May is the month for graduations. It is a month when schools across the land release their graduates into the workforce. For agriculture, the demand for people is huge. On average, we have 58,000 agricultural jobs come open each year and on average we graduate slightly over 35,000 students. Couple that to the fact that 62% of our ag workforce is over 55 years of age and the result is an extremely tight labor market. There are simply not enough people to fill the demand. We hear this nearly every day.
Let’s face it; agriculture is a demanding industry. We are responsible for providing the food and fiber for nearly eight billion people and getting it to the consumer in “just in time” fashion. At the farm gate, the seasonality of the business requires candidates to adapt and be flexible to get the crop in the ground or harvested and in the bin. No matter the season, some part of our industry is in “busy time.”
For your business, it is vital for you to have a hiring, on-boarding, and retention plan. You have a marketing plan, a sales plan, a capital improvements plan, and a benefits plan. Why not have a hiring plan? This enables you to be consistently marketing your business to potential candidates that you will need when retirement, illness, or a resignation hits your work force. Yes, it is an investment in your time and resources, but hiring IS an investment in the future of your business.
Investing in the future of your business is where we can help you. Having a relationship with a recruiting agency is no different than your relationship with your doctor, attorney, or accountant. You want a specialist on your side representing your company and being an extension of you. Why waste your money on faceless websites, antiquated print publications, or agencies that have no idea of the difference between a bull and a steer? At AGRI-SEARCH, we take pride in our team’s extensive hands-on experience working in agriculture. We know the industry. We speak your language. We understand and have experienced your stresses. We have established contacts to help you fill those key positions. Each of our teammates are specialists in their respective niches. Engage with us. We can help you get through the challenges of building a great team.