Virtually Connecting Candidates and Employers from Farm to Fork

Maintaining a strong supply chain is more important than ever during COVID-19, and careers in the agri-food industry are essential. AgCareers.com surveyed ag employers in the Compensation & the Ag Workforce during COVID-19 special report. The agricultural industry is surely resilient, and this is clear as over one half of companies surveyed expect their workforce will increase in size over the next two years. Employers are still hiring, and HR professionals indicate competition for talent is the most concerning matter. Although competing for talent is a concern for organizations, this competition is good news for candidates!

Employers said another major concern in this current environment is recruiting difficulties. Many employers and candidates have converted their recruiting and job search efforts solely online since the pandemic hit. This can prove challenging for some, but also creates new outreach, flexibility, and expanded opportunities for many. Virtual hiring often creates an efficient, time and money-saving process that we expect to continue growth post-COVID-19.  

 AgCareers.com, in partnership with CareersinFood.com, launched the national Feed Your Future campaign. We developed this Feed Your Future initiative to connect agri-food employers and job seekers virtually, addressing the pandemic’s constraints on traditional in-person recruitment events. For some, COVID-19 directly affected their employment, while others may be ready to explore a new career or even a new industry such as agriculture and food. The Feed Your Future awareness campaign features a series of regional virtual career fairs and helpful employment events across the United States and Canada.

Virtual Career Fairs

Feed Your Future virtual career fairs highlight and connect job seekers and employers with career opportunities throughout the food chain. U.S. region-specific career fairs in 2021 start on January 14 in the Great Lakes/Midwest region, followed by January 28 in the Plains/Midwest, February 11 in South Central, February 25 in the Southeast, and March 4 in the Central Atlantic/Northeast regions. Registration and details for each fair are available here: https://www.agcareers.com/feed-your-future.cfm. A series of Canadian regional events are also on the schedule.

Webinars

Virtual career fairs and interviews, online recruiting and hiring, or even the new COVID-19 workplace rules create a giant learning curve. Feed Your Future free webinars educate both candidates and employers on navigating the new virtual environment. Job seeker webinars included Virtual Career Fair Success Tips and Standing Out in a Virtual Interview; these event recordings are available to watch at your convenience on the AgCareers.com YouTube channel. AgCareers.com presents the employer webinar, The Evolving Workplace, on January 29, to discuss how the workplace is changing and how an organization needs to shift to stay relevant.

For more information on connecting job seekers and employers from farm to fork, visit https://www.agcareers.com/feed-your-future.cfm.