News release issued May 21, 2001, effective immediately.
For media inquiries, contact Caroline Booth Lara, Communications Specialist, (580) 224-6379.
  email: cblara@noble.org

Find and hire the best

ARDMORE, Okla. - Finding and hiring reliable (and affordable) help on the farm or ranch can be a challenge for Oklahoma and Texas producers. And retaining those good employees can be even more difficult.

"Recently I was visiting with a rancher regarding his employee hiring process," said Paul Joerger, an agricultural economist with the Ardmore-based Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. "He indicated that he has significant personnel turnover and wants to reverse this trend. He said his practice is to hire the cheapest farm laborer who lives in the nearby town of 400 people. His hiring strategy needs to be reviewed so he can attract competent individuals for the positions on the farm or ranch."

The average age of the farmer or rancher is near sixty. As a result, many farm owners and operators find themselves needing an employee to assist them in the daily operations on the farm or ranch.

"Give much attention to identifying the need for hiring your first employee, replacing an employee, or expanding your labor force," Joerger explained. "The needs analysis should include a detailed job description that outlines the major job responsibilities, amount of time to be dedicated to each category, job title, and minimum qualifications.

"Prepare a list of job accountabilities once the job description is completed. The accountabilities document provides more detail for each component of the job description."

The primary function of the accountabilities document is to set standards of performance and method(s) such as timeliness, efficiency, and compliance for measuring each standard. An important benefit of preparing the job description and the list of accountabilities is improved communication between the employee and employer, which leads to enhanced productivity for the business. Employees will know what they are being paid to do and how they will be evaluated.

"Once you complete the job description and accountabilities documents, continue the recruiting process by identifying sources to announce the open position," Joerger said. "The level of skills required for performing the job influences where you will send the position announcements. Advertise a position requiring a lot of skills more widely than a position requiring fewer skills. You can advertise on the Internet; in newspapers, personnel agencies, high schools, vocational schools, and colleges; and by word of mouth. It is important to gear the announcement toward the audience you intend to recruit. Properly placed announcements are an important step in creating a large pool of applicants interested in applying for the job."

Before sending out the job announcement, a producer should formulate policies on compensation, work hours, vacation and sick leave, performance incentive program, promotion and training, as well as address benefits such as insurance, health, life, disability, and retirement, paid utilities, processed meats, hunting and fishing privileges, dress code, substance abuse, overtime, and termination.

"Once you have addressed the above issues and have received applications for the open position(s), it is time to evaluate the applicants," Joerger said. "It is acceptable for you to conduct a telephone interview to determine which applicants to invite to an on-site interview. Prescreening provides you insight into the applicant's ability to communicate and an opportunity to discuss the applicant's skills. Arrange on-site interviews for applicants who pass the telephone interview and are the most promising candidates."

Joerger advises producers to remain flexible when scheduling interviews with applicants, since most are gainfully employed.

"The interview is an information-gathering event for both parties," he said. "The prospective employee is evaluating the strengths of the position, and you are determining whether the applicant is the best individual for the position. A tour of the farm or ranch is normally included for farming and ranching positions. However, some producers give a tour to the finalist only before extending an offer to hire."

After the interviews, the producer should review the applicant's responses to each question.

"The first skill to evaluate is communication. If it is acceptable, evaluate technical skills necessary to function on the job," Joerger said. "Normally, two or three candidates will rise to the top if the pool of applicants is large enough. Occasionally, you may have to reinterview one of the candidates to ask more questions."

Checking references is an important step in the recruiting process. References provide opinions that are often valuable in selecting the best candidate, which should be the final step in the recruiting process.

"This step may be difficult, since more than one candidate may fit your needs," Joerger said. "Respond to all candidates within a reasonable period, preferably one week. Candidates appreciate this quick response time."

Salary is important to prospective employees. However, in many cases, job satisfaction and non-salary benefits play an even greater role in retaining employees.

"Hiring the best employee requires implementing a hiring strategy, such as providing exceptional housing and offering compensation at five percent above the market for the position," Joerger said. "This strategy will be successful for an individual who desires good housing and isn't five percent above market. The key is to discover what candidates desire most and customize a package, if possible.

"Personnel are the most important asset of the farm or ranch business and should be viewed as investments, not expenses," according to Joerger.

"Only people can use physical assets to meet business goals," he said. "Farm personnel are productive when they feel that they are justly compensated, their work makes a difference and is valued, and they are personally contributing, growing, and developing. Finding and hiring competent employees can be a long and arduous process, but it's extremely rewarding."

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