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internship recruiters know that you’re
exploring your options. They can help
point you in the right direction.
“Start with, ‘I’m still open; I’m trying
to find that perfect fit for me. Here are
some things I like to do,’” she said. “I
know a lot of the career fairs, especially
the bigger career fairs we go to, there
are people there from our production
facilities, from our research facilities, all
of our sales brands. So, when you talk
to that person, when you tell them what
you like to do and what you enjoy doing
or what you feel like your forte is, then
they’ll go, ‘Oh, you need to talk to so-
and-so over here.’ A lot of times that fit
in that internship is found that way.”
Keep an open mind
Even if you’re set on a particular
career path, keeping an open mind can
lead to new opportunities. That’s what
happened to Jessica Woodworth, who
is now a Syngenta retail representative
working with clients in Florida, Alabama
and Mississippi. A few years ago, she
was studying animal science at Kansas
State University with the intent to
become a veterinarian. She was first
introduced to Syngenta when watching
her brother compete at the National FFA
Convention & Expo.
“I was looking for an internship
because I was up in the air about vet
school,” she said. “My brother had
mentioned that he had heard during
his contest that Syngenta was looking
for interns. I kind of looked at my mom,
and I was like, ‘I have an animal science
degree, I don’t know if Syngenta would
be interested in that.’”
Woodworth’s mother encouraged
her to talk to a recruiter, and that person
got her in touch with Thomas.
“I realized that with Syngenta, as long
as you had the base foundation, it didn’t
matter what your degree was in as long
as you were willing to put forth the
work and effort,” Woodworth said. “I got
connected with Robin, and she helped
me land an internship in Arkansas.”
Woodworth’s internship coincided
with the window of time where she
would have applied to veterinary
programs.
“However, I got into my internship
and absolutely loved it — completely
forgot about vet school, never applied,”
she said. “At the end of the summer, I
interviewed for the developmental
sales position. Then, right out of college,
came to Syngenta for that position in
northern Illinois.”
Woodworth says that if she could
give her past self one piece of advice for
her career journey, she’d tell herself to
be open to different opportunities.
“Stay open-minded because you
never know what your future might hold
and where you might find yourself that
you never thought you would be,” she
said. “I never would have dreamed that
this is what I love.”
The process of choosing the right
internship can include talking to
recruiters at career fairs and events, like
how Woodworth approached Syngenta.
But there are other tools out there
for prospective interns, like the FFA
Forever Blue Network. Allie Ellis, the
associate director of the FFA Alumni and
Supporters, says current FFA members,
alumni and supporters can all join the
online network.
The Forever Blue Network is also a
resource for finding events, mentoring
opportunities and special interest
groups.
Choosing the right internship
can be a challenging but rewarding
process. In the end, it’s about finding an
opportunity that works well for you and
your professional goals.
“Get outside your comfort zone,”
Woodworth said, “because you never
know where you’re going to land, what
you’re going to do.”
AG
“Stay open-minded because
you never know what your future
might hold and where you might
find yourself that you never
thought you would be,” said
Jessica Woodworth, Syngenta.
“I never would have dreamed
that this is what I love.”