How To Get a Farm Job With No Experience
So you want to work on a farm with no experience – you’ve come to the right place to get your foot in the door!
Obviously we have an interest in helping you find work since we list farming jobs, but there are so many reasons and ways to find a career in agriculture. Attending career fairs is a great way to get your foot in the door.
The great thing is it doesn’t really matter where your interest in farming comes from – it’s very possible to get a job in the industry without experience.
Talk to local farmers
Before you fire off applications everywhere (which is a viable strategy), you should try to get in touch with local farmers first. Farms are all different and finding one that aligns with what you want to do is important.
A Google search is a good place to start here, but you can also have luck socializing down at the Farmer’s market. This is an old industry where face to face communication goes a long way – and a lot of farmers don’t even list job openings online.
An extension of this can even be checking the newspaper. It’s not something many of us do under the age of 40, but can have valuable job ads not listed anywhere else. There’s also the added bonus of them being local.
Make sure your resume highlights your skills
Like any job search, your resume should highlight your skills that are transferrable to farming.
If you’ve done anything customer facing, that’s a great start to knowing how to treat customers and working under some degree of pressure.
Some examples of great strengths to possess are:
- Gardening
- Sports
- Customer Service
- Multi-tasking
- Work ethic
Obviously there’s more than just that, but those are to give you ideas that are applicable to a lot of jobs. Restaurant work is a great one because you get a lot of experience with different things (much like farming) that are applicable to the job.
Being physically capable is a must especially for smaller farms, so athletic experience goes a long way (as long as it’s recent, otherwise not so much.)
Showing that you’re already in shape and can handle a workload will definitely help you stand out.
Also be sure to follow general good resume practices like keeping it to one page and minimal fluff.
Send your resume out to all the jobs you qualify / are interested in
One fact of job hunting is that it is a numbers game.
You can really increase your chances of landing a job by taking as many shots as possible! Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t getting the results you’re looking for. All it takes is one opportunity for you to start farming.
You may even get lucky looking for a position on social media. While unlikely, it can’t hurt to do some searches with hashtags like: #farming #smallfarm #organicfarming etc.
That being said, your first position will likely not be glamorous or exactly what you had in mind.
But if it’s really what you want to do, you may be able to move up the ladder if you work well. Apply for jobs that you have a realistic chance of getting. Seeking work as a farm hand is a great way to get your foot in the door because you don’t really need any prior experience for the job.
A positive attitude with some enthusiasm goes a long way in the hiring process.
So you landed the interview, what now?
An interview for a farming job really isn’t too different from any other job interview. That being said, there are some farming specific questions you should probably ask:
1. How many hours are expected?
Farming is rarely just a 40 hour week, even if a job is advertised as full time. Be very specific asking this so you are on the same page with your potential employer.
2. Is housing available?
Housing can be a major plus if the farm offers it. Usually, this will be advertised with the job itself.
3. How much does the position pay and is it above the table?
This one is crucial for establishing what you’ll be making, as well as that the farm can take care of you in the event of an on the job accident with insurance.
4. What kind of benefits does the job have?
If the position is entry level, there may not be many – however some farms will let you take home produce which is a huge perk!
5. If you’re interested in a possible career, ask about upward mobility.
Aside from showing a ton of initiative on your part, this will also help you figure out what the employer expects from this position. Whether it’s just seasonal or a job that you can advance in.
Final thoughts
By now, you know how to work on a farm with no experience. Face to face communication will go a long way, along with a willingness to learn.
By displaying these qualities you will drastically increase your chances that someone will hire you!
And it goes without saying, check our site regularly. We are posting new jobs from across the United States on a daily basis, so you’re sure to see one in your area.