For FFA Members
If you’re looking to begin your career immediately following high school graduation, this program is a great fit for you! Through Kentucky FFA Works, you can apply to multiple employment opportunities with just one application.
About the Process
After creating or updating your resume and cover letter, fill out the online application by May 15, 2024. Be sure to select all the regional areas you’re willing to work in - the more areas you select, the more employment opportunities you’ll be opening yourself up to. (Think about where you’re willing to live and drive to.)
After you apply, be sure to remind your FFA advisor to complete the advisor recommendation form that was emailed to them.
As early as the end of May, you’ll hear directly from the companies that would like to interview you. Since employers may be contacting you directly, make sure to answer any calls and have a professional voicemail set up. Also, make sure you’re checking your non-school email regularly, including your spam folder. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that every student that applies will receive an interview.
If you are offered, and accept, a position, you will work directly with your new employer to determine the next logistical steps about your new job.
Let’s roll up our sleeves.
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Your resume is your biggest opportunity to showcase the skills and experiences you have to offer to your future employer. It’s a great idea to highlight any leadership experience you’ve had through FFA (ex. chapter officer, leadership conferences, achievements, SAE experience, etc.) and how that has helped prepare you to be a great employee. You should also include past work experience and what responsibilities you had. Be sure to include any special skills you’ve developed (driving equipment, handling livestock, certifications, etc.) as well.
Check out this resource for more ideas of what to include on your resume.
For resume design, Canva and Google Docs offer many designs that can help your resume stand out.
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Your cover letter is the opportunity to introduce yourself to an employer through a personalized explanation of your qualifications and interest in the position.
A comprehensive cover letter includes a header, greeting, introduction, qualifications, values and goals, call to action, and a signature.
Read more about integrating these components into your cover letter here.
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Prepare for success in a job interview by practicing potential questions. The best responses often include examples of your experiences. For example, if you are asked about a time you had to communicate with a team, you could share about a time you were on a team in FFA (officer team, competitive team, classroom team, etc.). A few interview questions that may help you begin to practice are:
Tell us about yourself.
Tell us about a time you had to learn something new. How did you find success?
What are your strengths?
Why should we hire you for this position?
How might your agriculture teacher describe you?
Along with interview question practice, make sure to prepare for the following:
Dress appropriately for your interview (Wearing something nicer than jeans shows you are taking the position seriously. Consider wearing a collared shirt, potentially a blazer, and leaving any hats at home.)
Prepare questions to ask the interview committee. (Questions could be around a typical day in the role, what qualities of an employee will make you successful in the role, opportunities for long-term advancement, employee traits that you have not yet had the opportunity to discuss, etc.)
Practice makes perfect! Ask your ag teacher or another trusted professional adult to help you practice your interview.
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April 1st - May 15th: Student Application is Open
May - July: Companies contact applicants to begin the interview process
August: All offers are extended by companies
All successfully hired students will be recognized at the state level by the Kentucky FFA Association