The reality of going virtual
Through a job shadowing opportunity, economics student sees consulting work up close — from her laptop.
By David Levin
December 15, 2025
Most job shadowing happens in person, following someone through hallways and conference rooms. But for Chiara De Meglio ’27, three hours of virtual meetings at healthcare consulting firm EVERSANA revealed something she hadn’t considered: how modern teams actually work.
“I was definitely surprised by the fact that a team can function completely virtually,’’ said De Meglio, an economics and business double major who also works as a peer adviser at the Hiatt Career Center. “That wasn’t something I ever really understood or looked into much.’’
The online format of her shadowing experience turned out to be a feature, not a limitation. De Meglio joined Zoom meetings with consultants working on different projects, giving her the opportunity to observe team dynamics, ask questions about their work strategies and see virtual collaboration in action.
As an international student, De Meglio was particularly interested in how EVERSANA’s consultants worked across borders and time zones. Her conversations with the company’s team ranged from specific project details to broader career trajectories, with each consultant offering stories and advice from their own professional journey.
What resonated most with her, De Meglio said, wasn’t just learning about the healthcare industry — it was learning that the professional world is not as foreign as it may seem to undergraduates. “You’re still working with people, you’re still completing projects like you complete assignments,’’ she noted. “It’s not a completely different universe.’’
De Meglio also gained confidence knowing that employers don’t expect new hires to arrive fully formed. “Everybody’s very willing to help,’’ she said. “You don’t need to know everything going into the workplace.’’
