Fall 2006
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An online job board exists specifically for you, the agriculture, life science, natural resource, and biotechnology major! Graduating with a major in these fields makes you a valuable commodity in the employment arena. AgCareers.com is an online job board which provides you with an avenue to find your career in agriculture.
Friend or Foe?
The web has provided us with numerous avenues to acquire information. You can order a pizza online and have it delivered in 15 minutes or less; find out your biology test grade; and also unintentionally ruin your chances of getting the internship you’ve been working so hard for. New social networking sites, like MySpace, Facebook and CollegeHotList.com, are allowing Generation Y to share more information with the world at a faster pace than ever before. Company recruiters and hiring managers aren’t going to be left behind when it comes to using informational sources, nor are universities.
As companies are utilizing these sites to investigate possible hires, campuses are offering workshops and classes that help educate students on the pros and cons of virtual communities. Jenny Neef, Career Services Coordinator for the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois, is encouraging students to take a ‘Personal Internet Presence’ assessment/checklist to measure the possible effects that the web has on their potential applicant status. The idea came from a report Purdue University released after a study on their own campus showed how unaware students are of their internet presence.
Neef commented, “It is important for students to be aware of information that may be available to employers on the web. Students surely want their academic credentials and other competencies measured in a job interview, not from information found on the web. Not paying attention to this could inadvertently prevent students from even getting a job interview.
The survey includes questions about using a search engine to find information about yourself and considering what information on your online profile you’d like available to the public.
Many companies are using these sites to their advantage by advertising upcoming informational sessions, career fair events and to find out more about their applicants. AgCareers.com suggests students be aware of the terms and usage policies of online networking sites and monitor their privacy settings on each site. On your campus, one of the best places to visit for information regarding social networking sites is your Career Service Office or Student Services Office.
Neef added; “Career Service personnel are not telling students that they should not use social networking sites, just to be responsible with their usage.”
We’ve also asked a few of our clients to provide you with their perspectives of online networking.
“Branding plays a huge role in today’s market so it is important to know how your potential employees are branding their self before they come on board with the company. Employers are utilizing the web and social networking sites to influence hiring decisions. I’ve seen profiles where students are not only damaging their own identity, but have also slandered previous employers, leaving a poor impression.” - Ashley Warlick - Farms.com
“I personally think it is not the best way to screen a candidate. If someone has not met with a candidate face to face, but you have looked at potentially unflattering information or pictures on the Internet ; I think you are opening yourself up to scrutiny about hiring practices .You are potentially discriminating in some way based on what you saw in those pictures (I.e. didn't like how they looked, looked like a "wild" person, etc).” - Logan Maienschein, College Relations Manager - Tyson Foods, Inc.
“I feel that social networking sites are powerful tools for students and professionals when utilized properly. Students should start early developing professional communication skills through the sources. Joining professional based groups and communities and sharing relevant information will help build a useful network for students as they progress in their careers.” - Jeff Walker, Talent Acquisition Manager - LESCO, Inc.
Want to advance your education with a Masters in Agri-Business? Check out these great programs! 
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