In this issue...

• On the Move with the ASM

• The Coming Job Boom . . . and You

•Four Classic Interview Questions—and How to Prepare for Them

•Student Day of Education

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On the Move With the ASM

Summer is almost upon us, and that’s traditionally the time when people are on the move—visiting relatives, going on vacation, you name it.  With the current job market, candidates are also on the move, at a rate not seen in years.  In this issue of the ASM, we discuss the implications of the current and future market and also explore four classic interview questions and how to prepare for them.  Because you just never know when you might be moving on. . .

—Dan and Don

The Coming Job Boom . . . and You
(By Dan Simmons)

Much has been made about the retirement of the Baby Boomer Generation and the repercussions that’s going to have on the economy and the job market.  However, the effects of this demographic shift are already being felt, and so far, it’s spelling good, good news for candidates just like yourself.

During the past few years, ever since 2001, as a matter of fact, employees haven’t enjoyed much flexibility, whatever their job situation.  With the economy in the state that it was in five years ago, the case could be made that they should have been happy they even had a job—and some managers were more than willing to actually articulate that case to them.  Armed with this knowledge, companies worked employees longer and harder to squeeze as much productivity out of them as possible while keeping their overhead low.

What this created in many companies was an atmosphere of discontent, a situation where as soon as the employees were able to make a switch to better opportunities, they were going to.  And that’s where we find ourselves right now.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of employees who have quit their jobs has risen by one-third since 2003.  In addition, there are over 2.5 million people leaving their current positions each month.  To place it in proper perspective, that level is the same as it was before 9/11.

Position yourself for success
So the question is this—what should you do?  Well, there are two possible avenues for candidates at this juncture, their love or hate for their job notwithstanding.  Regardless of how you view your present employment situation, with the market tilted solidly in your favor, there are definite steps you can take to leverage that market to your advantage.

• Improve your present situation.  There are a number of different ways in which you can do this.  They include finding a mentor, undergoing additional training to enhance and expand your base of knowledge, attending trade events, becoming involved in industry organizations, or speaking with your immediate supervisor about the company’s long-range plans for you.  Company officials are well aware of the atmosphere that currently exists in the job market.  They should be more than happy to accommodate your request and engage you in meaningful and honest dialogue about your future with the company.

• Shop the market.  Before making any changes, analyze your situation to the best of your ability.  In other words, do your homework.  Are you being paid market wages (i.e., wages commensurate with your skill and experience levels)?  Are there other challenges in the marketplace that seem to be more attractive to you?  A self-inventory is always a good idea, especially when you’re contemplating a career change.  Your goal should be to honestly evaluate your situation and decide if you should make the best of it or strive for greener pastures.

Maximizing your opportunity
This job market atmosphere should last another seven to 10 years.  It represents an excellent opportunity for you to accelerate the growth of your career and reach your long-term goals and ambitions.  However, in order to do that, you must recognize that the opportunity exists and take action to maximize it.

The last few years have not been the greatest for millions of employees across the country, and perhaps you know that better than anyone.  According to statistics, there’s a very good chance that you’ll be changing jobs in the future.  If you do, make sure that you’re completely prepared for all aspects of that change.  If you don’t, make sure that your present situation is the very best that it can be.

If you have questions about this topic or would like more information regarding the current job market situation in your field, please contact me at dan@consearch.com.

Four Classic Interview Questions—and How to Prepare for Them
(By Don Hunter)

Experienced job seekers know there are four basic types of interview questions—and they prepare accordingly.

• First, there are the resume questions. These relate to your past experience, skills, job responsibilities, education, upbringing, personal interests, and so forth.  Resume questions require accurate, objective answers, since your resume consists of facts that tend to be quantifiable (and verifiable).

 Preparation: Try to avoid answers that exaggerate your achievements or appear to be opinionated, vague, or egocentric.  Make sure that you’re thoroughly familiar with all of these key points so that you can easily discuss them.  You don’t want to be stumbling over the resume questions at the beginning of the interview.  That certainly won’t help you set the proper tone.

• Second, interviewers will usually want you to comment on your abilities or assess your past performance.  They’ll ask self-appraisal questions like, “What do you think is your greatest asset?” or, “Can you tell me something you’ve done that was very creative?”

Preparation: As always, honesty is your best policy, and the questions should be relatively simple to answer, since you carefully thought about them prior to the interview.  How you answer, though, is just as important as what you say.  Don’t come across as overconfident or cocky.  Pretend as though you’re talking about someone else.  Just switch the pronouns.  “He/I oversaw a six-month project that . . .”  That will help you to maintain an objective tone.  Just don’t accidentally refer to yourself in the third person.  That probably won’t go over very well.

• Third, interviewers like to know how you respond to different stimuli.  Situation questions ask you to explain certain actions you took in the past or require that you explore hypothetical scenarios that may occur in the future.  “How would you stay profitable during a recession?” or “How would you go about laying off 1,300 employees?” or “How would you handle customer complaints if the company drastically raised its prices?” are typical situation questions.

 Preparation: These questions are designed to gauge how quickly you think on your feet, as well as your problem-solving capabilities.  A way in which to help you answer these questions is to conduct as much research about the company as you can, its history, its mission statement, and its growth.  If you’re fully familiar with the company’s business model and how it operates, you’ll be better able to provide answers that are in step with its philosophies.

• And fourth, some employers like to test your mettle with stress questions, such as, “After you die, what would you like your epitaph to read?” or, “If you were to compare yourself to any U.S. president, who would it be?” or “It’s obvious your background makes you totally unqualified for this position.  Why should we even waste our time talking?”

Preparation: Stress questions are designed to evaluate your emotional reflexes, creativity, or attitudes while you’re under pressure.  Since off-the-wall or confrontational questions tend to jolt your equilibrium or put you in a defensive posture, the best way to handle them is to stay calm and give carefully considered answers.  Have a friend ask you a series of potentially pressure-filled questions before the interview so that you can practice answering in this fashion.

Remember, your sense of humor will come in handy during the entire interviewing process, just so long as you don’t go over the edge.  I heard of a candidate who, when asked to describe his ideal job, replied, “To have beautiful women rub my back with hot oil.”  Needless to say, he wasn’t hired.

Even if it were possible to anticipate every interview question, memorizing dozens of stock answers would be impractical, to say the least.  The best policy is to review your background, your priorities, and your reasons for considering a new position and to handle the interview as honestly as you can.  If you don’t know the answer to a question, just say so, or ask for a moment to think about your response.

If you have any questions about this topic or about your career search in general, feel free to send me an email at brg@charterinternet.com.

The Animal Science Monitor is pleased to help industry organizations promote themselves and their events in our newsletter.  The news item below is the first of many that we will be sharing in future issues of the ASM.  If you would like to provide more exposure for your organization’s event, please send your information to matt@mattdeutsch.com.  It’s recommended that you send this information as far in advance of the event as possible to ensure publication in the ASM prior to its occurrence.

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Cattle Conference’s ‘Student Day of Education’ Set for July 10-13

DENVER—On July 10, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) and American National CattleWomen, Inc. (ANCW) will host the second annual “Student Day of Education – Knowledge and Practical Advice for a Successful Career.”  It will be held as part of the Cattle Industry Summer Conference at the Reno Hilton in Reno, Nev., on July 10-13.

This event is designed for high school seniors and college students in any agricultural course of study or who have an interest in working in agriculture.  For just $35 (which includes lunch and breaks), students will access information that can greatly assist them in their career search, as well as interact with beef industry leaders.  Students may also register for the entire Cattle Industry Summer Conference (including the “Student Day of Education”) for just $50 per person.

Early registration for both the “Student Day of Education” and the entire conference is now open.  Registration and hotel forms can be found at www.beefusa.org or by calling 303-694-0305.  Students may direct questions about the educational workshop to Jackie Buehner at the above number or by sending an e-mail to j.buehner@beef.org.

The “Student Day of Education” event will begin with a Monday luncheon featuring Cattle-Fax Executive Vice President Randy Blach, discussing keys to success in entry-level positions.  A panel discussion will then feature agricultural professionals from fields such as advertising, agricultural sciences, and production agriculture. Participants will learn first-hand about the challenges faced by these industry leaders and what makes them successful in their field.

Rounding out the day will be breakout sessions focused on effective resume writing and other career development tips for breaking into the professional field of your choice.  In the evening, participants will have the opportunity to network with beef industry leaders at the ANCW Ice Cream Social.

On Tuesday, July 11, students will also have the opportunity to attend Beef Industry Issues Forums to learn more about current topics affecting the beef industry.  Further details on the Beef Industry Issues Forums and other Cattle Industry Summer Conference sessions will be released soon.   

Don't miss this great opportunity to learn more about industry careers and current issues in agriculture.

American National CattleWomen, Inc. is a trade association of America's affiliated CattleWomen, with the primary focus of promotion and consumer education regarding beef as a safe and nutritious food and the production of beef cattle as an industry.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is the largest organization representing America’s cattle industry.  Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the industry leader in education, influencing public policy to improve producer profitability and in preserving the industry’s heritage and future.  Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 1-866-BEEF-USA or at membership@beef.org.