Jess+B

=__ Agricultural/Hoorticultural consultant. __=

= = = = =__ What qualifications you need for the job? __= = = =__ what requirments you need for the job? __=
 * Practical experience and a sound knowledge of farm management.
 * Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken.
 * Ability to persuade and influence clients and maintain relationships
 * Good business acumen.
 * Technical and analytical ability including good IT skills.
 * Excellent organisational and time management skills.
 * Commercial awarenes.

Unless you have extensive experience in a relevant field, to become an agricultural or horticultural consultant you need a Bachelor's degree in one of the following: You also need a driver's licence. Agricultural/horticultural consultants need to be: >
 * agricultural or horticultural science
 * commerce
 * management.
 * professional
 * patient, friendly and able to gain the trust of people
 * good communicators, with listening and public speaking skills
 * good negotiators
 * skilled in analysis and decision making
 * well organised, with good time management skills.

=__ how much experience do you need for the job? __= Useful experience for agricultural/horticultural consultants includes: Agricultural/horticultural consultants need to have:
 * work on livestock farms, orchards or vegetable farms
 * sales, marketing or any work dealing with customers or clients
 * work in an agricultural or horticultural research laboratory
 * in-depth knowledge of the area of agriculture or horticulture they work in
 * knowledge of farm or orchard management
 * understanding of production methods and how to apply these to real-life situations.

=__ Summary. __= =__pay.__= Agricultural/horticultural consultants with one to five years’ experience usually earn $45K-$65K per year Agricultural/horticultural consultants with more than five years’ experience usually earn $60K-$100K per year Source: NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management. =__How many people are doing this job?__= 667 741 789. Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, '2003-2012 Occupation Data' (prepared for Careers New Zealand), 2012 =__Job opportunities.__= Chances of getting a job as an agricultural/horticultural consultant are good due to a shortage of people in the role.

=__ Tasks and duties. __= The exact nature of the work carried out by agricultural consultants varies depending on the type of service they offer (e.g. business or technical consultancy) and the type of employer (e.g. private consultancy or charity). However, typical activities include:
 * visiting clients to identify and evaluate their business and/or technical requirements;
 * assisting clients with business planning, planning applications, government grant applications, legislative advice and new business ventures;
 * collecting and analysing data, crop yield and financial reports to measure performance;
 * preparing or modifying business or operating plans;
 * organising and conducting field trials to find solutions to clients’ problems;
 * planning and implementing improvements for the client such as using more effective pest control measures or finding more efficient ways to keep and feed livestock;
 * organising presentations, demonstrations, training and farm walks for clients, colleagues, partnership organisations, professional bodies and other interested groups;
 * communicating effectively, both in writing and orally, with clients, colleagues and members of the public;
 * writing advisory leaflets, technical notes and possibly press releases and articles;
 * marketing and promoting consultancy services to new customers, while maintaining existing client relationships;
 * researching and keeping up to date with any relevant developments in agriculture;
 * undertaking administrative duties, managing budgets and accounts, updating information and preparing reports.

=__ skills and knowledge. __= Agricultural/horticultural consultants need to have:
 * in-depth knowledge of the area of agriculture or horticulture they work in
 * knowledge of farm or orchard management
 * understanding of production methods and how to apply these to real-life situations.

=__ personal and physical duties. __= Agricultural/horticultural consultants need to be fit and healthy because their work includes walking around farms and orchards to check livestock and/or plants. Agricultural/horticultural consultants need to be:
 * professional
 * patient, friendly and able to gain the trust of people
 * good communicators, with listening and public speaking skills
 * good negotiators
 * skilled in analysis and decision making
 * well organised, with good time management skills.

=__ secondary education. __= Useful subjects include biology, chemistry, physics, English and maths, and agricultural and horticultural science.

=__ tertiary education. __= A tertiary entrance qualification is needed to enter further training. Useful subjects include biology, chemistry, physics, English and maths, and agricultural and horticultural science.

=__ useful experience. __= Useful experience for agricultural/horticultural consultants includes:
 * work on livestock farms, orchards or vegetable farms
 * sales, marketing or any work dealing with customers or clients
 * work in an agricultural or horticultural research laboratory.

=__ working coditions. __= Agricultural and horticultural consultants:
 * may work irregular and long hours if self-employed or new to the role. They can be particularly busy in peak farming and growing seasons
 * work in offices and on clients' farms or orchards
 * work in all weather conditions
 * may travel within New Zealand or overseas to attend conferences or visit clients, factories, banks or export marketing firms.

=__ Hours and contact with people.\ __= You start the job around 9:00 am and finish around 5:00 pm so are interacting with people for around 8 hours every day 7 days a week.

=__ Pay and progression. __= Pay for agricultural/horticultural consultants varies depending on experience and whether or not they are self-employed. Within the bands below, agricultural consultants are likely to earn more than horticultural consultants with the same amount of experience: As they become more senior, agricultural/horticultural consultants are able to earn bonuses, or a proportion of the income they generate for the business they work for. Self-employed agricultural/horticultural consultants charge an hourly rate, which can range from $35 to over $100 an hour. Some earn more than $100,000 a year. =__ Related jobs. __= [|Science Technician] [|Crop Farmer] [|Farmer/Farm Manager] [|Dairy Farmer] [|Agricultural/Horticultural Scientist]
 * New agricultural/horticultural consultants typically earn between $45,000 and $65,000 a year.
 * With five to ten years' experience, agricultural/horticultural consultants usually earn between $60,000 and $90,000.
 * Those with more than 10 years' experience usually earn between $80,000 and $100,000.

=__ My conclusion. __= I think I would enjoy seeing people on a day to day basis and the things I would not enjoy would be some of the computer work. I would rate this job high to match my intereststhis job would match my skills very well including my values and interests.i would need help and courses with experinced people to teach me more and more skills and qualities. This job is likely to t o change over time and soon I may not be needed because technology would have replaced me with someone or something else.

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