One of the many truths in life is that success can be elusive, and nowhere is that more evident than in the workplace and in the marketplace. In this issue of The Animal Science Monitor, we explore the topic of success from two distinct vantage points. Although the perspectives might differ, the message is unwaveringly the same: success is not a matter of sheer luck or chance, but rather of hard work, focus, and attention to detail. Incidentally, those are all attributes we strive to implement into our publication of The ASM. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this issue—we hope that it’s a runaway success.

Dan and Don

> Upcoming Industry Events

> Hiring Successful People
    By Dan Simmons

> Your Cover Letter and You
    By Don Hunter

> A New Look for the Animal Science Jobs Site!

> Presenting Our 'Current Industry News' Section
    By Matt Deutsch

At The Animal Science Monitor, we're advocates of continuous education and the promotion of industry events such as conferences and conventions.  The training and networking opportunities that exist at these events are extremely valuable and can pay dividends in a number of different ways.

That's why we run a regular column devoted to upcoming events in the animal science and animal nutrition industries.  And as always, we value your input.  If there's an industry event that you believe we should promote through our newsletter, please email your information to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.

The ASM is pleased to highlight these upcoming industry events:

February

National Wild Turkey Federation Conference

Date: Wednesday, February 20 through Sunday, February 24
Location: Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia
Description: This event is an annual conference that draws up to 50,000 people.  It consists of seminars on wild turkey management (nutrition and health) and habitat management.  In addition, there are wild turkey calling and owl hooting competitions, hunting seminars, live and silent auctions, country music entertainment, and activities for children.
Registration: To register or for more information, click here.

Hiring Successful People

Every manager desires to have a team of successful people working with them. If you have the ability to assemble successful teams, you’ll be respected by your bosses and remembered after you leave. Remember former President Ronald Reagan; he did many important things, but he is most remembered for his ability to assemble a great team and communicate with them and through them. The trick isn’t in knowing that you should hire successful people, it’s in knowing how to hire successful people. Here are a few tips.

Success breeds success

Mutual funds all have a disclaimer that tells us that previous success doesn’t guarantee future success, and that’s absolutely correct. Past success doesn’t guarantee future success, but that’s the way to bet (most of the time; more on this below). While past success doesn’t guarantee success, those who’ve had little success in the past rarely become superstars. So it’s agreed: we will hire people with a history of success. Now we have to determine how to do that.

Check their attitude—Successful people are generally more positive, speak with confidence, and can quantify and qualify their success. Unsuccessful people speak in generalities and blame others for their lack of success.

Look for a cultural fit—Even if the person you’re interviewing has a great track record of success and a great attitude, if they don’t fit into your team or uphold the ethics of your company, you’re hiring a problem, not a solution. Make certain the superstar in front of you will be a team player and a happy addition to your team and company. If not, pass on them. You don’t need additional problems.

Review their track record—Anybody can talk a good game. Get them to speak in specifics about their accomplishments and how they achieved them, the latter being more important than the former. If their accomplishments came about because they knew how to maximize the systems at their previous employers, you’d better make certain you have similar systems or that they can operate without those systems. Check references, read their previous performance reviews if they can produce them, “Google” them, and talk with their friends. If this person has had a great deal of success, they will be able to provide people who can attest to it. If not, pass. They may be great, but if they can’t prove it, they could be misleading you.

Success-‘full’—The word successful means full of success, so let’s expand that to mean success in all areas. Try to hire well-rounded professionals, not one-dimensional experts in your niche. Take them out to dinner with their spouse or significant other, and see how they interact. Find out what they do for fun and what organizations they support. What could be better than hiring a truly well-rounded, successful leader? Dig a little deeper, and you will know how big your star really is.

Stars burn out

Many readers know that I live in Baltimore and a few know that I enjoy baseball. A few years ago, I was very excited when the Baltimore Orioles recruited Sammy Sosa as a free agent. While Sammy had a few clubhouse issues while with the Chicago Cubs, I hoped he could be the savior for our lackluster team. I was there on Opening Day when he hit a home run in his first game as an Oriole. What a highlight!

Looking back, that’s the only highlight I can remember about his first season with the O’s. Perhaps the Orioles’ management should have used some of these tips. Sure, he had documented success, but his attitude in the clubhouse wasn’t what they needed, and he was past his prime. The lesson here is that you need to make certain your star still has the abilities and the passion to be successful on your team in the future. If not, you’ll hire an expensive “used-to-be.”

This isn’t meant to knock Sammy. He was a legend and deserves respect. It’s merely meant to show that Sammy wasn’t a good fit for the team that hired him. His abilities at that time, the culture of the team, the lack of success the team was experiencing—all of these added up to what was a bad hire for the Orioles. Learn from their mistake. Hire successful people who can be successful on any team, who have a great attitude, and who will get along with your crew. Then make certain that these people have the passion to be successful in the future.

See you at the ballpark!

(By Don Hunter)

Chances are good that you’ve written scores of cover letters during your career. Have you ever wondered while you were writing them, “Am I even doing this right?”

Advice regarding the writing of cover letters is plentiful, and many different theories abound, some of which are similar in nature. With this article, I’d like to stress that there are two overriding factors when it comes to constructing an effective cover letter: 1.) what it looks like, and 2.) what it does.

What it looks like helps to draw the reader in and hold their attention. What it does involves how it spurs the reader to think, and ultimately, to act. After all, you’d like them to think positively of the letter and to contact you, not lose interest while they read it and then promptly pitch it.

Your letter’s presentation

As the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” and what the hiring manager sees when they pull out your resume leaves an immediate imprint on them. That’s why the presentation of your cover letter—not to mention your resume—should be of the highest standards possible. In particular, you should focus on the following two points:

• Use appropriate material—I’m talking about the use of professional stationary and envelopes, in addition to a quality printer. (Yes, the stationary and envelopes should match.) In addition, stay away from abbreviations whenever possible, and use a standard letter format in order to complete your presentation.
  
• No errors—This is a point that can’t be over-emphasized. What good is a quality appearance if you misspell words and commit grammatical miscues? Have multiple people read over the letter for content, punctuation, and grammar. Even one mistake could be costly.
  
  

Your letter’s execution

Okay, so you have the presentation covered, but what about execution? Will your cover letter prompt the person who reads it to act in the manner in which you’d like them to? Your letter should adhere to the following points:

• Address an actual person—Stay away from “To Whom It May Concern.” With a little sleuthing, you should be able to discover the name and title of the decision-maker who will ultimately be reading your letter.
  
• Every letter different—While you’re sleuthing, find out about the company, as well. This will enable you to customize the cover letter in such a way as to convey your understanding of the company and what it does. Don’t utilize a form letter or “broadcast letter.” These have a less genuine feel to them.
  
• The rules of engagement—In short, get to the point. If you’ve had prior contact with them, be sure to mention it. Explain the reason for your correspondence, and make specific reference to the position that interests you.
  
• Tailor yourself—Since you’ve done your homework, you know something about the company and the position for which you’d like to apply. Consequently, you can mention prior experience that illustrates your fit for the job, including ways in which you helped your previous employers.
  
• Finish strong—In sales, the salesman is always taught to ask for the sale. So what should you ask for in your cover letter? An interview, that’s what. Finish the letter on an upbeat, positive note, and indicate that you’ll be contacting them in the near future.
  

Your letter’s impact

By paying close attention to both your cover letter’s presentation and execution, you can better maximize the impact it has on the reader. If you neglect one of these two areas, you could inadvertently sabotage your efforts. Consider your cover letter as your “hook.” After reading it, the hiring manager should be intrigued and want to know more about you.

However, if your letter looks and sounds like the hundreds of other cover letters they’ve read during their career, then the only impact created will be that of your letter hitting the bottom of the trashcan.

If you have any questions about this topic, please send me an email at brg@charterinternet.com. And if you’re currently engaged in a job search or are interested in advancing the scope of your career, be sure to send me your resume. I’d be happy to discuss your career goals and ambitions, including ways in which I can help you to achieve them. Any exchange of information, including resumes, will be kept in total confidence and handled in a discreet fashion.

A New Look for the Animal Science Jobs Site!
(By Matt Deutsch)

We at The Animal Science Monitor are pleased to announce a new look for our job site devoted to opportunities in the Animal Science and Animal Nutrition industries. That site—Animal Science Jobs—can be accessed by visiting www.AnimalScienceJobs.com.

We’re excited about our new version of Animal Science Jobs. We believe that it will serve the needs of both job seekers and employers and do so in a number of different ways. The site has different sections devoted to both job seekers and employers, each with targeted tools and services, and also provides other valuable information regarding the Animal Science industry. This information includes the following:

An events calendar
Graduate program profiles
Career tips
Links of interest

We encourage you to visit the site and see what it has to offer. If you have any suggestions about Animal Science Jobs, or about any of the other ways in which we seek to serve you, please email them to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.

Presenting Our ‘Current Industry News’ Section
(By Matt Deutsch)

In the previous issue of The Animal Science Monitor, we requested press releases and news items from organizations within the animal science and animal nutrition industries, and we were quite pleased with the response that we received. A number of organizations submitted information, and as a result, we’ve decided to devote the first issue of each month to the publication of this information.

In the second issue of each month, you’ll be able to keep track of industry-wide conferences and conventions with our special section devoted to those events. In that section, we list each event, as well as the dates involved, a description, and how to register. With these two special sections—“Upcoming Industry Events” and “Current Industry News,” we strive to keep our readers on the forefront of what’s happening in the animal science world.

Below are this month’s press releases and news items from around the industry. We’d like to thank those organizations that provided this information and encourage them to send more to The ASM in the future.

If you’d like to make a submission for our “Upcoming Industry Events” or “Current Industry News” sections, you can do so by sending an email to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.

Mid-Atlantic Nutrition Conference Next Month
NIAA to Hold Annual Meeting in April
USDA Publishes Highlight Article