CNGA LooseLeaf February March 2019

“We find that anytime a company or organization can create brand recognition through a series of intentional engagement events, they have greater success with hiring,” said Beka Crocket, Career Services Manager at Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences. “Showing up at career events is a good start, plus it’s also helpful to create relationships with faculty and staff. If a company can lend an employee to teach a class, offer to host students as a field trip site, or suggest projects to classes, their chances of finding new employees at a college increase. When students are more familiar with companies or organizations, it piques their interest.” Crocket realizes that staffing and capacity can be barriers to this sort of engagement for some companies, but participation in employee recruitment events often turns into new hires. Colorado State University has career fairs each fall and spring semester. The next one on February 12 is focused on careers in the agricultural sciences, and the fall fair in September will be for any career openings in general. Because CSU is a land-grant university with federal support, no cannabis companies can participate in the fairs. But, she added, that industry in Colorado has its own career fair. University career fairs can attract 700 to 1,000 students, drawing from across many majors. Each employer gets a six-foot table with two chairs, and can choose to put whatever displays and materials they want in that space. These events can be useful to greenhouses or nurseries looking for employees with specialized skills outside of horticulture, like computer programming. “Every company needs some sort of computer sciences help. A lot of times those students have never heard about a green industry company, but are in a long line waiting to talk to a well-known employer of computer professionals. They may stop by that horticultural company, start talking to them and learn about new career options,” she said. CSU held a horticulture-focused career fair every February until last year when it was replaced by a mixer and alumni recognition event. “It has the same objective as a career fair without all of the stuff. We’re finding that the casual mixer seems to be a better use of people’s time with this generation of students. It’s in a smaller, more intimate venue, and is combined with honoring alumni in front of their peers,” she said. All students, alumni and employers have access to career fairs and mixers. Students and Relationships, relationships, relationships. Green industry leaders recite this mantra when asked about how to find business success. The best return on investment is usually achieved by fostering good relations with customers, suppliers and pretty much every person touched by a company and its products or services. So, it makes sense that relationship building is also an important part of finding valuable employees. colorad o nga.org LooseLeaf  February/March 2019 12 Photo courtesy of CSU