Horse Jobs and Hiring Blog

7 warning signs that an Equestrian Job Candidate Won't Work Out

When you interview people for equestrian jobs, listen carefully to what a candidate says to you.  Watch for these warning signs.

1. If the candidate stresses how dependable, hard-working, and competent they are, but cannot present any facts to back up these claims, there may be a problem.

2. If you ask a question that seems straight forward and the candidate is taken by surprise and doesn't really know what to say, they may be overselling their abilities.

3. If you ask what a candidate considers his or her "strengths and weaknesses" and the response is only about strengths, a red flag should go up.  Some candidates may even say they don't have any weaknesses.  At the very least this tells you they are not in touch with themselves.

4. If a candidate can't tell you what the most critical part of their current or previous job is, they may have little idea of how their job fits in to the over all scheme of the business.

5. If a candidate indicates they want to change jobs because their present situation does not provide an "opportunity to advance", they may not have a clue how to take on more responsibility and merit a promotion.

6. If a candidate expresses a strong desire to work for you, but can't be specific about why, they may be just trying to snow you.

7. If references just can't seem to tell you about a candidate's past job performance, maybe there is not much that is good to report.

8. If you give your candidates tasks to perform such as sending a resume or calling at a particular time and they don't follow through, this may be an indicator of how well they will follow instructions on the job.

Follow this link for information on equestrian job descriptions. 

In Equestrian Jobs, Negotiate so Everybody Wins

Conventional wisdom says "stick up for number one."  "Nobody will take care of you if you don't."  Our society sends us the message that this is the attitude we should have when we negotiate for a equestrian jobs.  Negotiating is seen by many people as a "battle of adversaries."   Each side is out to get whatever they can. 

Approaching negotiations as adversaries is not the best way to get the results you want.  The best negotiations take place between people who have mutual respect for each other and are working together to find a result where everybody wins. 

Some employers only seem to be happy if they are cheating or dominating their employees.  Good employers understand that they are not the only ones that need to be happy with the employment relationship. They understand that if employees are not happy, they will leave and the business will suffer. 

When you negotiate, avoid ultimatums.  (I need X, Y, or Z or I am not interested.)  Always state your need and then ask the other person to respond with their reactions and ideas.  Tell the other person that you are as interested in a good deal for them as you are in a good deal for you.  Acknowledge their needs, and tell them how you can fill them.  Be confident that if everyone's real needs are not met, the relationship won't last very long anyway.  Don't accept something that you know will not work.  For instance, everyone needs time off for rest and relaxation. If employees don't get enough time off, productivity drops.  With a little more time off, employees can do a better job when they are at work. 

Negotiate as collaborators not adversaries.  Focus on arranging things so that everybody's needs are met and everybody wins.  For more information on building a career in the horse industry play The Career Game.  For more information on hiring and keeping good help, read this short article.

Six ways to Shoot an Equestrian Employment Search in the Foot

At www.equimax.com I see new ways all the time that people seeking equine employment sabotage their own efforts and essentially "shoot themselves in the foot."  Here are six quick things that you can easily avoid and improve your chances of finding an equestrian job.

1. Don't use one name on your resume and then another on your email.  You may have a maiden name, or middle name that you use some times and not others.  Or you may have a hyphenated last name that you use sometimes and not others.  This a great way to confuse potential employers. Employers may be considering several candidates.  If your name is Mary Smith or Mary S. Jones, or Mary Jones-Smith, pick one name, stick to it and use it everywhere in your job search.  If you send a resume using Mary Smith and then sign your email Mary S. Jones, employers may easily lose track of who you are. 

2. Use a plain generic email address and stay away from cute and clever addresses.  The employment process is filled with emotion.  Employers may be leery of you if they don't like your email address.  If you use something like "horsenut@gmail.com" or "gypsyhorselover@yahoo.com", or "horsebreaker@hotmail.com" you may quickly turn some potential employers against you. Use a straight forward email address for your equine employment search. Many names with a middle initial are still available. Where davidjones@hotmail.com might not be available, davidrjones@hotmail.com might be available.  Avoid using underscores in your email address.  They are often missed when transcribing an email address.

3. Be sure your equestrian job resume includes a chronologically consistent history of employment.  A history of employment is not a list of references.  It should simply show when you worked for an employer, what your title was, the name of the employer, and the city and state where the employer is located.  Further contact information is not recommended.  (Prepare a separate list of references for that.) Potential equine employers will want to see that you have worked in the horse industry and they won't want to see gaps in your chronology.  Gaps make it seem like you are hiding something, and one of the first things many equine employers will ask is "What were you doing during those missing times?"  If you need help with your resume, click here.

4. Respond to all messages promptly.  Don't assume anything.  You never know what a contact will lead to.  Even the seemingly most objectionable or irrelevant contact can develop into a hot lead for equestrian employment.  Be professional, courteous and prompt. 

5. Proofread your communications. Employers for equestrian jobs will judge you by how well you communicate.  If your messages are full of grammar and spelling mistakes, or take liberty with the English language, employers are likely to figure your sloppiness with communication a poor work ethic. If you are not confident about your writing ability, ask someone else to proofread your communications. 

6. Don't "oversell your abilities." People don't get ahead in an equine employment career by pretending they can do something and hoping for the best.  The fastest, most effective way to build a career from equestrian jobs is to find a job with a good employer and a job you can "do in your sleep."  Spend the first six months to a year at your new job demonstrating that you can do your job correctly, efficiently, and productively. Then be looking for your employer to give you more duties and responsibilities (promote you.)  Taking a job you can just barely do and hoping you will get by is the quickest way to kill of a career. 

If you would like more tips and advice on how to build a career in equine employment take a look at "The Career Game" The Career Game is a free on-line tool for building a career in equine employment.

Salaries for Horse Jobs in the USA

Everybody wants to know what a job pays or what an employee should ask. Salaries and compensation in horse jobs are a touchy subject.  With out data, everyone is in the dark.  Employers don't know what to pay and applicants don't know what to ask. 

Equimax has come to the rescue with the Horse Industry Compensation Study.  Compensation is much more than salary.  Compensation may include, commissions, bonuses, housing, health benefits, retirement plans, board for horses, meals, or a vehicle to drive.  Information on all this compensation for horse jobs in the USA is available in the Horse Industry Compensation Study.  

Participate in the study and you can see the results for free!  If you don't have time to participate and you just want to see the results, get permanent access to the results for only $19.95, by  ordering here.

Don't be in the dark any longer.  Find out what the competition is paying or being paid. 

Yes You Can Provide or Get Health Benefits in Jobs with Horses

Horse industry employers often say they would love to provide health benefits for the jobs with horses, but they just can't afford it.  Traditional health insurance is getting more expensive all the time, and it is beyond the reach of many equine industry employers, especially employers with a large staff.  On the other hand, nothing means more for horse industry employees than employer provided health benefits.  Health benefits even rank ahead of salary. 

The good news is that there are all sorts of plans out there, some of which are quite inexpensive.  One type of Accident Plan (underwritten by The Hartford Companies, A+ rated) covers an individual or everyone in a family, per person, per any accidental incident on or off the job, up to $5,000 for $19.95 per month.  Medical Savings accounts are another way to provide great benefits at a reasonable cost. Even for the more expensive plans, you can split the cost with your employees according to any formula you want. 

For a detailed discussion of the options, view this article by Heather Gentry. Employers want their staff to be healthy and on the job as much as possible.  Workers want to feel that their employers care about them and will at least share the cost of health benefits.  Employers and workers alike should be educated on the options available. 

How to Dress for a Horse Job Interview

The wrong clothing can ruin the impression you create in a horse job interview.  If you are applying for a job as a Barn Manager, and you show up dressed like a Wall Street Secretary, or a Mortgage Banker in a coat and tie or a pants suit, you will probably blow the interview before it even starts.

The prevailing rule for dressing for an interview is to dress as you would dress on a normal day if doing the job you are applying for.  For a Barn Manager position, this probably means a nice casual shirt suitable for working and blue jeans.  If it is cold, wear a vest or a work jacket. 

The same rule of thumb applies to other horse jobs.  If the job is Trainer or Riding Instructor, dress as you would normally dress for that job. Do NOT go out a buy new clothes unless you have nothing but rags.  If you show up in brand new clothes, it will be obvious that you purchased them for the occasion. 

Be sure your clothes are clean and do not have holes or patches.  Your foot wear should be clean and well kept.  It need not be polished for the occasion, unless you are in the habit of polishing your work shoes every day. 

When the employer meets with you for an interview, the employer needs to visualize you as you will be on the job.  This not only extends to your skills and background, it includes the way you dress. 

For more helpful information on job hunting in the equine industry, check out our free on-line tool called The Career Game.

How is the Horse Industry Economy Doing?

How is the Horse Industry economy really doing?  I hear all sorts of hopes and complaints, but what is really going on? 

Is the horse industry economy still getting worse, has it leveled out, is it starting to get better?  What do you think?  Do you think we are suffering more than other industries?  Are you optimistic about the future of the industry?

It's time to "take the temperature" of the horse industry economy. Is it hot or cold? Give me your opinion. Take this five-question two-minute survey and see all the results.

To participate, Click Here .

10 Words that Don't Belong in a Resume or Job Ad!

Here are some words and phrases that should never be used when advertising a job or writing a resume.  Can you figure out why?

Self-Motivated
Hard Working
Dedicated
Organized
Reliable
Dependable
Good with People
Expert
Detail-Oriented
Responsible

These words and others like them describe "subjective qualities." They represent qualities that are definitely desireable in an employment relationship. However, advertising for these qualities or including them in your resume can backfire. Subjective qualities are just that, subjective.  If you are an employer, you should not care if an applicant thinks they have some of these qualities.  You should care whether YOU think they have these qualities.  As an applicant, you need to let employers draw their own conclusions about your subjective qualities from the relationships you build with them. 

   When it comes to subjective qualities, your opinion is the ONLY opinion that counts. You will form that opinion as you get to know each candidate. Don't try to screen for subjective qualities with your advertisement. It won't work!

The best job seekers know that when an ad contains words like these, the employer probably has trouble hiring and keeping good help. All horse industry employers have trouble finding good help from time to time, but you don't want to advertise your failures, do you? Write your ad to attract the best people. Give them a reason to work for you instead of for someone else. Draw your own conclusions about each person's subjective qualities after they respond to your ad.

Do I Need an Employment Contract in my Next Horse Job?

Both job seekers and employers ask "Do I need an employment contract for my next horse job or employee?"  Usually this question comes up right after a bad experience with an employer or employee.  When things don't go well, we naturally ask, "How can I avoid this situation in the future?" 

We live in a society where contracts are common, so we naturally think that a contract will help protect us in the future.  But, lets take a look at what happens if there is a breach of contract. 

If things go really badly in an employment relationship where a contract is involved, the only serious remedy is for one party or the other to sue for specific performance in court. However, the time, energy, and money that a lawsuit will take from you is probably not worth it. In most situations, employers and employees will be best served by simply cutting their losses and moving on. 

After all, if you are the employer, are you going to want to keep an employee who has filed a lawsuit against you?  If you are an employee, are you going to want to continue working for an employer who is suing you?  In employment contract disputes, even if the suit is successful, the employment relationship is likely to fall appart.  You may win the battle, but you will lose the war and probably damage your reputation in the process. 

Underneath it all, the best reason to have a contract is so that everyone is on the same page and has the same expectations.  Most employment relationships fall apart becuase of misunderstandings and differing expectations. 

In most horse jobs, a written job description will spell out the duties and responsibilities of a job, without the need for a formal employment contract and all that contracts entail.  

A written job description should be prepared by the employer.  However, if the employer does not prepare one, the applicant can write one.  For sample employer and applicant job descriptions download the free horse industry job description reference.   

One significant exception to the rule of thumb about contracts vs. job descriptions involves what happens after an employee leaves.  Employers may wish to protect themselves from Trainers or Riding Instructors who leave their employ and set up shop down the road, or cause clients to follow them.  In this case a contract with a non-competition clause or language concerning clients may be appropriate.  After all, if you end up having to sue in this kind of situation, the person will no longer be working for you anyway.

Nothing here should be considered legal advice.  I am not an attorney and you may need to consult one.  A little forethought goes a long way when it comes to matters of employment.