In an attempt to plan for the potentially wide-reaching effects of mad cow, Johanns also held a meeting involving over 100 ranchers, farmers, and policy makers at the University of Lincoln-Nebraska. The meeting was designed to brainstorm ways in which to trace agricultural goods and commodities in a more effective fashion.

Needless to say, Johanns has his work cut out for him as Secretary of Agriculture. The office presents numerous challenges, especially in these unsteady and uncertain economic times. However, Johanns seems to be a person who isn’t deterred by a challenge—or hard work. It will be interesting to see what the next four years holds for him.

(The following article was reprinted by permission of Feedstuffs.com, the weekly newspaper for Agribusiness. For subscription information, click here.)

Interviewing Made Easier:
Preparation boils down to a few main questions
Kristin Bakker (Feedstuffs Staff Editor)

If you find yourself in the situation of applying for a new job or position and your résumé has already made it in the door, you may need to brush up on your interviewing skills. Whether you approach the interview process with cool and calm or a bit of trepidation, there are tips you can study and apply to successfully get through the interview.

Collect information
Dan Simmons, certified personnel consultant and president of animalsciencejobs.com, recommends first finding out any information you can about the company conducting your interview in order to "lay the groundwork for a solid interview." The Internet is a good place to start your research. "Google them," said Simmons, "or the top three or four executives of the company.” He also said to look for "press releases and the most recent hot things to talk about," such as rewards, new products, contracts, etc. "People love to talk about themselves," said Simmons. So find out the latest company topics to keep conversation rolling at the appropriate times. Keep the focus positive. Jack Hansen of Hansen Agri-Placement agreed that gathering information on a company is a must. He also suggested using the Internet to find out about a company's history, its products and customers, and where it’s located. He said most large companies will have information on the Internet. Simmons said, "Employers know when candidates have done their homework, and candidates can use the company information they've learned in questions they pose to the employer at the end of the interview." Before the big date, prepare to answer some common interview questions. According to Simmons, despite the various tips or information you might hear regarding the interviewing process, "there are actually just four basic questions employers typically focus on during job interviews." He said he believes if you answer these four questions well, "your chances of acing the overall interview are high."

1—First impression
"Most impressions are made in the first few minutes of meeting someone," Simmons noted, "so it's important to answer the first interview question well." The majority of interviews, said Simmons, will start with some form of: "Tell me about yourself." He explained that the answer to this question should focus on experience. "The first thing is to give a synopsis of your professional experience in three to four sentences," said Simmons. "Wrap it up with what you want to do next [professionally] by saying, 'Now, I'm looking for . . . ,' and then stop talking." He stressed that last point is so critical because "more people shoot themselves in the foot by rambling on." A good way to end, he suggested, is by asking the interviewer to describe the position of interest in their own terms. Then, sit tight and listen, he advised. Simmons said answering this first question will get you "off the hot seat" so you can move to Question 2.

2—Basic background
The next basic question you can prepare for, Simmons said, will take some form of: "Can you do the job?" This will focus on your qualifications, so you need to know what to emphasize when answering this question—what information will set you apart. "What skills and experience do you have that are applicable? You're going to describe in two or three sentences what you are capable of," explained Simmons. This will include your schooling, job experience, etc. "This question may assume several forms, but they all boil down to the employer attempting to ascertain your basic qualifications," Simmons said. The key to this question, he emphasized, is to "quantify and qualify." From asking the interviewer to explain the job position during Question 1, you can gauge what types of skills and knowledge you will need to do the job. Tell the interviewer. “Walk him through your typical workday . . . discuss your skill levels," Simmons said. "Describe the manner in which you receive your work." He suggested that you close this question by describing your education and industry certifications.

3—Talking the talk
"At this point, the interviewer will likely dig deeper to understand how you've applied your skill set to your previous positions," Simmons explained. He said you can next expect to hear some form of the following question: "What makes you the best candidate for the job?" Question 3 sounds a lot like number two, so you need to know how to answer in a way that doesn't sound repetitive. Simmons suggests talking about your “accomplishments, achievements, and awards. Use verbs." He cited, as an example, explaining that you reduced expenses by a specific amount at your most recent job. "We're back to 'quantify and qualify' again," he noted, "and that's what will make you look better. Use action terms to describe what you can do. Now is not the time to be shy. Explain the size and scope of your past projects. Discuss recent training. This is your chance to really sell yourself, so be thorough yet to the point." Not everyone gets into the field they want when they want to be in it, though. One chink in the armor might be a lapse in your employment history or working in a field unrelated to the one you seek. Simmons calls this "the classic catch-22, where you need experience to get the job, but you can't get the experience without the job. What do you do?" One of his suggestions is to show leadership. Highlight things you've done, such as volunteer work, internships, articles you had published in papers, work for associations or trade organizations, a summer job during the college years, or even—in the agriculture industry—on-farm experience. Hansen noted, however, that from a recruitment standpoint, the people he looks for must have the right level of expertise; they must have experience. The level of experience you need will depend on the type of job you want, but this is something to keep in mind.

4—Why this company?
Simmons said the fourth major question an interviewer may throw your way is a version of the following: "Why do you want this job?" or "Why do you want to work here?" There is a concern over how honestly to answer this type of question. Do you admit to needing a job for financial or personal reasons? Steer your answer in the right direction by first discussing, "How are you going to enhance the company? How is it going to affect your lifestyle? “Don't say you've got a lousy job," explained Simmons. "Don't speak negatively. Speak positively about the opportunity." Simmons suggests answering by evaluating where you will most benefit—"what you are professionally passionate about." He advised against discussing salary and benefits, at least at this point. Hansen concurred, suggesting that you "never talk salary or benefits" this early in the interview process. Simmons said an interviewer may ask what you like about your current position or what interests you most about the new position. This would be another time, he noted, when your earlier company research can come in handy. Simmons also suggested mentioning any achievements or accomplishments you found out about the company and "how you'd like to be part of such a team. Explain why you find the scope of this position interesting and how you can grow professionally by assuming this position." Simmons said the point of preparing answers to this list of questions is to help you "focus on what's important and on what you have done in your career and to present that clearly and concisely."

Know your value
After your preparations have brought you successfully through these four basic questions, "it is time to talk compensation," Simmons said. "The most easily hired candidates are those who know their market value." What happens, though, if the company's compensation capability is lower than your expectations or even your needs? Simmons said as a recruiter, he already knows and can tell people what the position pays. If you have no way of finding out what the position pays beforehand, though, "You have to determine what your bottom line is and decide what you can do from there,” said Simmons. “Discuss it at home with those important to you.”

Helpful hints
Aside from preparing your answers to the types of questions mentioned above, don't neglect other elements of the interview process. For starters, Hansen recommends that people prepare for an interview by "dressing for the occasion. They need to shine their shoes; don't slouch in the chair, and give a firm handshake." He also stressed that they need to "project enthusiasm and be positive." Hansen added, "Employers are definitely looking for a person who wants the position." He said as a recruiter, he screens each person very carefully to make sure they understand the position and to see if they are willing to relocate for the job. Most of the positions he helps fill require relocation, he said. This is something to seriously think about and talk over with your spouse, if necessary, before going forward with the interview. A big suggestion Simmons had is to avoid deciding in the middle of the interview whether you want the position or not, "or your enthusiasm will wane, and you'll blow the interview," he warned. "The object of an interview is to get an offer—not to decide if you want the job," he said, emphasizing that you should approach the process with that goal in mind. Once you get home, you can take a night to decide what is best for you. "Employers want top performers," Simmons said, "and an interview is the opportunity to show that. If [candidates] have a strong understanding of the position and show enthusiasm and how they consistently exceeded their employer's expectations throughout their career, that will make an exemplary impression.”

Internship listing to run in special issue
We at the Animal Science Monitor and AnimalScienceJobs.com recognize the value and benefits that internship programs offer. For that reason, we’re pleased to be able to publish a detailed listing of internship programs in an upcoming special issue of the Animal Science Monitor. These internships will also be posted on AnimalScienceJobs.com. This issue, which is scheduled for release during the month of March, will be especially for college graduates and students. Hundreds of students and recent graduates will be scanning our newsletter, so this will be an excellent opportunity for you to gain more exposure for your program. When submitting information about your internship positions, please include the following:

• A brief overview of your organization
• A description of your internship opportunities
• A summary of required qualifications
• The time frame and duration of the internship
• Specific data regarding how to apply for the internship, including physical addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses.

You can email your internship information to dan@consearch.com.

In each issue, The Animal Science Monitor will feature a “Graduate Program of the Month.” In the spotlight for February is the graduate program at Sam Houston State University. Next month’s featured school will be Colorado State. If you’re the head of a graduate degree program at a college or university, you’re welcome to submit to us a 300-500 word description of your program. You can email your graduate program description to dan@consearch.com.

Graduate Studies at Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, Texas

The Agricultural Sciences program at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas maintains four locations with working laboratories. The Agriculture Center is home to the Indoor Arena, Meat Science Lab, Soils Lab, Equine Science Lab, Poultry Science Lab, and a state-of-the-art greenhouse. Nearby is the Horticulture Center with two greenhouses, a headhouse, and a classroom. The Agricultural Mechanization Center houses the power and machinery, rural electrification, surveying, and metal construction and fabrication labs. The 1,600-acre Gibbs Ranch is home to purebred and crossbred beef cattle herds and a meat goat flock, along with additional plant, soil, and animal resources used for instruction and research purposes.

The graduate program in Agriculture is designed to further the professional competence of individuals engaged in agricultural businesses, industries, government agencies, and agricultural education. The Master of Science degree is intended to provide comprehensive knowledge and competency in fields of agri-business, agricultural education, agricultural mechanization, animal science, horticulture, and agronomy. In addition, the curriculum includes courses in research methodology, agricultural seminar, and agricultural statistics. Nonetheless, degree plans can also be tailored to meet specific interest areas, with 15 hours designated as electives. This intensive, 37-hour degree plan enables students to select a thesis or non-thesis option. A majority of courses are offered at night, thus making the graduate program a viable alternative for students with full-time employment to seek a Master of Science degree in Agriculture. [view full description]