Today more than ever Agriculture is a great place to be. Yes, when you watch the nightly news, everything seems like doom and gloom. However, we in Agriculture have been somewhat insulated from the ailing economy as a general rule. At the end of the day, people still need to eat. This means that farmers will still need to buy seed, chemical, fertilizer, and yes, equipment as well. Livestock producers that plan on being in business will still be buying feed, animal health supplies, and yes, they will still need to be making repairs to equipment and equipment purchases.
During times like these, we recommend more than ever, that you stay in touch with us. Many of you are gainfully employed, but would like to hear about “the right” opportunity that may come along. Most of the candidates we work with are not interested in relocating and will only make a switch if the opportunity and compensation is “the right match”. Ag 1 Source works with leading industry clients that during “challenging times” may be interested in top grading a position. Or, they may know about an upcoming retirement and ask Ag 1 source to keep an eye out for “the right match.” We often work on positions that aren’t publicly advertised due to one reason or another. In other words, if you need us today, we will work hard for you today. If you don’t need us today, we will work hard to keep you informed of upcoming opportunities that may be a great career enhancing opportunity.
The following are several good reasons to stay in touch with Ag 1 Source:
- Ag 1 Source communicates regularly with our leading Ag Clients and often times has access to future opportunities that aren’t fully released and advertised, yet we know they are coming available.
- There can be substantial work done on preparing a candidate’s file so that the interview process can happen timely when they do come open. It’s kind of like knowing when to be first in line for the “big event”.
- Ag 1 Source operates under a strict policy of not releasing Information until a candidate has been briefed on the prospective employer. In other words, when you work with Ag 1 Source, you will always know where your information has been sent because you approve it first.
- It’s a lot easier to develop a solid understanding of a candidate’s skills and style when the pressure is not on rather than trying to match someone up in a short amount of time.
Last, but not least, Ag 1 Source offers a generous referral bonus program to those that are willing to share names of friends, colleagues, competitors, or contacts that may fit one of our current or future openings. Here’s how this works. If you refer a name of an individual that we don’t currently have on file, Ag 1 Source will contact this individual and log you as the referring party. If we place this person anytime in the future, you will receive a referral bonus in the mail. This has been a very successful program for us and we have several networking partners that have cashed in on this multiple times.
No, that’s spelled right. It does say, “What’s your EQ?” We know what IQ is, intelligent quotient. Is it possibly safe to say that whenever you have considered leaving a current job that you’ve probably not said, “Gee I just wasn’t smart enough for that job?” Most likely you haven’t. However, you may have indeed been in a job and said, “I just don’t really understand the culture here.”
Once a month, here is a suggestion; Ask yourself these 3 questions:
- What am I not doing that I should be doing and what would it look like? Am I giving my 100% to my job and is that leading to the best performance I can give to my employer? Am I meeting the goals established by me or for me as it relates to my job? Have I contributed to the success of my employer? This is a good question that should lead to some job security. If you have contributed, given it your all, and have been recognized for the work you have contributed, you are at least one step further toward being seen as a valuable and productive employee.
- What is the next step in my development? Are you anxious to improve yourself? Has your company indicated to you that you need to learn more to be promoted? Ask your superiors, “What are the skills that I need for the next level, step by step?” If you’ve been in sales, and in order to be promoted to management, maybe you need some exposure to accounting. See if you can shadow that team for a few days or more. There is always something else that you can do (outside of your regular job) that you can do to improve. Create a 6 month development plan, something that is not connected to your pay. Then practice learning or observing.
- (The magic one) How can I help you? Then Deliver! What power in this question! How would you feel if you were on an important task and a co-worker came up to you and asked you that? This is what is also known as “internal customer service”. It’s what leads directly to teamwork efficiency. Jack Welch (former CEO of General Electric), in his book Topgrading cites a particular management philosophy of cutting the bottom 10% of your workforce every year! Essentially he is constantly “raising the bar” by 10% every year. If you as an employee are an average employee today, i.e. at the 50% mark, then by theory if you don’t try to constantly improve yourself, you may be the one that is in the 10% cut in 5 years. Is that alarming, or what?
Imagine the culture that creates such a positive, helping atmosphere. “How can I help you?” Can you imagine how your supervisor would feel about you at the next opportunity to consider someone for promotion, or raises if you were the one that had been indicating your willingness to help, and you followed through? Sooner or later, they will remember you. Can you imagine how much of an effect on the business’ productivity you could have if your actions spread to others. It could have a really dynamic effect such as found in the movie, Pay it Forward.
As simple as it sounds, most people still won’t change basic behaviors, so you as an employee have the power to have a differential and competitive edge, including where it relates to other employees. When it comes time for advancement opportunities, you will have easily laid the groundwork. At the very least, you will have left a great impression upon those around you and if your company has not noticed you, those that really know you can become some of your very best references!
If you lay out your plan for development and then once a month ask yourself the 3 preceding questions, you should be able to watch your career take off.
By the way, EQ could mean many things, but for the purposes of this article, it stands for “Emotional Quotient”.
