Undergraduate Blog / Career Development

Babson’s Externship Program Provides Job Shadow Opportunities

Welcome back! The Undergraduate Center for Career Development is bustling with activity, and we are thrilled to have our students back on campus and actively engaged in their Career Development process. I’d like to tell you a bit about one of our Experiential Education opportunities, our Externship Program.

The Externship Program is designed with first-year students in mind. An externship, or job shadowing experience, generally last 1-3 days in duration and is meant to provide students with an on-the-job understanding of a career, industry, organization, or function in an intimate, focused, and informative environment. It also encourages students, alumni, and organizations to forge strong and valuable connections with each other in a shared experience. The externship program is not for academic credit and students are not compensated, but the experience will be greatly beneficial for both the student and host.

What are the benefits of completing an externship?
• Develop a more refined and realistic understanding of your career goals
• Shadow a professional “in action” and ask question regarding processes, procedures, and functions
• Clarify questions that you may have about a particular field of interest
• Encourage networking and mentor relationships
• Question and test assumptions about a function or process
• Be more attune to what you can expect in a possible career track.

What will I actually do during an externship?
An externship involves shadowing a professional (host) on the job as it happens. In the past, externs have attended meetings in a boardroom, been on the floor of the NYSE, sat in on a client meeting, conducted informational interviews with organizational staff, participated in staff meetings, assisted with group projects, and provided feedback on proposals. The possibilities are only limited by your host.

When does the program take place?
The majority of the externships will take place in January over winter break; however, some students, particularly those not located in Boston during January, will complete their externship once they are back on campus during the first few weeks of the spring semester.

When and how do I apply?
The application opens in Career Connections in early November. To apply, search for “Externship” on the Career Connections homepage.

If I apply, am I guaranteed an externship placement?
Students provide their geographic, industry, and function preferences on their application and we do our best to find a match; however, we cannot guarantee an externship for every student who applies. Some externship do take place outside New England, but the majority of placements are in the Greater Boston Area. Students who are not located in Boston over Winter Break have the option to complete a Boston-based externship on a Friday at the beginning of the spring semester. Want more information? Stop by the Undergraduate Center for Career Development, Hollister 106, or check out our programs on the hub!