Having a job that requires working nights, weekends or holidays is a rite of passage for most 20 something’s. Ask around and those who have been in the workforce for several years will most likely have stories to tell about a previous job with less than ideal hours. Couple this with the reality that agriculture is not a Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. industry and it’s very likely you’ll take a job with difficult hours at some point in your career. So add “I Will Survive” to your music playlist, crank it up and utilize these tips to not only survive but thrive!
● Be aware that it will take your body time to adjust to the new schedule. However, with time it will become your new normal. Be patient and resilient in making the changes to your daily schedule.
By Danielle Tucker, 2017 AgCareers.com Summer Marketing Intern
We all know someone who has developed bad habits from college and you may find that you have developed some as well. Habits can be extremely difficult to break, especially if they have been going on for the last few years. Fortunately, bad habits can be broken and success is not far away. Eliminating bad habits will take discipline and hard work, but it will help you in the long run.
A Bad Attitude.
No one likes a bad, pessimistic attitude. Your attitude affects those around you and influences their attitude as well. In a working environment, you want to spread positive vibes and enthusiasm to your co-workers. It’s important to understand that if you want to make a positive difference in your position, you must change your attitude to positively influence people you work with.
Performance reviews typically aren’t most folk’s favorite day on the job, but they do serve as a valuable opportunity to check in with your manager. If you’ve ever had a poor performance review, you know that can be an especially devastating day. Having a less than stellar performance review isn’t the end of the world, there is still ample time to turn your performance around. Below are some tips for getting back on track.
Don’t make excuses.
Being confronted with less than desirable performance might lead you to give excuses for why things haven’t been going smoothly. It’s a good idea to avoid the blame game and it’s time to show your boss that you are serious about being a great employee.
By Danielle Tucker, 2017 AgCareers.com Marketing Intern
Kyle Neher recently began his career as a mechanical engineer as Lab Activities Engineer for John Deere in Ottumwa, Iowa. Here, he tells a little bit about what his role is like and advice he has for aspiring mechanical engineers.
What made you want to become a mechanical engineer?
As I grew up I was always very good with math and science, and enjoyed problem-solving. This led me to trying to solve problems on the farm in unique ways, and eventually I learned about engineering and decided to get my degree in the engineering field.
What is a day in the life like for you?
My role as a Lab Activities engineer requires me to work with product development teams to design and run tests to collect data that will help determine if a part will hold up to its design life when being operated out in the field. These tests can be done in the plant or can take place in the field.
By Danielle Tucker, 2017 AgCareers.com Marketing Intern
Informational interviews are meetings that job seekers can utilize with employers to find out more information, ask advice, and seek answers. They also allow employers to get to know a potential candidate for a position in the company. Although, it is important to know that this is not a job interview and your goal is to gather information and network rather than finding job openings.
As a job seeker, it can be difficult to get an interview if the employers have several resumes to sort through. Utilizing informational interviews can work to your advantage, however, they can also help a company eliminate you from their pile of papers. To decide whether or not you should pursue an informational interview, examine the pros, cons, and guidelines.
Alicia Reid recently joined the AgCareers.com team as the Inside Sales Representative for the United States. She works from an office in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.
What do you do on a day-to-day basis in your role with AgCareers.com?
I mostly handle outgoing phone calls in an effort to connect with clients and new clients.
What do you enjoy about working with AgCareers.com?
I’m learning something new every single day. No two days here are ever the same. And I can appreciate that because you might think that talking on the phone every day would be the same thing every day, but I learn about agriculture, about the companies, and I can use that for my next phone call. I’m learning all the time.
By Annie Storey, Agriculture Future of America
Econ 101 – Check! Principles of Management – Check! Introduction to English Literature – Check!
No matter your degree program, chances are there are key classes the majority of us had to take to receive our diploma. They allow us to build an academic foundation for a successful career. While you may not remember which author wrote which book, that course may have been out of your comfort zone and taught you how to think differently than you were used to.
Your degree signifies academic success, goal setting, achievement and knowledge of a certain discipline. What your degree doesn’t necessarily showcase is the other skills you need to be successful post-graduation.
There is consistency among research that the following five skills are needed in the workplace – and that most college graduates aren’t work-ready in these areas.
Military veterans and professionals: if you are utilizing AgCareers.com and have not registered as an Ag Warrior, you are missing out! Ag Warriors is a program within AgCareers.com for military veterans and professionals to let employers know that they have served in the armed forces. Employers can then seek out Ag Warriors through the AgCareers.com Resume Database or simply know that they are a veteran when they apply. Want to know about all the companies that actively support and recruit Ag Warriors?
ADM: Archer Daniels Midland Company converts oilseeds, corn, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses.
Bunge: Bunge supplies agricultural food ingredients to a wide range of customers in the livestock, poultry, food processor, food services and bakery industries.
