In today’s competitive job market, you need to ask yourself, why will the hiring manager put my resume on the top of their pile? Understanding that employers are looking to attract, retain and develop employees with certain skill sets is essential; as a result, make sure your resume matches the job characteristics. Every employer values a person that has attention to detail; so why not impress them with your customized resume for their role.
As a manager, I am continually surprised by the resumes that I receive that are full of errors, irrelevancy and I even ask the question if they know the role in which they just applied? The role of the resume is to accurately and efficiently convey your key skills, experience and educational criteria which would provide an invitation to the next step in the hiring process.
The time is right; you are fresh out of school and a position in the family farm business awaits, or so you thought. Is it really the right time to return home; is it your idea or your parents? Understanding why the time to invest these early career years back at the family farm or business immediately after completing a few years away from home is crucial.
Is the business expanding and all hands on deck are needed? Have you been given a unique opportunity to be a part of this growth? Or are you the easiest candidate to hire because mom and dad are getting burnt out from a heavy work load? Or are there other factors such as health that out of their own control? Or is it that you need a job and expect a position be available, because after all, you have a newly minted agriculture degree?
Think about your return home to the farm and ask the same questions you would when considering other employment opportunities: what is my role, my responsibilities, my compensation and hours? Think about strategic questions like, what are the goals of the business? Do they match my personal goals? Is management willing to consider my opinion? It’s critical to have conversations with your family members before taking on, or assuming any role will be made available.
Are you aware of your own surroundings, the people you work with and their mood at work? Do you consider your own frame of mind and the impact it has on your productivity and others? Having Emotional Intelligence starts with self awareness and your ability understanding your own disposition, but is it is also about being aware of that of others around you.
In the work place we spend a great deal of time with others and our own personality and state of mind often dictate employee engagement and satisfaction, based on the interactions with others.
In reality, our emotions will fluctuate on a spectrum; ranging from high to low. Often people exhibit traits of having a relatively stable state, and others tend of swing widely on the spectrum. Interpreting the meaning and reaction to others emotions is the essence of having emotional intelligence.
