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proven that companies and students
can make virtual internships work. If we
remain virtual next summer, expect to
see even better virtual experiences.
STUDENT RECRUITMENT ON
CAMPUS THIS FALL
At the Roundtable, several university
career services professionals joined in a
panel to discuss what they think student
recruitment will look like on campus this
fall and perhaps the remainder of the
year. You guessed it, virtually!
For many companies that weren’t
on board with virtual or remote before
the pandemic have learned that their
businesses and employees can be just
as successful, if not more in a remote
setting. Organizations are finding cost
savings in the forced lack of travel while
maintaining targets. We’ll see some of
these virtual and remote aspects hold on
even after the pandemic is gone.
Getting comfortable with virtual
recruitment and a virtual workspace is
one way to set yourself apart from your
other candidate competition. Explore
virtual career fairs, virtual interviewing
and virtual networking. Reach out to
alumni through LinkedIn and engage in
events through online portals. This is a
bit of the new reality and showing you
are an early adopter will take you far.
WHAT DOES GOING TO THE OFFICE
LOOK LIKE THESE DAYS
We are talking about more than just
being in a square building. It is what
you’ll encounter as you go to an office,
whether an internship or new graduate
opportunity. You may have heard of a
shift in the employment market and that
it is now an employer’s market; meaning
that employers have the upper hand
because there are plenty of candidates
on the market. Well, that isn’t entirely
true for the agriculture industry.
Plus, this industry is humble and prides
themselves on quality - that means for
talent too.
You may have more competition
through the recruitment process but
demonstrate the key employability skills,
like communication, reliability, work ethic,
and resiliency. Support those with your
technical expertise. Your industry-specif-
ic expertise will get you in the door, but
it is likely your employability skills that
will win the interviewer over!
Let’s just talk about resiliency briefly.
As a student or young professional that
has lived through the pandemic, if you’ve
managed through these challenging
times you are resilient. This is something
that employers stereotypically feel that
young professionals and students lack,
but the pandemic has just opened your
examples for interview questions on this
topic wide open!
Agricultural employers, or at least the
good ones, still focus on their employees
and providing a culture that is safe,
compassionate, and fun. Look for
these things (or those things you are
passionate about) in future employers.
The pandemic has not created an
employment crisis within the agriculture
industry as of now. Don’t panic and take
the first job offer just because. Instead,
take a job that you can see yourself
enjoying and excelling in!
AG
STANDING OUT IN A VIRTUAL INTERVIEW
Cynthia Cole, Recruitment Manager for De Lacy Executive Recruitment, shared some
valuable tips on how students can stand out in a virtual interview.
•
Be mindful of new processes—virtual is the new normal
•
Dress appropriately
• Test technology—practice with a friend if possible
•
Set the scene—avoid background noise and cluttered spaces
•
Convey enthusiasm—let the employer know you are excited
• Address the pandemic—yes, you can ask about how their company has dealt
•
Give a compliment—if you’ve experienced something good in their process,
tell them
A video interview is still a great way for you to assess the company! Look for ways
that the employer steps up in the virtual setting to help you recognize why you should
work for their organization.
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