b'THREE WAYS TO FIND BETTER CANDIDATES FOR AG JOBSLearn how to find and attract ideal candidates.Sonja BegemannWITHOUT A DOUBT,one of the most daunting challengesResearch is Paramountin agriculture is finding and hiring talent. Its a highly special- Whether youre the candidate, or the hiring manager, due ized and technical industryand one whos complexity goesdiligence is needed before accepting a position or hiring an beyond the lab, all the way to the farm. Finding someone withindividual. Youre not just looking for skeletons in closets, youre the right skills and knowledge of how it all works is tough. looking for a good fit in the company culture and values.Experts dived into how to find and attract good candidatesHere are a few ideas on how to research:in episode one of Seed Speaks, a new video series by Seed CandidateFind recent articles and news reports about World Group. Host Sonja Begemann was joined by Jordanthe company. Check them out on LinkedIn, Glass Door, Indeed, Moss, U.S.-based ag recruiter who specializes in ag tech, andetc. Look for company reviews and comments from current Simon Leich, London-based ag recruiter who specializes in find- and former employees. If you know someone who works or has ing ag executives. worked there, ask them what they thought.Sometimes the biggest challenge is just getting someone to CompanyAsk them how they like to work. Open-ended sit down and talk, Moss says. Its a busy time of year, and higherquestions during an interview can help you discover if theyre commodity prices only up the ante. The first conversation isa complement to your current system. In addition, appropriate sometimes the hardest to earn. background checks are also valuable.Taking the time to find out more about the company, or can-Find the Right Candidate didate, helps make sure the environment is right for everyone. As agriculture expands into more technology and other less tra- This can help turn the position into a longer career within the ditional ventures, do you have to keep going back to the samecompany if they feel included, valued and comfortable.well of talent?When you look at broader talent outside of just straight- Lead with Purposeforward ag, you can find individuals that have a different set ofTodays candidates dont just want a fancy title or think only experiences to bring in, Leich says. And on the technology andabout salariesmany want the work they do to mean something.science side there are best practices from other industries thatThat has probably been one of the biggest trends that Ive translate well. seen in the last few years, Leich says. It actually escalated a lot Industrial, food systems, pharmaceutical are just a few ofafter COVID. People asked the question when they were sitting the industries Moss and Leich say translate well into agricultureat home whats this all about?positions. As ag expands, more people are gaining interest in thisThe good news? In agriculture its easy to show people value sector of the food system, which could present new opportuni- of what theyre doingafter allits literally feeding the world. ties for hiring managers. When presenting offers or talking about a position, dont just However, there is a learning curve to account for when hiringtalk salary and title, tell them how what theyd be doing makes a someone without a traditional ag background. Be prepared todifference. SWhave conversations and explain concepts about production and ON THE WEBfarm practices. WHERE While you can hire people from other backgrounds, Ive noticed when working with different parts of the supply chainTake a look at the first episode of Seed Speaks below for more details and information from Moss like farmers or ag retailers that nothing beats an ag background,and Leich about finding and attracting candidates for agriculture positions: www.youtube.com/Moss says. But if the person hasnt been around agriculture towatch?v=PNPGnznghWU&list=PLy-JQ6AUMSc8WUN1v_QN9PG5tkUMkMa0Yknow that background, surround them with people that haveTune in every Wednesday at noon central standard time to watch more Seed Speaks live on thegrown up in the industry. Seed World Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SeedWorldSEPTEMBER 2021SEEDWORLD.COM /67'