Great Careers Working with Livestock

Great Careers Working with LivestockGreat Careers Working with LivestockWorking with animals can be a very rewarding experience. And there are many great career options that involve working with livestock species. Demand for these jobs - and their importance - are poised for more growth, as more and more people learn about self-sufficiency and sustainability. Here are eight great options for those interested in becoming a part of the livestock industry Livestock Appraiser Livestock appraisers evaluate animals that are to be sold or insured, determining their market value, and writing a comprehensive report that justifies their valuation. Although there is nor formal degree in this field, there are several professional certification options for livestock appraisers. These can be obtained through the International Society of Livestock Appraisers(ISLA), the American Society of Agricultural Appraisers (ASAA) and the American Society of Equine Appraisers(ASEA). Of course, most peopl e who work as appraisers tend to command a higher wage after being in the role after a certain time, so experience is definitely a factor. In 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a median salary of $54,010 per year (or $25.97 an hour) for those working in this role. Agricultural Extension Agent Agricultural extension agents visit farmers, ranchers, and youth groups to educate them about important developments in the livestock industry. Simply put, these agents provide informal education to people throughout the country, from farmers to people living in both rural and urban settings. Agents must be very familiar with the types of agriculture and production that take place in their designated territory. Many agents are employed by state and county agencies. Entry level positions require an undergraduate degree, and graduate level coursework is preferred. According to Payscale.com, the average salary range for this job was $35,876 to $61,542 as of November 2018. L ivestock Judge Livestock judges evaluate and rank livestock animals that have been entered in competitions. They base their opinion on the conformation and quality of each animal, and they publicly share their reasons at the conclusion of each class. Judges must have expert level knowledge of the breeds they evaluate. It is common for judges to have a full-time career (such as being a livestock breeder), since judging is usually a part-time opportunity and only pays a few hundred dollars per day plus travel expenses. Meat Inspector Meat inspectors ensure meat products comply with strict government standards for safety and quality. In addition to visual examinations of animals and carcasses, inspectors also collect tissue samples for further evaluation. They also conduct inspections of the facility to ensure products are accurately labeled and the facility is properly sanitized. Inspectors usually must have a two-year degree at minimum and generally inspect a variety of differen t food products. The BLS includes meat inspectors in the category of agricultural inspectors. The mean annual wage in May 2017 in this category was $43,390 or $20.86 an hour. Artificial Insemination Technician Artificial befruchtung technicians monitor the heat cycles of livestock animals and inseminate them at the optimum time for conception. Their goal is to impregnate the animal on a single service. Technicians will also maintain the required records and may also be able to give vaccinations to livestock. The majority of A.I. technicians work in the dairy or swine industries. There is no formal education provided for this type of work. But you must receive certification in order to do certified artificial insemination work. The National Association of Animal Breeders has developed a series of industry standards and practices. Salary can vary widely based on the technicians educational background and experience in the field. Livestock Auctioneer Livestock auctioneers sell animals at public auction, often using a chanting style of speaking to encourage bidders to continue to raise their offers. Auctioneers also do a great deal of administrative work before the sale such as assigning lot numbers, obtaining health records, and tagging animals for identification. Most aspiring auctioneers either attend auctioneering school or complete an apprenticeship. Licensing is required in some states. Many may work for auction companies, while a majority of auctioneers are self-employed. They can also auction off other things like real estate or farm equipment. According to SalaryExpert.com, salary for livestock auctioneers in major cities ranged from $44,901 to $76,458 as of November 2018. Breeder Breeders may choose to specialize in beef production, dairy production, swine production, poultry production, egg production, or sheep production. Breeders must be experts in animal husbandry (the breeding and caring of farm animals) and have knowledge of the reprodu ctive technologies used in their industry. Many breeders will maintain records of insemination, births, and pedigrees. There is no formal education in breeding, although many breeders will have an animal science, animal reproduction or biology degree. Experience is also a very important factor. Salary varies widely based on the size of the operation, the type of animals produced, and current market prices. According to BLS, the median salary in 2017 for a breeder was $37,560 or $20.89 an hour. Animal Geneticist Animal geneticists work to improve the heritability of highly desirable traits in livestock species (such as increased milk production in dairy cattle or higher carcass weight in beef cattle). They may also be involved in conducting population studies and mapping genomes. Many geneticists working in the livestock industry focus on cattle or poultry. They usually pursue graduate degrees, though a Bachelor of Science degree may be acceptable for entry-level positions. The B LS includes geneticists in the broader category of biological scientists, which reported a median annual salary of $60,330 as of November 2018. Livestock Veterinarian Livestock veterinarians are specially trained to care for farm animals like cows, horses, and chickens. Like those who treat pets and other companion animals, these vets will examine livestock, vaccinate them, treat their wounds and prescribe medication. Furthermore, they will aid in the delivery of newborn animals, and will also euthanize livestock whenever necessary. Many livestock vets are also specially trained to operate on animals. Livestock veterinarians must have an undergraduate degree and must graduate from veterinary school. Working with livestock and pets is also recommended while pursuing your degrees. All vets must be licensed to practice in their home states. The BLS does not differentiate between regular vets and those who deal with livestock. According to the most recent data, the median salary for a vet was $88,770 or $42.68 an hour.

Deliver Employee Feedback in the Right Way and at the Right Time

Deliver Employee Feedback in the Right Way and at the Right TimeDeliver Employee Feedback in the Right Way and at the Right TimeDeliver Employee Feedback in the Right Way and at the Right Time Scott and Russ Laraway, co-founders ofCandor, Inc.Whats the most important thing you can do as a boss? In our experience as advisors for many technology companies, its knowing how to ask for and offer in part, impromptu, in-the-moment employee feedback.Feedback can be daunting, but its also very powerful. Ask people what youre doing wrong. And tell people in person and in the moment what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong. Heres how to startAsk for feedback first, and in the right way at the right timeDont dish it out before you prove you can take it. Start by asking your direct reports for feedback about you, not the other way around. You can ask for feedback in your one on one conversations, but hold back on giving feedback.Remember that one-on-one meetings are primarily for listening. If you walk into a meeting with a list of praise and criticism for somebody, you wont be in listening mode. Furthermora, if you save up feedback for your one-on-one, you wont be giving it immediately.These tips will make asking for feedback easierCome up with a go-to question. Its awkward to ask somebody to give you feedback. Awkward for you, and awkward for them. That awkwardness easily becomes an excuse for avoidance.Think about the question that you will use to ask somebody for feedback. It can be sweeping Is there anything I could do or stop doing that would make it easier to work with me? Or be more specific What could I have done better in that meeting? Im worried I seemed a bit defensive.Embrace the discomfort. The last thing most employees want to do is to give feedback to their boss. Your job is to make it more uncomfortable for them to say nothing than for them to say something.Try just asking your question, shutting your mouth, and then counting to six in your head. Almost nobody can endure that long a silence if you commit to it, youll get the chance to hear from your employee.Listen with the intent to understand. Its vital not to get defensive. Rather than react to the feedback, check your level of understanding by asking, Just to make koranvers I understand right, what I hear you saying is ______.Reward the candor. When somebody gives feedback to their boss, they take a risk. Its your job to make sure there is a payoff. If you agree with the feedback, fix the problem and report back once youve done so. If you disagree with the feedback, find that 5% of what was said you do agree with.Then, tell them that youll think more about what they said and get back to them. A couple days later, do get back. Explain that you really appreciate their point of view. The best way to reward their input is to provide a fuller explanation of why you disagree.Give feedback next, in the right way and at the right timeNow that youve shown that you can take feedback too and that you treat feedback as a two-way street, youre ready to give it out.The best type of feedback is offered in impromptu two-minute conversations in between meetings. Dont save it up for a 11 and certainly not for a performance review. But most people are more afraid of giving feedback than asking for it.Here are some tips that will make it easier.Offer more praise than criticism. Its important to focus on the good stuff. Youre not firing your whole team, so there are probably more good things than bad things to focus on.Youll all be happier and more productive if you offer more praise than criticism.But only do it if you really mean it. The purpose of praise is to help people know what to do more of. Its not to baby their egos.Be humble. Remember, you may be wrong in your assessment of whatever youre praising or criticizing. And thats OK. Omniscience is not a job requirement. When you offer feedback, welcome the other persons perspective.Be helpful. You are tryi ng to help people improve and grow. Youre not trying to bust their chops with criticism or patronize with praise. Offer feedback in this spirit.Give it immediately. Feedback has a short half-life. The sooner you tell someone something is wrong, the faster they can fix it or fix your misunderstanding. The sooner you tell somebody something is great, the sooner they can do more of it.Give it in person. Feedback gets measured at the other persons ear, not your mouth. The only way to know what is going on is to watch for their reaction because most of communication is non-verbal.Praise in public, criticize in private. When you praise in public, your words carry more weight. Doing so teaches not just one person it instructs everyonewhat to do more of. When you criticize in private, you reduce the odds of a defensive reaction.Its not about personality. Give feedback on things that the person can change or do more of, not on fundamental personality attributes which are difficult to chang e. Remember that the purpose of praise is to show people what to do more of, and the purpose of criticism is to show people what to do better.Like most things in life, feedback is a matter of give and take. The more impromptu feedback you and your team receive, the more success you will have. Equally as important, the better your relationships at work will be. There is nothing more damaging to your results and your relationships than a failure of feedback.Watch Kim Scott in action on YouTubeThe Surprising Secret to Being a Good BossAbout the AuthorsKim Scott is the co-founder and CEO of Candor, Inc. and author of RADICAL CANDOR Be a Kickass Boss without Losing Your Humanity (St. Martins Press March 2017). Kim has been a coach to the CEOs of Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and several other tech companies. She was a member of the faculty at Apple University and before that leuchtdiode AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick Online Sales and Operations at Google. Previously, Kim was the co-fou nder and CEO of Juice Software, a collaboration start-up, and led business development at Delta Three and Capital Thinking. Additional information is available at kimmalonescott.comand radicalcandor.comRuss Laraway is a co-founder of Candor, Inc. Russ has had a diverse 22 year management career. He was a Company Commander in the Marine Corps before starting his first company, Pathfinders. From there Russ went to the Wharton School, and then onto Google and Twitter. Over that span, Russ has managed 700 person teams and $700M businesses facing a vast array leadership challenges along the way.

3 Lies You Tell Yourself About Big Career Goals - The Muse

3 Lies You Tell Yourself About Big Career Goals - The Muse 3 Lies You Tell Yourself About Big Career Goals You have a big career goal that’s been on your mind for some time. Maybe it’s changing fields or finally going for that management role. You think about it a lot, but- if we’re being honest- you haven’t taken any concrete steps toward it. It’s not because you don’t care. Rather, it’s because those big goals are often the scariest. You want them so badly that you’re terrified of failing. To prevent that from happening, you never actually get started. Instead, you’ve talked yourself into believing that you’re happy with the path you’re on. Sure, in the short-term that might make you feel good, but in the long-term- you’re only holding yourself back. So, start breaking through that self-sabotage today by seeing if any of these lines sound familiar. 1. “It’s Too Risky” Big changes make people anxious. The most common fears are fear of failure, fear of what other people will think, and fear of making the wrong decision. Those fears are usually tied to concerns about money (Will I earn enough?). Ask yourself: What’s the worst-case scenario, and how likely is it really? What can I do to reduce the chance of this happening? What can I do if it does happen? Usually, the worst-case scenario (I’ll have to get another “regular” job) isn’t so bad after all. Plus, there are often things you can do to mitigate the risk (like putting aside extra savings and making sure you’re not burning bridges before making a major career move). 2. “It’s Irresponsible” Do you have any of the following beliefs: that doing what you love won’t pay enough, that working for a big corporation is more stable than working for yourself, or that you have to work until you’re 65 and then retire? If you said yes, you’re not alone. But you’re also wrong! You can love what you do and be successful; big corporations have layoffs; and people retire before (and after) 65. Write down all the assumptions you’re making- the basic beliefs you have about who you are, what you’re capable of, and what it’ll take to achieve your goal. Ask yourself: What’s the evidence for each of these beliefs? Does the belief serve you (i.e. does it help you to achieve your goal)? How can you transform it into a more constructive belief? Your beliefs are often inherited from your parents or from how you’ve grown up. They can be so deeply rooted that you don’t even realize that you have them! Simply opening your eyes to a different perspective can help you to challenge those blocks that have been preventing you from making progress. Breaking through your limiting beliefs will help you change your behavior- and that’s what will allow you to achieve your goals. 3. “It’ll Never Happen” A lot of people think in black-and-white terms: Your big dream is all the way over there, and you’re way back here, which makes the goal seem unattainable. But what about all the different steps that are in between? For example, let’s say your goal is to be a best-selling author living by the ocean. Sure, that’s a world away from working in a regular job and living in the city. However, there are steps you can start taking already today to move forward, for example, start to write something! Join a writer’s group, and work toward completing a draft- that’s step one to getting published. Ask yourself: What steps can I take today to move in the direction of my goal? What elements of that dream can I add into my daily life? How can I break the big goal into smaller, more achievable, milestones? A big, abstract goal can seem completely overwhelming, as excuses and “what ifs” fly around in your head. By breaking it down into its smaller parts and looking at what actions you need to take, you’ll start to create a more tangible picture of what you can do, starting today. Then, once you start actually taking some of those actions- no matter how small- well, that’s when the magic happens! The harsh reality is: Turning a dream into an attainable goal takes hard work. But if you start by being really honest with yourself, you’ll be able to move out of your own way- and that’s a powerful first step. Remember, baby steps add up- and even the tiniest one will give you a confidence boost, create momentum, and get you going on the path toward your biggest, most ambitious career goal.