Agribusiness Job Market Preparation: Market Realities versus Student Perceptions Paul D. Mitchell AAE 320
Goal Overview research conducted by my former colleagues at Texas A&M University How should students spend their time? Try to put AAE 320, undergraduate class work, and UW as a whole into perspective
Characters John Siebert: Dr. Agribusiness! George Davis: Econometric philosopher Kerry Litzenberg: Agribusiness/Sales Josef Broder: Agriculture Dean, U of GA All 4 are award winning teachers
Question How should junior level students allocate their time to maximize their chances of obtaining the highest starting salary offer from an agribusiness firm? Study both Employer and Student answers How accurately do students perceive preferences of agribusiness employers?
Company Survey Fall 1997 – Spring agribusiness firms Average sales $5.1 billion Agribusinesses: farm suppliers, first handlers, food processors, food distributors, restaurants, and retail grocers
Firm Survey Results Summary
Recommended Student Time Allocation A junior level student wants to prepare to work for your company and is seeking a top salary offer How should he/she allocate time among these five areas? Technical Course Work Raising GPA Work or Internship Experience Leadership Experience in College Interview Preparedness
Recommended Student Time Allocation
Student Survey Fall 1998 survey of 993 college students taking agricultural economics courses 806 Texas A&M University 187 University of Georgia Career Choice 15% to Farm Suppliers 12% to Farming/Ranching < 50% into Agribusiness/Food Supply Chain
Where do the others want to go? Government/Legal Marketing/Sales (non-agricultural/food) Banking/Finance General Business Pharmaceutical/Medical
Recommended Student Time Allocation A junior level student wants to prepare to work for your company and is seeking a top salary offer How should he/she allocate time among these five areas? Technical Course Work Raising GPA Work or Internship Experience Leadership Experience in College Interview Preparedness
Student Recommended Time Allocation
Comparing Students and Firms
Pooled Firm and Student Results
Employer Deviations from Pooled Means P Values P Values = probability these deviations actually zero
Summary of Implications Agribusiness Companies Value Work/Internship and Leadership Experience more than students believe Value Grades/GPA and Interview Preparation much less than students believe Technical Preparation in business: expect a minimum competency and will teach the rest If you want to work in business, do internships/part-time jobs and get involved in volunteer organizations and student clubs
CALS Student Services Help Student Services e-programs/careerservices/career-development/ Internship/job Search Buckynet: ate-programs/careerservices/buckynet/ ate-programs/careerservices/buckynet/ AgCareers.com: Starting Salaries for Jobs e-programs/careerservices/resources/forms-and- information/
Citation Siebert, Davis, Litzenberg, Broder Time Allocation Decisions Associated with Job Market Preparation: Undergraduate Perceptions Versus Market Realities. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 84:222–233