Five top tips for your first interview in an ag or hort setting
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Five tips for your first interview on a farm
Five tips for your first interview on a farm
1. Initial interviews for jobs in the industry often take place on site but may also happen over the phone or online using a program such as Microsoft Teams. Wherever the interview takes place make sure you dress appropriately, for example on a farm smart casual clothes and footwear such as clean boots or wellies will usually work. You could even ask if specialist footwear is required.
2. It's also often a good idea to ask if there are any biosecurity or health and safety measures you should be aware of before coming onto any site.
3. Employers have told us that qualifications are not always the most important thing they are looking for with early career entrants. In fact, in many cases they're just as keen to find out more about your personality (see panel below) as they are to find out about your education and skills.
Let your personality shine at interview
It can be hard to relax at interview, but the following personality traits are also important and being relaxed can help you send clear messages about them:
- Personality Employers may be asking if you will gel with other team members?
- Enthusiasm and energy Do they think you are really interested in the role?
- Interviewee’s response to the workplace and observations: These things are another indication of real interest on the part of the applicant. Consider noting down any questions if you go on a tour.
- Willingness to work long or mixed hours: Agriculture and horticulture jobs are hugely rewarding but are often seasonal and the roles can change in terms of intensity or content over the year. Showing any experience of this seasonal variation and a willingness to go the extra mile in peak times can help greatly.
- Practical and willing to work with technology The industry is increasingly technical and individuals who can engage successfully with it will be an asset to any business in the industry.
4. Employers will likely want to talk about your CV, so make sure you know it well and any work you have done will be of particular interest. Surprisingly, it might not even need to be directly related to the role you have applied for! Employers are often interested in your willingness to work in a potentially physical role and they'll be looking for an indication that you are motivated enough to have a consistent record of employment, volunteering or work experience.
5. A final thing to consider is to check out the company who are advertising the role and do some research into them. You might want to look at other advertisements for similar roles on recruitment sites to get a better feel for the role you're applying for in the days before the interview. This may stimulate some questions that will demonstrate your research and suggest a real understanding of the role.