found employment in the field after graduation. The externship helped me to learn the basics of the language used in the field so that I was more informed while looking for a job and more articulate in interviewing for the jobs that I found.”

“I decided that I could not work in a museum as a curator. It was very beneficial to have this experience because the reality of the job was much different from the vision I had in college. I found that I wanted to enjoy art, rather than protect it from visitors and acquire it by making deals.”

What will I do as an extern?

Extern experiences vary. Some students spend the entire experience in one department, while others divide their time among different departments to get a broad overview. Some examples of what you might do as an extern include:

  • observing, networking, and working with professionals.
  • taking a company tour.
  • conducting informational interviews.
  • sitting in on staff meetings.
  • reviewing company literature.
  • helping with clerical tasks.
  • assisting with actual office projects (research, report writing, etc.)

How do I extern at U.Va.?

Will UCS place me in an externship?

UCS does not place students directly with externship sponsors. However, we do provide you with a list of resources and tips to create your own experience. By initiating your own job shadowing opportunity, you gain valuable job search, resume writing, networking, and interviewing experience.