Requirements of Companies

In the period from April to September 2016, a total of 202 job advertisements from agricultural job portals were analyzed. The study examined the sectors and occupational fields in which academically trained professionals were sought and the requirements placed on them.

The classification of sectors was carried out according to the industry directory. The largest share of job opportunities was found in the areas of research, the food industry, and public authorities.

Job titles are highly diverse. By far the most frequently sought positions are:

• Sales consultants (18%)
  
• Research associates (12%)
  
• Agricultural advisors (9%)
  
• Clerical officers (6%)
  
• Farmers (5%)
  
• Trainees (4%)
  
• Editors/trainees (4%)
  

The job offers for sales consultants and agricultural advisors can be divided into different focal areas:

The following list illustrates the wide variety of job titles:

Sales manager, doctoral candidate, project manager, agricultural engineer, consultant, product developer, auditor, managing director, vocational school teacher, expert, plant breeder, herd manager, solution manager, project assistant, assistant to the head of sales, livestock marketer, trainee administrator, head of customer service, product manager, account manager, quality manager, HR manager, data manager, market analyst, executive assistant, wind energy acquisition manager, field trial technician, marketing manager, project manager, team leader

Just like the job titles, there is also a wide range of required tasks. The strong demand for skilled professionals in the areas of research, sales, and consulting is also reflected in the listed tasks.

Previous analyses of company surveys have already shown that employers place high importance on personal and social-communication competencies.
The following figure shows the soft skills considered most important by companies.