Interview today!

Are you seeking a summer 2009 internship or a full-time position? Please be aware of the following opportunities to interview here on campus:

Wednesday, November 19
Steak n Shake: interviewing in 2-64 Ag Building for both Internship and Full-time Management opportunities. Please sign up on http://www.hiremizzoutigers.com/. Don’t have an account? Have questions about how to sign-up? Please contact us!

Thursday, November 20
Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers: interviewing in 2-64 Ag Building for the following full-time positions to start in January. ONLY interviewing December ’08 graduates. Sign up online at http://www.hiremizzoutigers.com/.

Grain origination. The role includes learning and utilizing grain trading methods including board of trade hedging, options, and a variety of other buying and hedging methods. The originator will communicate directly with our farmer and commercial accounts to buy and sell grain for Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers, Inc. This role will prepare a person to progress to more complex trading and manage grain or other commodity positions.

Operations Management. The candidate will work directly for our area operations managers to learn facility operations in grain and agronomic products. Our modern operation requires both mechanical and computer knowledge for successful managers. In addition our operations managers work directly with our farmer customers to meet their needs in a timely manner.

Additionally, if you missed the fall recruitment events and hope to get started on a search for full-time positions or internships, we are glad to meet with you individually. Please call or e-mail to schedule an appointment.

Be sure to check out these Interview Tips to prepare today! Call CAFNR Career Services for more information...573-882-0088.

What is My Passion?

When I was five years old, I wanted to be a country music singer. I wanted to go to Nashville and be just like my American Idol—Leann Rimes. Ever since I can remember, I have been belting out Leann’s songs. But since that time as a young child many years ago, my goals for life have changed a little bit.

I wanted to be anything and everything in the world when I was a little girl. I dreamed of being an Olympic gymnast, a beautician, and now what I am pursuing today—an Agricultural Education major with an emphasis in Leadership—is much different.

Finding your passion is so important. The problem is… sometimes it changes. But change can be good. When I first began thinking of what to seriously do with my life, I decided I wanted to be music teacher. I have loved to sing for as long as I could remember, but in making this decision I forgot about the other thing I had loved for as long as I could remember: being on the farm.

Finally, as a sophomore in high school, I realized agriculture was for me. I had grown to appreciate that warm, family-like feeling that you can’t find anywhere else but in agriculture. It just took me finding what meant the most to me in life. I realized that I could not live one day without the scent of freshly cut hay, cow manure, or the milk barn. Agriculture is my passion—and I’m so glad I finally found it!

CAFNR Career Services can help you realize that agriculture is for you too…check out all the opportunities or stop by the office in 2-64 today.

-Charlotte Jackson

Sophomore, Agricultural Education

Top 20 Interview Mistakes

It's that time of year. Employers are interviewing students for internships and full-time positions. Do you know what the top mistakes are so you can avoid a slip-up that could cost you the job?

Take a look at these to make sure you're not giving companies a reason to say goodbye:

• Showing up late.
• Being unprepared.
• Answering questions with a "yes" or "no."
• Fidgeting.
• Speaking too quickly, quietly or loudly.
• Avoiding eye contact.
• Lying.
• Not answering the question asked.
• Telling too much.
• Belittling past jobs.
• Being inappropriately dressed.
• Not asking company questions.
• Not sending a thank-you note.
• Not thanking the interviewer at the end.
• Forgetting to bring copies of resume and references to interview.
• Chewing gum, smoking or eating.
• Allowing the cell phone to ring.
• Interrupting the interviewer.
• Talking too much.
• Using qualifiers — I believe, perhaps, maybe, I think.

This list is also available on the CAFNR Career Services site. Need help resolving one of these problems? Now's the time to stop by Ag Building 2-64 to work on your interviewing skills!

When the Going Gets Tough

So you've gotten to make your own choices, now it's time to find balance and motivation.

Often times when this time of year rolls around, studying has become a difficult venture. Midterm exams are over, and all those five page papers have already been turned in. It seems like it should be time to relax—but the next week only brings more homework and assignments that make those five page papers look simple. Then all the extra-curricular activities added on top of the homework can cause some serious stress. So how do you stay focused in college when the going gets tough?

Last year as a freshman, studying was so simple. I knew the reason I was at Mizzou—to learn as much as I could in my classes as well as outside my classes. I did this through getting involved as I could—I became president in one organization, officer in two others, and a member of one more. I pushed myself to the limits or way past my limits even sometimes. After being so worn and stressed with all my activities and homework, I got really sick last February. I had the flu; then I had an allergic reaction to the medicine the Student Health Center gave me. That incident taught me I needed to slow down.

This year in school, my priorities are different. Rather than being involved in everything, I am finding what I love and devoting myself to that. Some days I feel like I am still too busy, but living a full life is what I strive for. Studying is still a priority for me, but I have learned that staying up until the wee hours of the morning cramming for a test really doesn’t help that much. I feel as though in my second year of college, I am much more efficient and focused than I was last year as a freshman.

When the going gets tough—get going. College classes are difficult, but every student understands that. Just know your limitations, but still push them as far as classes are concerned. Don’t over-dedicate yourself to activities that only seem like they look good on a resume. Find what you love, and stick with it. When the going gets tough—get going.

-Charlotte Jackson
Sophomore, Agricultural Education