Looking Beyond Graduation
Are you graduating this year? If so, you should read about some of your options when it comes to careers, employment opportunities, salaries and work life balance.
ASFMRA provides education, ongoing training, networking and advocacy for farm managers, rural appraisers and agricultural consultants. Anyone of these careers can provide you with a great lifestyle and good income, depending upon your years of experience.
And the best part?
Flexibility in terms of hours, you get to work with great clients, you will have a variety of challenges and responsibilities, you get to be outdoors (not always sitting at a desk) and you have the opportunity to test and utilize new technology.
Does that sound like you?
Rural Appraisers - If your considering becoming an appraiser, the first thing you will need to do is get your Trainee License. In order to do that, you need to take three courses - Basic Appraisal Principles (A101), Basic Appraisal Procedures (A102) and 15-hour National USPAP (A113).
ASFMRA is offering those classes at Education Week in Des Moines, Iowa this summer - and you can get them all over with at one time!
We also have the best pricing on these classes and many times if you are hired by an appraisal organization, they will typically pay for that training, as they want to get you moving forward as quickly as possible.
Farm Managers - If you are interested in farm management, you should see if you can get on with a farm management firm in your area. You can Google farm management firms and you can also access our
Find A Land Expert and set your search criteria for the part of the country you are interested in and the primary occupation as Manager. You can contact those individuals to see if they are hiring and you can also start on your educational journey with
Ag Land Management 1 which will be offered this summer as well!
Agricultural Consultants - This is truly the wave of the future, and one where the career opportunities are endless. Agricultural consultants are individuals with specialized knowledge that extends beyond farm management. They work for investment firms that are looking for expertise in managing their land portfolios and making investment decisions. They work for banking organizations that are managing complex ag loans or properties that they have taken into their portfolio. If you are passionate about the land and your career, this may be a great opportunity for you! Again, check out our
Find a Land Expert (Ag Consultant) as well as our class schedule for
Education Week. Both could put you on the path towards an exciting and challenging career!
If your not yet a student member of ASFMRA, then I would encourage you
to join as a student. Membership is free up until one-year after your graduate and the career opportunities are outstanding!