Say more with less: The real secret of agri-resumes
In agriculture, it’s not about dressing up your experience – it’s about grounding it. Hiring managers in agribusiness aren’t scrolling for fancy formatting or jargon-filled summaries. They’re scanning for capability, culture fit, and evidence that you’ve delivered in the real world. And in an industry where outcomes matter more than optics, your resume should work as hard as you do.
Here’s what makes a resume stand out in agriculture – and how to build one that opens gates, not just inboxes.
1. Straight shooters stand out
Agriculture values results. Resumes that succeed in this sector are as practical and grounded as the work itself.
* Ditch just the titles – lead with impact. “Improved yields by 12%” means more than “Farm Manager”.
* Quantify achievements. Whether it’s tonnes harvested, hectares managed, or safety audits passed, numbers speak.
* Use industry-aligned language. Skip generic business buzzwords. Talk in terms your future manager would use in the field.
Insight: Ag employers aren’t wowed by polish – they’re won over by proof.
2. Don’t hide the hard stuff
Ag is tough. It deals in unpredictable weather, remote logistics, market fluctuations, and lean crews. If you’ve tackled that – say it.
* Faced drought seasons? Share how you managed operations anyway.
* Led a team through harvest shortages? Show what you did to hold things together.
* Rolled out new tech or changed workflows? Highlight how you brought others along for the ride.
Insight: Ag businesses hire doers and decision-makers – not passengers. Stories of resilience and ownership beat fluffy statements every time.
3. Format for function
Recruiters often scan resumes on the go – in a ute, at the airport, or between meetings. Design with that in mind. «
* Keep the layout clean and consistent.
* Use PDFs with simple formatting (avoid graphics that might scramble on mobile).
* Structure like this:
1. A clear 3–4 line summary (what you bring, where you’ve worked, your standout edge).
2. A short, sharp list of achievements.
3. A breakdown of experience, then education and tickets.
Insight: In ag, the best resumes don’t win design awards – they win phone calls.
4. Tailor it. Every time.
Ag recruiters can spot a “spray-and-pray” resume in seconds. Want to show you’re serious? Make the document do the work.
* Mirror the job ad’s language. If they say “crop management,” don’t say “horticultural operations”.
* Prioritise what matters to them. If it’s a leadership role, make sure your people management experience is front and centre.
* Align your story. Position yourself as someone who understands their business and where it’s heading.
Insight: Relevance beats experience if it’s better aligned. A tailored 2-pager will outperform a generic 5-pager every time.
5. Don’t just apply. Position yourself.
The best resumes don’t just list what you’ve done – they help employers picture what you’ll do next.
At March, we work with agri-employers every day. We know what gets attention, what gets skipped, and what leads to interviews.
Whether you’re stepping up from the paddock or pivoting into leadership, we’ll help you:
* Map your career story clearly.
* Translate hands-on experience into high-impact positioning.
* Craft a resume that works as hard as you do – one that fits the industry, the business, and the role.
Want your resume to work as hard as you do? Let’s talk.
