Career Services Center (CSC) - Lehman College

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Career Services Center (CSC)

Food and Agricultural Business

What can I do with this major?

Area	Employer	Information/Strategies
Financial Services and Related Areas
Banking: Commercial and Personal Lending Branch Management Bank Operations Commodities (Stocks & Futures) Insurance: Sales Claims Analysis Underwriting Risk Management Real Estate: Residential Brokerage Commercial Sales Appraisal Property Management Real Estate Portfolio Management	Commercial banks Credit unions Savings and loans associations Service banks Mortgage banks Purchasing/supply firms Farm cooperative services Real estate brokers Agricultural commodity organizations Insurance companies Appraisal firms Developers Large corporations: real estate departments Real estate investment trusts Law firms	Take additional courses in statistics, finance, and accounting. Seek experience in financial areas through part-time employment or internships. Develop strong communication skills, as many positions require interaction with others and the ability to explain information clearly and concisely. Get involved in student professional associations such as the National Agrimarketing Association or other agribusiness clubs. Demonstrate competence in managing money and analyzing data. Serve as a treasurer for a student organization. Stay up to date on local, national, and global economic trends. Research and contact major and/or local financial and banking institutions that specialize in the agricultural market.
Marketing and Related Areas
Agricultural Marketing Customer Relations Logistics Outside Sales Retail Sales	Agribusinesses Production industries Food retailers and wholesalers Food processors Manufacturers of farm input supplies Farm equipment manufacturers Market analysis firms Insurance firms	Gain experience with retailers in the agricultural industry and other agribusinesses through internships or summer and part-time jobs. Develop strong interpersonal skills and the ability to relate well with a wide variety of people. Initiative, sales ability, and excellent customer service skills are also important in this area. Get involved in campus organizations such as the National Agrimarketing Association and seek leadership roles.
Management
Agricultural Management Crop and Livestock Farm Management Farm and Home Management Agribusiness Management Land Management Environmental Resource Management Retail Management	Agribusinesses Farm input supply businesses Commodity processors Landscape design and maintenance firms Production industries Feedlot operations Feed and seed companies Food wholesalers and retailers (grocery stores) Farmers cooperatives Gas, electric, and water distributors Retailers outside of agriculture	Get involved in professional organizations such as Institute of Food Technologists or International Food and Agribusiness Management Association. Pursue experiences with management companies through part-time employment, internships, or co-ops. Develop skills in decision-making and policy analysis along with excellent verbal and written communication skills. Stay up to date on local, national, and global economic trends. Research and build contacts at management organizations that specialize in agriculture. Prepare to start in entry-level management trainee positions.
Agricultural Equipment Systems Management
Purchasing/Buying Dealership Management Customer Relations Wholesale and Retail Sales Environmental Technology Farm Supply Management Logistics Training	Agricultural support companies Agricultural machinery manufacturers Machinery dealerships Machinery service companies Landscape development and maintenance industry Farm input supply businesses Farm and garden supply stores Wholesale distributors Logistics firms	Develop awareness and understanding of the farm machinery and equipment market, both nationally and internationally. Research the development of basic and advanced farm and agricultural equipment. Obtain retail and/or wholesale sales experience, preferably in the field of agriculture or farm supply companies. Get involved in related student organizations. Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills, especially for sales-related positions.
Rural Development/Resource Economics
Land Management Environmental Resource Management Rural Economic Development Rural Planning Timberland Economy County Planning Policy Analysis	Local and state government Federal government agencies including: Department of Agriculture Department of Housing and Urban Development Environmental Protection Agency Bureau of Land Management Gas, water, and electric distributors Coal companies Mining companies Railroads Law firms Nonprofit organizations	Volunteer with relevant organizations to gain familiarity with rural economic issues. Develop excellent verbal and written communication skills. Stay up to date on local, national, and global economic trends. Build skills in decision-making and policy analysis. Assist a faculty member with his or her research. Complete an internship with a government agency.
Government/Nonprofit
State and Federal Conservation Health and Regulatory Inspection Agricultural Inspection Policy Analysis Legislation Association Representation	State and Federal Conservation Health and Regulatory Inspection Agricultural Inspection Policy Analysis Legislation Association Representation	Develop excellent verbal and written communication skills. Gain experience and exposure to the industry by volunteering with organizations such as 4-H. Complete an internship with a government agency. Maintain a high grade point average. Research government application processes.
Education
Teaching Research Agricultural Extension	Colleges and universities Research institutions Extension services Farm information services utilizing mass communication	Earn a PhD for university teaching and research. Volunteer to assist a faculty member with his or her research. Get involved in relevant campus activities such as tutoring, peer mentoring, etc. Participate in organizations such as 4-H or Future Farmers of America (FFA) and seek leadership roles. Gain experience working with children and adults of varying ages. Prepare to live in a rural community for some extension positions.
General Information and Strategies Since the foundation of this degree is business and economics, students may pursue employment opportunities outside of agriculture. Consider management, sales, marketing, communications, and publics relations. A bachelor's may serve as a pre-professional path for students interested in pursuing advanced degrees in law, business, agribusiness management, or agricultural economics. Earn a graduate degree to pursue university teaching and advanced research positions. Obtain relevant experience through internships and summer or part-time jobs. Get involved in relevant student organizations and seek leadership roles. Develop transferable skills that most employers value, such as communication skills, leadership ability, creativity, ability to work on a team, and self-motivation. Prepare to live in rural and farming communities for some of the career areas and be geographically flexible. Build a professional network for exploring career opportunities and job openings.