I watched in amazement this past week as a team of roofers attacked our office roof to replace it after an earlier hail storm. From the time they arrived until they left seven hours later, they worked in complete harmony to replace about 50 squares of shingles.

Roofing is not sexy work. It’s hard, it’s dirty, and in August, it is hot. In talking to the local contractor who works with this roofing team on a regular basis, he shared some interesting insights. The group is made up of native Mayans from Guatemala who are in the US for a short time. In getting to know them, he said, “I have learned so much from them. They have dreams and aspirations just like we do. They love their country. They want to get married, have a family, and have a nice home to live in. Most are here for one to three years so they can work hard, save their money, and then go home to pursue their dreams. They each have a specific job to do. They do it, and they do it well. They help each other out. They get along well, and they truly have fun living and working with each other every day.”
I stepped back away from the building and watched them in action, and he was right. They tore shingles off in record time like a well-oiled machine. Some guys had shovels to break them loose. Others grabbed and pulled off large chunks while still others then carried them to the awaiting dumpster lifted up beside the building. Later, putting shingles back on was the same thing, like watching the precision of a marching band.

How do we achieve this unity and precision in our own workplace? Every day, we have a choice. We can remember that work is a blessing and that we are here to serve others, or we can develop a variety of negative thoughts, attitudes, and work habits that make life and our workplace miserable. We can work with a purpose, be grateful we have a job to do, and do it with excellence, or we can complain about having to work, find ways to get out of work, and do our jobs poorly while carrying a negative attitude around with us all day.

At AGRI-SEARCH, our staff is committed to bringing top-tier talent to our clients. Open positions change daily, but the need for quality people is constant in every successful business.

Highlighted below are some of our current open positions. If interested in having us assist you in landing talent for one of your positions, or if one of these opportunities looks attractive to you or someone you know, please contact us.

5842, Controller, Arkansas

A well-established rice milling company is seeking a Controller to lead their accounting team at their corporate office in Northeast Arkansas. This outstanding privately owned company has a solid business foundation and an excellent leadership team. In this role, you will report directly to the company owner.

4122, Fractional Chief Financial Officer, Remote

Elevate your career as a Fractional Chief Financial Officer with a leading Financial Services firm, where you’ll provide strategic financial guidance to agribusiness clients on a flexible, part-time basis. With remote work options, robust support, and a competitive salary, this role offers the perfect blend of autonomy and impact.

3953, Assistant Farm Manager, Illinois

A progressive family-owned agricultural operation in Illinois is seeking a “jack-of-all-trades” to help carry their company into the next generation. They are a multi-faceted business including: seed sales, row crop production, swine production, custom drone spraying, and property management.

3951, Agronomy Location Manager, Michigan

A long-standing and highly respected agronomy retail agribusiness is seeking their next Agronomy Location Manager in Michigan. This is a career opportunity that will lead and unify a team and be able to support company growth. Having working knowledge of agronomic principles and techniques, and a good demeanor is a must. Take your career to the next level with this fantastic opportunity for leadership and growth.

5841, Assistant Operations Manager, Southwest US

Tired of cold weather? A thriving grain company located in the southwestern U.S. is seeking a self-motivated Assistant Grain Operations Manager who “takes the bull by the horns” and will help motivate and supervise other grain personnel while making sure the day-to-day operations run smoothly.

3938, Sales Agronomist, Illinois / Indiana

Sales Agronomist needed in east central Illinois and west central Indiana. This is a crucial role in promoting and selling products direct to farmers. The company’s business niche are farmers who “mix their own and spread their own.” This is not a “tin shed” role rather consultative sales that focuses on chemistry. The company sells all name brands and generic products and has relationships with all of the manufacturer’s reps. Seed is also a part of the portfolio. The company has a house brand and also carries the LG Seed brand.

6260, Education and Market Research Manager, Illinois

A Chicago-based agricultural risk management company is seeking a motivated and team-oriented associate to join their Education and Market Research Team. This role is ideal for someone with excellent problem-solving and communication skills. Primary responsibilities include delivering educational content to groups around the country in a live format and conducting research projects.

1068, Technical Service Representative, Southeastern US

Leading agricultural material handling manufacturer is seeking a Technical Service Representative for the South Eastern US where their business is increasing steadily. This individual will work cooperatively with the company’s Sales team and will be a key contact with customers to schedule and oversee the inspection, maintenance and repair of all facets of their equipment.

2074, Field Superintendent – Grain Construction, Illinois

A reputable, growing, and financially sound company that specializes in grain handling equipment design and installation is seeking a Field Superintendent in central Illinois.  This is a new role within the company spurred by continual growth.

6258, Regional Account Manager, Texas

Are you a self-starter looking to start or build your feed sales career?  Then look no further.  In this opportunity, you will be able to make farm calls, set goals, and develop strong relationships. You will be able to sell value-added products, such as calf feed and silage inoculant, dairy minerals, and feed commodities.  This opportunity has the potential to be based out of Northern Texas or Western Kansas.

5843, Grain Operations Dual Role, Northern Illinois

Thriving Northern Illinois grain company is seeking a valued team member who wants to focus on grain operations while learning all aspects of the grain business (outside and in the office) and be a part of a very family-oriented atmosphere. This is an ideal situation for an operations candidate who would like to gradually flip-flop their career from outside to inside.

It’s that time again. The time of year when commercials extol the values of their political candidate and the negative of those they are running against. Many of us grow tired of the constant barrage and just want to hit the mute button.

There are days that our offices also need a mute button. Although not on such a grand scale as the elections, office politics are a part of our work environment. Why do we have office politics? Politics are a part of organizational life, because organizations are made up of different interests that need to be aligned. In fact, 93% of managers surveyed reported that workplace politics exist in their organization (Gandz & Murray, 1980).

Examples of office politics in the workplace may include bypassing a supervisor to get approval, obtaining special favors from friends in the office or running a self-promotion campaign just before promotion time. In turn, workers who follow the proper chain of command sometimes feel resentful or jealous when they feel unfair tactics are being used to obtain rewards or recognition.

Researchers have found that if employees think their organization is overly driven by politics, the employees are less committed to the organization (Maslyn & Fedor, 1998; Nye & Wit, 1993), have lower job satisfaction (Ferris et al., 1996; Hochwarter et al., Kacmar et al., 1999), perform worse on the job (Anderson, 1994), have higher levels of job anxiety (Ferris et al., 1996; Kacmar & Ferris, 1989), and have a higher incidence of depressed mood (Byrne et al., 2005).

The pandemic brought with it less time in the office and workers embracing the remote lifestyle. Unfortunately, office politics still existed even in the more separated culture. As offices bring workers back into the building, how can companies ensure a positive work environment?

The key lies in relationships. Focusing only on the credibility built through work is unlikely to fully satisfy employees. Encouraging workers to make investments in networks and building connections with co-workers is not a distraction from the job, but rather an enhancement to the workplace. Developing skills and working as a team will change the approach many employees have to successfully navigating workplace politics. Politics are not about the activity itself, but the intention behind the activity and the judgement others attach to its interpretation. When workers are united and genuinely happy to see each other succeed, informal conversations will not be seen as a negative but as a positive to grow knowledge and relationships within the workplace.

To minimize overly political behavior, company leaders can provide equal access to information, model collaborative behavior, and demonstrate that political maneuvering will not be rewarded or tolerated. Furthermore, leaders should encourage managers throughout the organization to provide high levels of feedback to employees about their performance. High levels of feedback reduce the perception of organizational politics and improve employee morale and work performance (Rosen, Levy, & Hall, 2006).

Of course, all of us can develop skills and change our approach if we really want to, but unless we encourage and make these changes, office politics will continue. Limiting their effects is essential for better commitment to your organization and increased job satisfaction, which ultimately is the best way to win your employees.

Talented Candidates

Listed below are just a sampling of the talented candidates we have evaluated recently. If you would like to learn more about these or other candidates we have available, please contact us.

Grain Merchandisers, Originators and Traders who are diversely talented, passionate and looking for new challenges. Some desire to work remotely.

Seed Professional who is experienced in seed production, research, and sales. Seeking a leadership position or people management type role. Needs to remain in central Illinois. Top quality individual with a farm background!!

Material Driver is relocating from Florida to Illinois and brings extensive experience in operating large sprayers, dry rigs, NH3 equipment, and semi-trucks. With a clean driving record and a CDL complete with all endorsements, they are a top-tier candidate ready to hit the ground running. Currently hauling combustible materials, this individual is safety-conscious and well-versed in handling complex equipment, making them an ideal addition to your operation.

GM’s and CEO’s – we work with a variety of industry leaders seeking key management positions. Contact us about finding the right leader capable of taking your agricultural business to the next level.

Do you have a wealth of industry knowledge, several years’ experience in the ag industry, and a network of peers you enjoy engaging with? Do you have the grit to not give up and stay true to the course, no matter how difficult it may be? Are you competitive and possess a strong sales mentality where every “no” is just one step closer to a “yes”?
If so, and you have a passion for connecting with and helping people to go along with your strong agricultural industry background in agronomy, grain, accounting, safety, or other areas, please contact Dave Allen. We would enjoy having a discussion with you about how a recruiting career may be a great fit for you.

Founded in 1995, AGRI-SEARCH is a professional recruiting firm providing clients with customized recruiting solutions in various niches within the agricultural industry. Our success results from our industry focus, our specialized approach to recruiting, and our staff’s lifelong roots in, dedication to, and vast understanding and knowledge of the agricultural industry.

At AGRI-SEARCH, our mission states that we “are committed to serving the agricultural industry with integrity, passion and excellence by assisting our candidates to reach their career goals and helping our client companies build successful teams.”