AgCareers US

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The main skills and qualities would
be customer focus; strong
communication and team effectiveness;
drive for continuous improvement;
having a safety mindset, and possessing
business acumen.
5 Ag & Food CAreer guide
by Kristine Penning, AgCareers.com Creative Marketing Specialist with help from Kate Boeckenstedt, AgCareers.com Marketing Intern
The biggest attribute we are looking for is
grit. The ability to keep persevering even
during difficult times. Additionally, having
great follow-up skills and the ability to
connect with customers is critical.
We look for transferable skills when
evaluating potential candidates.
A prospective employee should be
professional, have a good work ethic,
be a team player, and possess strong
communication and leadership skills.
IF YOU WANT A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE, you’ll want to impress agricultural employers specifically. Because employers in
the realm of agriculture, food, and natural resources seek a slightly specialized set of skills and qualities, we wanted to provide you
with a bit of insight into what agricultural employers are looking for today, straight from the source.
UNIVERSAL SKILLS & QUALITIES
It is an advantage to have knowledge of
the agricultural industry, but not always
necessary. You should always make sure
that you are prepared and have the base
knowledge of the role to achieve the task
that you are applying to.
Being able to relate to the farmer.
Our salespeople that have come from a
farming background, do great calling on
farmers because they can speak their
language and understand their needs.
An employee should have a good
understanding of how to provide
agronomic support to growers. It is also
essential to be proactive in business
planning and marketing in order to plan
for success.
AGRICULTURE-SPECIFIC SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
SELENA HAINES
Director, HR Business
Partners
GARY JOHNSON
Executive Director of Sales
RUSTY HARDER
Chief Marketing Officer
Ensure you are an active listener and
understand the goals and tasks that are
put in place for you to meet. Don’t be
afraid to ask questions and if it is
something you have never tackled before,
look into what resources and people are
there to support you through your first
attempt at it.
For the most part, young workers are
great today but social skills are not as
good as they should be, following up in
writing (i.e. hand written notes of thank
you), looking people in the eye, and being
consistent are all areas that could use
some improvement. Always be learning.
If you are not growing, you are slowing.
Continuing to learn and gain knowledge
about agriculture as it continues to
innovate is highly recommended. More
specifically, taking classes focused on
agronomy, precision ag, public speaking,
and business would be beneficial in order
to gain the necessary skills and
knowledge to increase value. AG
TIPS TO BOOST NEEDED SKILL SETS
WHAT AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FORToday