If you know me, you know I am a little bit of a worrywart, and I really enjoy jumping headfirst into opportunities- for better or worse. My habits have taken me to Kansas, Arizona, and Wyoming as I follow job opportunities and schooling. This summer, I found myself hunting for jobs related to my major in agricultural communications. I applied and was denied many internships. I ended up thinking I was just going to work for my father on our family farm. Nothing wrong with that, I like working in the almonds and I enjoy working for my dad. This should be my last free summer before I graduate and I could think of worse ways to spend it than being home and helping him one last time.
One day, I got a phone call from a friend back home who told me about an internship opportunity. I got in contact with the people who needed somebody to work and was expecting to hear about their communications need. It did not take long for me to realize that no, this was not a communications internship. I would be checking sunflower fields in my home county. I listened to the description and figured, "Why not?" I do have a minor in agronomy and it is my dream to end up in production agriculture one day. I thought that this would be a great opportunity, so I said OK.
Fast forward a few weeks, I am in week four of my internship roughly. It has been an interesting and excellent adventure. I have learned so much about sunflower production. I have seen different farming methods and I could compare how different farmers manage their land. I have seen how the residual effects of one fertilizer have hurt certain sunflower crops. I have been able to talk to some incredible people and learned about different pests that have been a problem this year. I have gotten to learn the real concerns farmers have about their sunflowers. I am a hands-on person, so being able to be out in the field, walking in the sunflowers, and really looking at the different weeds, pests, and stages of growth for sunflowers has been amazing.
This job is definitely different than what I am used to, and what is considered a "traditional" job. I can make my own hours. If I want to get up at the crack of dawn to check fields, then I can go for it. If I want to work in the afternoon to dark, I can do that too. This has been a great chance for me to practice proper time management as well. I have been used to being told when to work, now I can work on my own basis and find the right method for me. Pretty much, as long as I get all my fields checked, and my reports done, I am doing my job correctly. I enjoy this freedom of being able to be my own boss in a sense as well as being able to pick my own routes and get to be in charge of myself.
Do I see this job helping me in the job hunt? Ah, yes. The looming job hunt. I am a little nervous that employers will see my lack of communications experience and discount me from the get-go. Despite this fear, I feel like I will be a stronger candidate because of this job experience. I have worked in the industry, I know the lingo, and I know how to walk the walk and talk the talk. I know what I am looking for and I know how to ask better questions related to agriculture and production and because of that, I will be a stronger communicator and advocate for agriculture.
So if you are feeling like I did, like you do not have the "right" experience for the job you want to go into, just sit back and think about all the great skills you have acquired and how your "out of the ordinary" experience will make you a better, well-rounded candidate for future jobs.
