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It's the job you want won’t be offered out of the blue; you must look for it, and you must win it. Don't expect to call one prospective employer on the phone and be hired immediately. Your search will take some time and advance planning if you are to land a desirable position. The suggestions offered in this section will hopefully make your job hunting progress more quickly and smoothly. First, you will be given some ideas about where to start looking for specific job openings and then some pointers about how to prepare for and how to conduct yourself during the job interview. You have most likely been previously exposed to these job interview suggestions, but a quick summary of them can do no harm. FIND OUT WHERE THE JOBS ARE Pointing out the exact place you should look for a job in each horticultural specialty area is clearly beyond the scope of this book. But I can suggest some helpful starting points which will lead you to specific employment offerings. Some types of horticultural job offerings are easy to locate, while others in more specialized areas of interest require considerable research to find. You must be persistent and thorough when searching for job openings; after all, the more employment offers you investigate, the more likely you are to find just the right job at a favorable pay scale. Another consideration which you should keep in mind is that many horticultural jobs are offered at specific times of the year. Mid-to-late winter is often the best time to begin looking for employment in greenhouses, nurseries, and many other specialty areas which require extra help for the spring season. This is not to say that you should limit your search to the peak employment seasons, but you are more likely to be successful at that time. Each specialty area generally has its own busy season. Jobs in lawn care are obviously more abundant in the summer, but this is the worst time to look for employment in flower shops (they do the most business from Thanksgiving through Mother's Day). Evaluate each specialty area you are interested in and try to determine the best time period in which to concentrate your search. It’s generally best to make job inquiries about 2-4 weeks before you think the employer will need someone. Applying somewhat earlier is safer, but you will need to make contact again at a later date to make sure they still remember your interest. If you don’t know when the proper time to apply for jobs is, ask 2 or 3 prospective employers in that specialty area. They will be happy to advise you if you don't make a pest of yourself by hanging around too long at a time when they have no immediate need of your services. Some horticultural specialty areas don’t have a particular time of year when it’s best to look for jobs. Positions in such fields as research, magazine writing, and therapy are not likely to be offered more at one time than another. Let's now examine some of the sources you might use to find listings for specific jobs. Certain of these sources will be obvious to many readers, but each of you will probably find at least 1 or 2 new ideas here. Google--This is the most useful job hunting tool available. Study Google carefully, and make a list of all the prospective employers that were mentioned in the last section. If you do a good job of this, you will probably amass a considerable list of businesses which obviously have some connection to horticulture. Certain businesses or other types of employers may have horticultural jobs available, though they have no obvious connection to the field. For example: large shopping malls often have a person in charge of their interior plant decor and another person to take care of the outdoor landscape plantings. Several assistant positions may also he available. Don't forget to look for probable employers in Google of surrounding towns. And, if you are willing to relocate, larger cities will have an even greater number of opportunities. State and private employment offices--This is not the best place to find a job, but it’s worth keeping your name in their files. Although most horticultural employers don’t list their openings with general employment agencies, there are a significant number who do. If you will be satisfied with a seasonal or more generalized horticultural job, the employment office may work well for you. But specialized positions seldom turn up here. • Special horticultural employment agencies--Although regular employment agencies are often of little value in finding specialized positions, there are several horticulturally-oriented employment agencies which operate more or less on a nationwide basis. These agencies advertise in a few select magazines which appeal to avid amateur horticulturists and to professionals in the field. Don't expect to see their advertisements in ordinary gardening magazines. You will sometimes find them in the classified section of Horticulture and other upscale publications. Horticulturally-oriented employment agencies often place classified advertisements in professional industry magazines (those relating to greenhouses, nurseries, vegetable production, hydroponic growing, floral marketing and production, interior and exterior landscaping, etc.). In a few moments, I will show you how to locate these magazines. Horticultural employment agencies specialize primarily in management and technical jobs. This is one of the best ways to look for a position if you are willing to relocate and if you have a reasonable level of experience or a college degree in some field. In most cases, this service costs you nothing because the employment agency gets paid by the employer. The agency seldom advertises specific jobs; you must contact them to receive a rundown on what positions they have available. Agencies normally don’t handle temporary positions or the more common locally available jobs. They may sometimes have entry level positions for technical and management specialties. • Professional industry magazines--Almost every horticultural specialty is represented by some type of publication. Your problem is to find the specific magazines and see if there are job listings in them. Frankly, I am not aware of every magazine in horticulture and related fields- so I can't provide a complete list of them. But there is a considerable list provided in the ending resource section of this book. The best way to find and contact any periodical for any imaginable subject is to go to your local library and ask the librarian to show you where their reference books which list periodicals are located. They should have at least one set of the more widely used references. If you can't figure out how to use the reference book, ask the librarian for help. Most references will list magazines and periodicals by subject matter covered. You can find the great majority of horticulturally-oriented magazines (both professional and amateur) by looking under the headings of Horticulture or Gardening. There are a few other headings you might check out for certain specialties (such as: Agriculture, Country Living, Ecology, Environmental, Hydroponics, Alternative Lifestyles, Greenhouses, Nurseries, Herbs, Vegetables, etc.). Once you locate the magazine titles, then see if they are carried by the library. Only large libraries will carry most of the periodicals dealing with special professions. The titles not in the library can possibly be borrowed free by interlibrary loan (check with the loan department at your library). Or the magazine can be contacted directly to purchase a sample copy, or perhaps they will even send a free one if you sound like a serious potential subscriber. Another place you can locate the name and address of most horticulturally-oriented magazines is in the American Horticultural Society's guide which is listed below. This guide will not, however, have phone numbers and circulation data. Job listings are usually found in the classified sections of these magazines. Occasionally, the offerings may be fairly numerous. • General interest magazines--There are only a few general interest magazines in the field of horticulture which have classified sections that offer specific positions. • Local, state, regional, and national professional or industry organizations--Check with your county agricultural or horticultural extension agent or with local businesses in the horticultural field; they can advise you if there are professional or industry organizations you might contact for help in gaining employment. For example: almost every state has an association of greenhouse businesses; the same is true for tree growers, perennial growers, garden centers, flower shops, etc. These organizations often have an employment list, or they at least publish job offers in their periodic newsletters. Another way these organizations can be helpful is by providing a list of member businesses to you. This helps you contact individual employers for their job openings. • County horticultural or agricultural extension agents--No matter where you live in the United States, there is an extension agent nearby. Your area may not have a specialist in horticulture but many do. Extension agents often serve as unofficial employment brokers since they get around frequently to area businesses that are related to agriculture. Even though your extension agent may not know of any job opportunities, he or she can probably direct you to the local or state professional organizations I mentioned above. The county extension office telephone number will be in your phone book. If you can't find it listed under U.S. Government or county extension office (under your county name), ask directory assistance to help you. Extension offices are just like any other government office-it may take some explaining to the receptionist to get you in contact with the extension agent most closely associated with horticulture. You don't want the home economist or livestock specialist! • Special horticultural reference guides--There are two special horticultural publications in the United States you should look at for ideas. The most important is: North American Horticulture Reference Guide compiled by The American Horticultural Society 7931 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22308 (703) 768-5700 This big guide has a lot of information in it, but only a portion is directly useful to job seekers. Borrow it on interlibrary loan if you can because the last copy I purchased was $100.00. Another smaller publication is titled: Healthy Harvest-A Global Directory of Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture Organizations 1992 published by Ag Access 603 Fourth Street Davis, CA 95616 (916) 756-7177 This guide is not nearly so comprehensive but will give you some ideas about employment possibilities and probable contacts. These two books are not going to point out exactly where you can get a job, but, if you study them carefully, you can easily see how they might be useful. There may be several other references which I am not aware of-keep your eyes open. Internet (misc.)--As this communication tool becomes more commonly employed by both information placers and seekers, it will form an important aspect of the total network dealing with horticultural business. There is already a tremendous amount of pertinent information available on the internet, but it’s sometimes poorly organized and difficult to find. Searching methods will undoubtedly improve considerably in the near future as will the presentation of data. Within a few years, the internet will become so commonly used as to rival traditional information sources such as magazines, books, trade shows, videos, etc. The possibilities are endless and exciting. Anyone who is involved in modern endeavors must quickly adapt to this relatively new phenomenon or risk being left behind in an increasingly sophisticated world. Most of the up-to-date information will soon first appear on the internet-only after a time-lapse will it come out in more traditional forms. You must begin now by becoming familiar with useful search engines and horticultural web sites. The internet will soon bring about a revolution in the way business is conducted. Now that you have several suggestions about where to look for jobs working with plants, trees, or flowers-- get busy! Decide what type of job you want and start working to generate some employment leads. You will never get anywhere without action. EVALUATE THE WORK PLACE Assuming that you have picked a horticultural specialty area to work in and located some prospective employers, there is one final thing you should do before sending your resume or trying to arrange an interview. Check the employer out! See if they are someone you really want to work for. You can probably learn a good deal about them before you actually go for an interview, at least enough to know whether it’s worth your time and theirs to arrange a meeting. After a job interview, you should investigate the employer more thoroughly if you are still interested. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR? The majority of job seekers mistakenly expect that employers are most interested in the technical ability and previous related job experience of applicants. While this may be so in a limited number of cases, there are many other characteristics which they value as much or more. Here are some of the important things employers look at (not necessarily arranged in order of importance): • Honesty. • Reliability. • Pleasant disposition. • Ability to work with others. • Proficiency in reading, writing, and math skills. • Ability to organize themselves and others. • Ability to follow directions accurately and completely. • Energy. • Enthusiasm for work. • Technical knowledge. • Work experience. • Flexibility. • Loyalty to employer. • Up beat, can do anything attitude. • Ability to progress and change with circumstances. • Physical and mental abilities in line with job needs. • Family life won’t unduly interfere with job performance. • No drug or alcohol abuse. • Has some interest in doing a good job even when immediate monetary reward is not obvious. • Reasonable degree of personal hygiene and conduct. • Previous positive job experience-not necessarily in the present field. These are all characteristics which you now have or don’t have. There is no way you can develop them overnight to prepare for a job interview. But you can do your best to emphasize the ones you have in greatest abundance and play down the ones you don’t possess to any extent. Lets face it, no one is perfect- you cannot meet the test in every one of the points mentioned above. Just knowing what characteristics the employer will be looking for will help you prepare for an interview. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES IN THE JOB MARKET Here is a list of things you should do (or not do) when applying for employment. As mentioned at the beginning of this section, you have seen these suggestions in many other places-but projecting the proper image in an interview is so important that it won't hurt to go over everything again. • Conduct yourself in a civilized manner. • Bring a neatly prepared resume. • Dress properly for the job circumstances. • Act alive but not nervous. • Appear confident but not to the point of being a braggart. • Be prepared but not mechanical. • Don't get too personal with the employer. • Don’t give false information on any point, even small white lies may come back to haunt you if the employer uncovers them. • Don't overflow and ramble on, just present the facts and let the employer evaluate them. • Be precise and keep your responses short. • Be flexible in any way you can to meet the employer's needs. • Don’t scribble illegibly if you must present any hand written information. Type it out if possible. • Try to avoid obvious grammatical mistakes in speech-don't use slang or swear words. • Display a hardworking image. • Be sure to bring up all your good points-no one else will. But do it as modestly as possible. • Provide documented evidence of references, abilities, education, awards, special certificates concerning technical proficiency. Have them at your fingertips. • Provide references as to your honesty. • Understand completely the terms of any employment situation. Know what the pay is and what is expected of you. Don't be aggressive in your inquiry but be thorough. The prospective employer will think you are a fool if you don't look out for your own welfare. • Leave your complete name, phone number, and address. Offer a photograph but don't be offended if the employer doesn't want it; there may be circumstances which make it unlawful for them to accept photographs of job applicants. • Remember, every situation is unique and may require a slightly different approach to the interview. You can't always follow a cook book recipe. • Ask if you should call back-and when. • Be persistent. If you don't get a particular job the first try, inquire at a later date. This dedication and interest will impress any employer. THE RESUME The resume may be viewed as an advertisement which is designed to gain the attention of a potential employer. Often times, the resume will serve as your first significant contact with the employer. As such, it’s very important that your resume is designed in such a way that it catches the eye of whomever reads it, thus advancing your application for employment to the top of the heap. A well-designed resume is an indispensable way with which to "sell yourself." Conversely, a poorly constructed resume can put you out of the running for a job without the employer giving you a chance. Employers may receive hundreds of resumes when they actively advertise the opening of a position. Reading through this pile of submissions, understandably, can be a mind numbing experience. For your resume to receive the attention it deserves, it must somehow stand out from the crowd. Although fancy letterhead, multi-colored print, and graphics may grab the eye of the reader, if you go overboard in using them, the resume may be viewed as a product from an adolescent mind. In other words, if you choose to use visual enhancement in constructing your resume, be careful not to over do it- present yourself as a mature professional. The most important aspect of designing your resume is the packaging of your qualifications so that the employer clearly understands what benefits he or she will gain by hiring you. The qualifications should be listed in order of importance. If you have a college degree but little practical experience, be sure to start out with your education - flaunt your strengths. Again, the major thing you are attempting to convey is what benefits the employer can gain by hiring you. When listing these benefits, be as specific as possible. If you have experience working in a mental hospital, make it known that you are able to communicate with a wide array of people. Be detailed: if you are familiar with farm machinery, list the type, model, make, and any special features of the equipment. Biographical information, such as a clean law record, strong credit history, physical condition, civic activities, etc., can strengthen your resume. Choose only those aspects of your biography which will be viewed positively by the employer. Never volunteer negative information. Many people employ the use of professional writing services to generate resumes. These services can cost anywhere from $50 to $100. Although these services, more often than not, create professional looking products, the writers do not, and cannot, know your strengths and the specific details about those strengths better than you. If all you are lacking is a computer to create letterhead, graphics, etc., most major copy centers (Kinkos, OfficeMax) provide terminals on a rental basis. By designing your own resume, you not only save money, you end up with a superior product. The following example is provided only to give you a general model of a resume. Each resume, like each individual, is unique. It’s your job to manipulate the model so that you achieve the best advertisement of yourself as possible. Remember, you are selling yourself. As in any advertisement, the potential buyer should be made fully aware of what he or she will gain by purchasing the product.
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