Laura and Adam echoed Luke’s view: industry knowledge can help at first, but it’s often a short-lived advantage. In the long run, personality traits prevail. Those who are switched-on, genuinely interested, and committed to learning the industry thrive, even if they start with no prior knowledge. Furthermore, product knowledge is only half the battle. As Laura explained: “ You can absolutely teach products… You cannot teach somebody how to speak to other people. People buy from people. If you’re interested in it, you will become an expert… You just spend time learning it and you practice it. ” In reality, most roles within modern agriculture are multifaceted. Take the grain marketplace example: its roles often demand commercial acumen, analytical ability, strong relationshipbuilding and negotiation skills, along with an understanding of the wider agricultural context. If you find someone with these core skills, even if they lack sector knowledge there’s no reason they can’t succeed, provided they have the drive to learn and the correct support. How Can We Support People Without An Agricultural Background? When Laura first entered agriculture, she took a hands-on approach to learning: “ I wasn’t afraid to get my sleeves rolled up… I grain sampled, did soil sampling, helped load biomass. I just always got involved in the early days. ” Now, as a manager, she applies the same principle to onboarding. For the first month, her new hires focus solely on learning, immersing themselves in meetings and conversations with colleagues and customers so they can ask questions and absorb the industry from every angle. Adam shares a similar view: “ The only way you’re going to learn is to go out and learn… Watch Countryfile, watch lambing live, see what’s going on in the industry. Start small, visit smaller farms first, then build up. Most of it is about conversations. Ask questions. Nothing is a stupid question… Even veterans meet new products. ” Both approaches highlight that if someone has the curiosity and interest they can learn about farming and with time gain a high-level understanding. Many companies specialise in a focused range of products and services designed to solve specific challenges, so understanding what your company offers and the problems it addresses is often more important than mastering every technical detail. Newcomers should start there. A salesperson dealing with farms facing similar issues day after day will quickly spot patterns and learn what the best approach is if they are well supported. 19 25 Years of De Lacy Executive recruitment Ollie O’Driscoll
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