.png "10 Things No One Told Me About Working in Agriculture")
July 18, 2024
Newsletter Article
1. You are going to work really hard. Agriculture is a 24 hours a day/seven days a week industry. Even if your agriculture job puts you behind a desk your customers are likely farmers and ranchers that are working long hours to get crops planted, livestock fed, products marketed and bills paid. Working in agriculture means you’ll need to be prepared to put in the hours to get the job done.
2. It is a small world. Agriculture is a relatively small community. That means that both good and bad news will travel fast. Make sure you and your work leave a strong impression. Your childhood peer could become your banker or best customer one day.
3. Know how to dress for the job. For the past 10 years, I have worked in marketing and public relations. My job has taken me everywhere from the boardroom to walking through feedlot pens. Have a smart business professional outfit that you can wear when you need to impress, but don’t ever forget your muck boots or coveralls if you are headed to the farm.
4. Flexibility is key. Livestock, crops, and Mother Nature tend to have a mind of their own. Be prepared for canceled meetings and rescheduling, or show your flexibility and take the meeting to the tractor cab.
5. Be open-minded. You may have grown up thinking that the way your family farmed was ideal; however, your coworkers and customers might have a different opinion. Nowadays there are so many agriculture practices – conventional, organic, GMO/non-GMO, grass-fed, etc. Take time to learn about other practices with an open mind.
6. Know how to be a good traveler. Whether it is making a sales run, traveling up and down the road to cattle shows, attending an annual industry conference, or flying to D.C. to lobby for your organization, agriculture can keep you on the road. Be an efficient packer, know how to book a reservation for a supper meeting and learn how to navigate an airport.
7. Make your boss look good. This was one of the most important pieces of advice I have ever received. If your boss looks good, your team will look good and that will lead to new opportunities for you and your company.
8. Network, network, network and do it in person and online. Join Twitter, comment on blogs and interact with others through Facebook groups. This is a fantastic way to meet new people and grow your network while working in agriculture. However, make sure you also take the opportunity to then meet those people for face-to-face conversations. Don’t be afraid to tell others what your goals and objectives are. You never know when someone can connect you with the right opportunity.
9. You will run into stereotypes. You wouldn’t think that in the 21st Century we would still be dealing with inequalities. However, you will run up against people thinking you’re not old enough or you are too old to be working in agriculture. Some are going to tell you that you are just a woman trying to make it in a man’s world. Put your nose to the grindstone: build a career of solid work, show results, and there won’t be much anyone can say.
10. The opportunities are endless. Growing up, I don’t think I fully grasped the opportunities that were available while working in agriculture. Whether you are into science, marketing, analytics, business, writing, or engineering (I could go on and on), there is a career opportunity for you.
Maybe there are some things you might not have expected about working in agriculture. But now that you have a better idea of what it could be like, start your career in the best industry: setup a profile on AgCareers.com today and start searching for your future.
