“Where do you see yourself in five years?” is right up there with “Tell me about yourself.” in the realm of interview questions you’re likely to be asked in a job interview. Taking the time to really craft your answer for questions like this will really pay off when you’re in the hot seat during an interview. So how do we prepare to deliver a great response? I recommend reverse engineering the question. The end goal of the interviewer is to determine if the candidate is a solid fit for the position. So, let’s begin our reverse engineering exercise by asking ourselves what the interviewer is trying to learn by asking the question:
“Where do you see yourself in five years?” These three things come to mind right away:
1. Does this candidate set personal and professional goals?
2. Does this candidate have confidence in their abilities, and do they demonstrate continued self-improvement?
3. Would it make sense to hire this candidate, considering the company’s needs? Is the position a match for this candidate’s aspirations?
“It’s what I’ve always known…” Growing up on his family’s livestock operation, rancher Ryan Sproul (husband of AgCareers.com Education and Marketing Specialist, Kristi Sproul) was surrounded by immediate and extended family that made their living off the land and the cattle that grazed it. Ranching has been a part of him for as long as he can remember. Now, Ryan and Kristi own Sproul Livestock, raising commercial Red Angus cows in Northwestern Oklahoma.
There’s never a typical day! I also work a full-time job as a Field Representative for the United States Senate, so I balance this with the work needing to be done with the cattle. This often means the ranch work is done during early mornings, late nights and weekends. Our operation’s work load varies by season. During the summer we are slower, while winter and spring are consumed with feeding and calving.
Work ethic and commitment to the land and animals is most important. Also, being a jack of all trades. Somedays you’re a mechanic, the next a veterinarian and the next a livestock nutritionist.
Jessica Bartow joined the AgCareers.com team earlier this year as our Western US Talent Solutions Specialist. Jessica is based in a home office in California.
What do you do on a day-to-day basis in your role with AgCareers.com?
I help my clients with whatever they need – posting jobs, compensation data, registering for events, etc.
What do you enjoy about working with AgCareers.com?
I love the ag industry and am so thankful for the opportunity to help our industry leaders find and retain talent.
Okay, I confess…deep down, I may have some regret lingering about not jumping on the chance to work in Italy for two years when I graduated from college. That was a long time ago, but with big decisions like that, it’s always funny to think about how different my career path would have been if I’d have accepted that job and taken a gap year (or two). What made me say no? I worried about not being as relevant as my peers in the industry when I came back. I thought my experience wouldn’t be viewed as significant as those who got their foot in the door here first.
My decision back then wasn’t really about taking a “gap year” per se, but it was a big decision with some of the same potential ramifications. There’s quite a few people within my professional network who’ve made the decision to take time off and step away from their chosen career for a “gap year”. Sometimes it’s to find themselves or re-invent themselves professionally, while other times it may be related to their growing family. Regardless of the reason for doing it, taking time away is not something to rush into. Here are a few general things to consider if you’re thinking about stepping away for a bit:
