A24-Lancastcr Farming, Saturday, June 3,1989
I
F
A
R
MANAGEMENT
By Patricia Powley
“Landing a Job:
Strategies for Farm
Wives”
Because of the instability of the
agricultural economy, many rural
homemakers are looking for work
outside the home for the first time
in years -- maybe dVer.
If you’re one of these women,
resist the urge to say to yourself,
“But who would hire me? I’ve just
been a farm wife.” Instead, take
another look at what being a farm
wife means, and translate that into
job skills.
As a farm wife, you do many
things well. You handle phone
calls and get messages to the right
people. You may be the purchas
ing agent in charge of ordering
before the feeders and fuel tanks
run empty.
You can run a financial state
ment on your home computer. You
are head bookkeeper, and in
charge of cost control. Your loyal
ty and helpfulness are beyond
measure. You may be in the
middle of preparing a meal when
your husband comes in and says,
“Honey, run to town and pick up
two new hydraulic hoses. The
loader just broke down!” You drop
everything, run to town, deliver the
hoses to your husband, and prob
ably still get a good meal on the
table.
You can operate machinery on
the farm, and keep a household
appliance running long after its
normal life. You have a common
sense about you that can’t be
taught.
Thinking through your experi-
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ences as a farm wife can help you
begin a job search with confi
dence. Maturity and life experi
ences are pluses many employers
are looking for.
During the up-coming months
when I have an article in this farm
management column, I will be
addressing how you can analyze
your job skills, prepare a resume,
write a cover letter, and present
yourself professionally during a
job interview.
“Before You Start the
Job Search”
Before you begin the actual job
hunt, write down your feelings
about skills you like and dislike,
and knowledge that may make a
difference in the kind of jobs you
look for.
For example, you may want to
start with the
following;
“I like” or “I dislike”
-working with children
-working alone
-working with the public
-communicating via telephone
-creating artistic projects
-doing repetitious work
-helping others.
This list of likes and dislikes is
for your use only, not to share with
an employer. It can clarify what
kinds of jobs you should try for.
It might also be helpful to write
down the experiences you have
had as a rural homemaker. Men
tion skills and experiences you
have had managing the farm.
These can translate into market
able skills.
If you have been the bookkeeper
in your farm business or have man
aged the household budget, you
have skills needed in a variety of*
businesses. If you have purchased
insurance for the home and farm,
you have awareness about insur
ance policies which many people
don’t have.
These experiences are important
in all areas of farm and home man
agement. You have used manage
ment skills daily. You budget time
and money, work with all kinds of
people, and delegate responsibili
ties to keep things running
“Personal
Characteristics”
In addition to specific skills as a
farm wife, you have personal char
acteristics that are valuable to an
employer. As you read through the
following list, identify characteris
tics that you have. These can be
referred to in your resume, as well
as in a job interview.
• "Ability to communicate”
organize thoughts and ideas effec
tively, express them clearly in
speaking and writing.
♦“lntelligence” - understand job
assignment, team details of opera
tion, contribute new and original ■
ideas.
•“Self-confidence” - have a sense
of maturity and direction, deal
positively and effectively with
situations and people.
•“Willingness to accept responsi
bility" - recognize what needs to
be done and do it.
•“Initiative” - identify purposeful
work and take action.
•“Leadership” - guide and direct
others to obtain objectives.
•“Energy level” - demonstrate
forcefulness and capacity to move
things ahead.
♦“lmagination” -- confront and
deal with problems that may not
have standard solutions.
♦“Flexibility”
- adapt to change
and incorporate-new ideas.
♦“lnterpersonal skills” - bring out
best efforts of individuals.
•“Self-knowledge” - assess rea
listically own capabilities, recog
nize strengths and weaknesses.
•“Ability to handle conflict” -
function well under stress.
Lancaster County Swine
Club To Meet
The Lancaster County 4-H
Swine Club will meet on June 8 at
6:30 p.m. for a recreational night
The meeting will feature an ice
Hershey School Farms
(Continued from Pag* A 23)
heavy plastic.”
Dugan doesn’t give his stands a
rest period in late summer to store
up energy. “I’ve found it’s not
necessary, and universities are
finding the same thing. If you keep
your fertilizer rates up, you don’t
have to wary about a rest period.
The only rest period I give is the
days between cuttings.”
Pest management
Pests are kept to minimum with
Eptam, Boran, and Velpar and
with rotation. “We run a pretty
good rotation, so we’re not plant
ing the same things in the same
fields all the time,” said Dugan.
“Our fields are in alfalfa for three
Alfalfa Is first cut at early bud stage. Dugan checl
stand’s maturity.
Don’t be afraid to refer to the skills
listed here. If your potential
employer doesn’t know your
skills, you may miss a good job
opportunity.
It is important to “sell” yourself
to potential employers.
cream social at Chiques Church
Pavilion. For more information,
contact Karen Becker at 665-7283.
to four years, com for three years,
small grains such as barley or
wheat or soybeans for two years,
and back to alfalfa.”
This year is the last year for the
Alfalfa Growers’ Program, which
is mostly an education program.
Officials fed that Pennsylvania
farmers have pretty well learned
all of what they have to teach and
new findings can be passed on by
Extension agents.
Dugan and school officials are
hoping to repeat last year’s efforts.
It will be the stand’s second year.
“In the second, third, and fourth
jcars, yield will trail off a bit,”
reported Dugan. “But I hope it
doesn’t trail off very far this year! ”