How to Put Shadowing on a Resume [+Examples]

You got some killer experience job shadowing and now you’re ready to show recruiters that you can do it on your own. But you’re looking through your resume and you can’t really spot where your shadowing experience is supposed to go. 

Can you put shadowing on a resume in the first place?

Of course you can. Placed correctly, it can prove you’re ready for the job ahead. We’re here to show you how to do exactly that.

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Check out our other guides that can involve adding shadowing to a resume:

• Entry-Level Resume
• Resume with No Work Experience
• Undergraduate Resume
• High School Student Resume
• College Student Resume
• College Graduate Resume
• High School Graduate Resume
• High School Resume for College Application
• College Freshman Resume
• Resume for Teens
• Internship Resume
• Engineering Internship Resume
• How to Explain Gaps in Employment
• How to Put Education on a Resume
• Resume Examples For Any Job

How to Add Shadowing on a Resume

Shadowing sounds more creepy than practical. But at the end of the day, it is practical, on-the-job experience you’ve gained. That’s more than other candidates can say. The whole trick in adding shadowing to your resume is to have it demonstrate what you’ve learned and the skills you’ve acquired.

Let’s start off with the best place to put your shadowing experience when writing your resume—your work experience section.

Create a Work Experience Section

Why there? Because you’re already on the job to do the shadowing in the first place. Additionally, you’re gaining job-specific insight. This holds true whether you're writing a resume with no experience, writing a resume for internship, or in the middle of changing your job plans and writing a career change resume.

Here’s how to add your shadowing experience to the work experience section of your resume:

• Add “Shadow Experience” as the title.
• Enter the company/institution where you did the shadowing and its location (city and state)
• Add the dates that you were shadowing for. They don’t have to be exact, month/year is fine.
• Include what you were engaged in while shadowing. For medical or clinical shadowing, include the name of the person you were shadowing. 

Pro Tip: Don’t include the number of hours you were shadowing. It’s the experience that’s key, not the amount of time. If recruiters want to know, they’ll ask themselves.

List Up to 6 Responsibilities

Employers aren’t interested in a list of everyone you ever followed around and what they did. Their time is precious so don’t waste it and remain relevant and concise. Narrow it down to 6 bullet points and show them how what you learned could be of value to the company.

You can do that by using action verbs when talking about your experience. Ignore common verbs like “watched” or “listened” with “observed” and “engaged”. Action verbs really make your experience sound a whole lot more professional.

One great hack is to use the job ad as a guide. Use the resume keywords in the ad and add them to your resume if appropriate. An added bonus is that these keywords create an ATS- friendly resume which is just as important as keeping up in your ride along.

How to Put Shadowing on a Resume Examples

Although medical shadowing is the most common of all job shadowing, there are other industries that use it as well. Here’s an example of job shadowing in administration:

Obviously shadowing doesn't need to mean boring and useless. Stick to what you really learned and can do if given the job right away.

Read more: Including Work Experience in a Resume

Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.

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When you’re done, our professional resume builder will score your resume and our ATS resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Add Achievements

Watching an expert do their job is valuable, but you know what would spice it up more? Your own achievements. Granted, that might not be that easy when you’re just shadowing, but if there was a possibility for you to engage in a meaningful way, definitely add that in.

Think about a time that you contributed in a unique way, label it key achievement and place it right underneath your work experience bullet points.

Here’s an example:

That is definitely going to grab the hiring manager’s attention.

Read more: Write a Professional Summary of Qualifications Recruiters Will Want to Read

Tailor Your Job Description

Here’s the thing—just adding, listing, and mentioning your shadowing experience isn’t going to cut it. You need to tailor your resume to make your shadowing catch the hiring manager’s attention.

So how do you make your shadowing experience relate to the job ad?

Like this:

Let’s say you see an X-ray technician’s job ad that expects you to:

Implement radiation protection and safety standards.

Prepare, perform and assist the physician in special and advanced procedures.

Ensure all activities comply with regulatory agency standards.

Ensure prompt submission of high-quality of all images and documents sent to PACS (image quality, correct lead markers and patient data/history).

Highlight the skills in the ad that you have and can prove, like in the above example.

Then mention those key skills in your shadowing experience through examples:

Shadowing on a Resume Example

As you can see, this shadowing experience is relevant and fully tailored to the key points mentioned in the job ad. 

That resume is definitely getting a callback!

Read more: How to Structure a Resume Professionally

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Shadowing, if added correctly to your resume, can really beef up your resume.

Remember to:

• Include where you did your externship and who you shadowed (if applicable).
• Use active verbs to list your shadowing in a more compelling way.
• Use the job ad as a guide for what employers want to see.

That’s it!

Thanks for reading! Have any questions regarding how to put your externship on a resume? Let us know down in the comments!

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