Emily Schuckenbrock
May 14, 2021
Newsletter Articleby Emily Schuckenbrock, Agriculture Future of America Program Manager
So, you have a degree? In the words of the famous Shania Twain herself, that don’t impress me much!
Don’t get me wrong, you should absolutely be proud of the work you put into your degree. Just because something is common, doesn’t mean the thing is easy. But, gone are the days when your degree is all you need to impress potential employers. According to AgCareers.com's 2020-2021 U.S. Agribusiness HR Review, 76% of companies plan to do more graduate recruitment in the next 1-5 years due to the competition for talent. This is good news for those who are pursuing a four-year degree. So, how do you stand out in a crowd that is made up of duplicate qualifications? I’m so glad you asked!
There is much more to you than your titles, awards and courses — you are made up of a unique set of skills built from your experiences, lessons learned, perspectives and interests. Those are the things that truly set you apart from the crowd. Which is why learning to extract and articulate those skills is critical.
For example, what sounds better to you?
I have participated in many professional development experiences, such as respect and inclusivity training, public speaking training and self-assessment workshops that have readied me to be a leader in any environment.
Or
By participating in many professional development experiences, I have sharpened my ability to seek opportunities to collaborate with those who have differing perspectives from my own, exert my influence in my areas of expertise with tact and recognize my innate motivation to help others reach their full potential in order to be a leader in any environment.
Both sound fine, right? But which one gives you more insight into what that person can bring to the table? In my somewhat professional opinion, the second statement gives us so much more. Let me break this down a little bit further.
Stating the title and definition of a specific experience is just fine, but does that describe the scope of impact that experience made on you? In most cases, probably not. By translating that experience into the legitimate skills you gained from it, you provide insight into how you’ve grown through those experiences and what you’ve done to better yourself as an individual. From the statements above:
Ultimately, when it comes down to discussing your qualifications on a resume or in conversation, avoid being surface level in your descriptions. We are all guilty of it, but remember that this is your chance to brag on yourself. Don’t let that chance become just another resume in the stack or a forgotten conversation.
Wondering how to get started? Again, great question!
The key in gaining skills to brag about is by identifying and participating in experiences that help build them. The good news is whether you are the student involved in every club and organization your college offers, or you’re working three jobs to cover those wretched tuition payments, you’re filling a role that is building transferable skills.
For instance, how often are you involved in some form of a team? My apologies if this starts causing group-project eye twitches, but indulge me for just a moment. Have you had to produce some form of a solution, product or decision together? Reflect on the elements of that process. I assume that things such as collaboration, or even stress management, come to mind. If so, then BOOM! You have some skills to talk about:
Start practicing this type of analysis in the roles that you fill every day. Club treasurer, server, babysitter, student, conference attendee, retail assistant, bank teller, etc. What are you gaining from it? Then, when it comes time to applying for that job or internship that everyone else is trying to land, don’t sell yourself short. The skills you have are valuable, but no one will know that unless you help them see it. Dig deep and unpack those incredible skills that are uniquely yours.
Interested in opportunities to further build your skills? Check out the experiences offered by Agriculture Future of America (AFA) at www.agfuture.org.
