As a 26-year-old, it’s crazy for me to say that I remember what the agricultural landscape looked like 20 years ago. I grew up on a small hog, soybean, and corn operation in northern Iowa where, at age six, our first desktop computer with the brick maze screensaver was cutting-edge and we could not fathom how technology could and would impact the agricultural industry as we knew it. Today, we’re fortunate that, like the world around us, agriculture has become incredibly advanced and we’re able to multiply production to better feed and fuel the world. And while it’s popular to assume that technology is diminishing agricultural roles of the past, it has also created a vast number of new jobs in agriculture that previously did not exist. Here are four jobs in agriculture I can safely say did not exist twenty years ago:
Precision Agriculture Specialist: This role may be what first comes to your mind when considering new jobs in agriculture. Precision ag workers build and work with precision agriculture technologies to improve and collect data around the planting and harvesting of crops.
Geospatial Analytics Scientist: GPS is helpful for more than just finding your way out of a city. These agriculturalists use GPS in precision agriculture capacities and more. Drones are popular tools utilized by geospatial analytics scientists.
I LOVE podcasts! They help make a long drive more bearable and keep my mind alert while on the road. Admittingly, my favorite shows are murder mysteries, but I’ve also discovered shows that are beneficial for my professional life (and don’t creep me out when driving down a two-lane road late at night!).
Maybe you’re like me and have a stack of articles and books that would really benefit you professionally, if only you could make the time to read them. Podcasts enable me to gain wisdom during a time in my car that is otherwise spent trying to out-sing whoever is on the radio. They are also free and easily available on a range of devices. Check these podcasts out and download them for your next drive!
Job searching: not for the weak. It can feel like fighting a Demogorgon while trying to save your best friend from another dimension and trying to hide a telekinetic from evil scientists…. Okay, maybe not quite like that. But job searching has more in common with the hit Netflix show Stranger Things than you might think. Have a read.
Disclaimer #1: If you haven’t seen Stranger Things, go watch it now, because it is great. Also, if you haven’t seen, this post likely won’t make a lot of sense.
Disclaimer #2: Some of these analogies are corny and far-reaching. Don’t judge me.
If you’ve done any amount of investigation around how to interview well, you’ve likely run across advice to ensure you come to interviews prepared with a few specific questions to ask the interviewer. This advice is very logical, yet so many interview without taking the time to prepare for this essential step. In order to really determine if the job is the right fit for you, it’s very helpful to be prepared to “interview” the employer too.
Sometimes the best way to prepare involves a little soul searching, and we’re going to assume that the obvious things like commute, overall responsibilities, and pay are already in line with your expectations. To land a job you actually enjoy, it’s important to really know yourself and what you prefer in a work environment. Let’s take a look at a few important questions to ask yourself, so you can frame relevant questions for the interviewer as you consider a potential career move.
It’s a New Year and many people have set (or are at least talking about) resolutions. Most of us are notorious for making New Year resolutions and quickly forgetting them by mid-January! But, you can’t afford to call it quits so soon when it’s career goals we’re talking about.
Your career goals may range from obtaining more satisfaction from your current role to striving for a promotion or moving on to new opportunities. It’s time to work out how you will achieve these goals and plan on how to get there.
1. Negativity is contagious! To retain your motivation, stay away from those that bring you down with their pessimistic and complaining behaviors.
