Career Guide US 2019

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by Megan Karlin, Agriculture Future of America
YOU WENT TO COLLEGE to pursue a
degree, but more than that, to pursue a
career. Yet, you probably know employers
want to see more.
If you’re applying for a position that
requires a degree, everyone you are
competing against will also have a degree,
says Nick Koewler from the Land O’Lakes
talent acquisition team.
“It’s what you have in addition to the
degree that is important as we look at
what qualifies candidates as top talent,”
he said.
Koewler added while you need
technical skills, it is how you work in a
team setting with both in-person and
with virtual customers and colleagues
that will make you and your future
employer successful. Employers want to
see you have pursued experiences that
help position you as a well-rounded,
attractive candidate, says Justin
Margherio, Senior Recruiter for Bayer U.S.
“From our end, it’s the combination
of an individual’s education and their
extracurricular experiences,” he said.
“You have to be able to show that you
have some kind of experience applying
your degree outside the classroom.”
So which entries on your resume will
help you stand out? While every job,
company, and recruiter might be looking
for something slightly different, here
are five pieces of advice to help you get
started.
1. WORK EXPERIENCE
The first thing most recruiters and hiring
managers look for is work experience
that relates to the position. Sometimes it
might feel like you have to have had an
internship to get an internship. Margan
Mulvaney, Executive Director of Human
Resources for Merck Animal Health,
encourages students to think beyond
the standard internship when they are
looking for their first work experiences.
“What we’re looking for is any relevant
experience, whether it be paid or
volunteer, where you have had exposure
to different parts of the business,” she
said. “We want to see that you have had
an experience where you can relate to
working in a particular field or line of
work.”
Another opportunity Tracie Gogolin,
Vice President of People and Culture for
Agribusiness at Wilbur-Ellis, suggests
is taking time your freshman year to
shadow at least two people working in
the career you’re interested in.
“Taking time to do this early in your
education will help you make sure this is
your passion and the right path for you,”
she says.
2. PEER LEADERSHIP
After an internship or work experience,
the next best way to show you are
pursuing relevant skills is through
on-campus peer leadership. In the
workplace, you will have opportunities
to lead with influence as you manage
projects among groups of your peers as
well as your superiors.
“Get involved in those organizations
and take those leadership opportunities
as early as you can,” says Margherio.
“That’s a skill we look for. Can you lead
your peers through projects?”
Mulvaney adds that leadership also
extends beyond internships and club
officer roles.
“It doesn’t have to be an officer
role,” she says. “You can show that you
have exposure to leading project teams
though your studies or leading a
volunteering effort.”
In addition to peer leadership,
Koewler adds that club participation
helps recruiters get a better picture of
you as a candidate.
“Student club participation is great,”
he says. “Seeing that helps us as
recruiters understand a little bit more
about the person, what they like to do
and in what type of situation they will
thrive.”
ExperiencesG E T T I N G T H E
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