At AgHires, we work with clients in the agriculture industry on a daily basis to hire for their farms and ag businesses. We’re finding that many companies in our industry, farms especially, are finding the majority of their hires through word of mouth. While there are many positives to the tight-knit community of the agriculture industry, in the case of hiring, it may be hurting your farm.
Relying solely on word of mouth to hire for your farm is drastically limiting your candidate pool, causing you to miss top talent and likely settle for less-than-ideal candidates.
Beyond word of mouth, let’s dive into six ways you can market your farming opportunity, allowing your operation to be more selective in the hiring process.
Online Job Boards
Online job boards are websites that allow employers to post job openings and job seekers to apply for them. Job boards such as AgHires, Indeed, Monster, and ZipRecruiter are commonly used by job seekers, making them an effective place to house your job postings and reach more candidates.
According to AgHires’ recent Job Seeker Survey, the majority of individuals found their current or most recent job through online job boards (27%) and social media (25%).
Company Career Page
A company career page is your organization’s own online job board with your job openings. A career page is typically housed on a company’s website. It is a place job seekers can go to view all of your company’s current openings and either apply directly or find information about how to apply. Also, include a place on your career page to submit a general application to continuously add to your candidate pool and attract more skilled farm candidates.
In addition to posting your open jobs, a career page can include information about what it’s like to work for your farm, such as your offered benefits, perks, or company culture.
Whether you are a small or large farm, having a website with a dedicated career page is a great way to attract more applicants and widen your talent pool.
Ready to create a career page for your farm? Download our free eBook: How to Create an Effective Career Page for Your Website.
Social Media
Younger generations, especially, often use social media platforms in place of search engines. So instead of searching for your farm’s website, they may start by finding you on social media.
Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn can serve as great platforms to share content about your company, including your job openings.
When posting about your farm job openings, include a captivating photo that represents the job, a couple of sentences describing the position, and how candidates can apply.
If you only want to focus on one social media platform to advertise your farm openings, LinkedIn is a great option. LinkedIn is a professional networking site where industry professionals and job seekers can connect, share content, and search and apply for jobs.
Learn more about using social media to recruit for your agribusiness.
College & University Outreach
Ag students and new grads are often eager to learn and start gaining work experience, so farmhand, livestock care, and equipment operator type roles can be attractive opportunities.
For your entry-level farm roles or internships, reach out to local colleges with agriculture or trade programs to get your opportunities in front of those soon-to-be graduates looking to enter the workforce.
Host or Join Hiring Events
If your company is of decent size and has many job openings at a given time, you may benefit from joining a local hiring event, or even hosting your own company-wide event. These can be community career fairs, college job fairs, or hosting open interview events.
Job fairs, and similar hiring events, are a chance for job seekers to learn more about your company in person, ask questions, and gauge their interest before applying. This also gives you as an employer the chance to connect with and meet potential candidates ahead of time.
Partner with an Ag Recruiting Firm
We know hiring for your farm is far from an easy task - that’s why AgHires’ team of industry expert recruiters are here to do all the leg work. We prioritize forming a deep relationship with you and getting to know the ins and outs of your company and role, allowing us to function as an extension of your team.
AgHires recruiters serve as an advisor throughout the entire hiring process, from the job description to the offer stage. Our recruiters all come from within the ag industry, so we deeply understand the market, trends, and movement.
Utilizing our vast network of connections, partnering with the leading agricultural recruitment firm ensures your farming opportunity gets in front of only the top talent in the industry.
Learn more about how AgHires Recruiting and Job Posting Solutions can help find your farm’s next hire.
