Career Advice for a Farm Manager

Working as a Farm Manager, you will plan budgets and manage the finances required for maintaining the farm, its equipment, and performing farming activities. The Farm Manager job also entails operating machinery such as trucks and tractors.

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How to Become a Farm Manager

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Farm Manager

Should you wish to work as a Farm Manager you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Farm Manager

  • Hands-on farming experience.
  • A foundation degree in Farm Business Management, Crop Management, Agricultural Engineering, Estate Management, or Horticulture.
  • Full driving licence.
  • IT skills.

Key Responsibilities for a Farm Manager

  • Financial planning for maintenance and production activities.
  • Purchasing supplies, including seeds, fertiliser, and pesticides.
  • Feeding livestock, operating farm machinery, driving tractors, and spraying fields.
  • Maintaining farm buildings, barns, equipment, and machinery.
  • Monitoring the weather, quality of crops, livestock, and yields.
  • Ensuring all farm activities are in compliance with UK government regulations.

What to expect as a Farm Manager

When you become a Farm Manager you should expect a seasonal work pattern that may include long hours and being on call seven days of the week. You will work with animals and crops including pigs, sheep, cows, rapeseed, vegetables, cereals, and salad, requiring a broad range of knowledge and a thorough understanding of DEFRA regulations.

Recommended Farm Manager Jobs

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How to get Farm Manager Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Farm Manager job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Farm Manager application. If you have not held a Farm Manager position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Farm Manager role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Farm Manager CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Farm Manager application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Farm Manager in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Farm Manager 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Farm Manager and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Farm Manager experience.

How to get Farm Manager Experience

What does it take to be a Farm Manager? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Farm Manager jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Farm Manager through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Farm Manager Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Farm Manager part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Farm Manager or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Farm Manager freelance work

If you have impressive Farm Manager qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.