Whether he’s in a field with his truck, tractor or combine, if Tom Senko has some spare time, he’s usually on his iPhone, which has become an essential part of farming, especially this summer during the pandemic.
With the device in his hand, the 50-year-old farmer from Humboldt, Sask, monitors the moisture and temperature of his fields, spends time marketing his crops to buyers, and keeps an eye on advance weather information, so he knows which parts of his land may receive rain and how much.
The pandemic has sped up the adoption of technology in the agricultural industry as farmers spend more time with digital tools and programs and less time having face-to-face meetings.
Just as most people have turned to online shopping this year because of the pandemic lockdown and spent much more of their work day on video calls, the same trends are happening on the farm.
Senko, who grows grain and oilseeds on about 4,000 hectares, ordered much of his seed and other supplies online this year, for the first time, and he also started using Zoom and other video conferencing programs to communicate with experts if he has a problem with a particular weed or pest.
Senko collects a variety of data about his crops, including yield trends, water use, and the temperature and humidity levels of his fields. (Don Somers/CBC News)
“I was really hesitant at first,” Senko said about video calling. “I thought, ‘Oh this is going to be a train wreck,’ but it’s been really good. I haven’t been Zoom-bombed yet.”
‘Complicated business’
Digital technology has played a growing role in agriculture in recent years, from using data to monitor the health of livestock to employing mobile apps to control the irrigation of fields or the temperature of a barn, among many examples.
Nutrien makes the kind of software used by farmers. The Calgary-based international fertilizer company says it has seen a noticeable rise in uptake of its data collection tools designed for farmers, such as tracking the amount of water being consumed on a farm or how much carbon is being emitted and how much sequestered.
“Farmers need help to make a lot of decisions. This is a very complicated business, especially trying to balance productivity of their land and climate change,” said Nutrien chief executive Chuck Magro.
A bucket of freshly harvested grain on Senko’s farm. (Don Somers/CBC News)
Nutrien set a goal at the beginning of the year to reach $500 million in online sales in 2020, but easily blew through that target a few months into the pandemic. Beyond e-commerce, Magro says, the digital tools can improve efficiency and sustainability in the industry.
“It’s a great set of tools that I think are very timely and very important, because we have to work through how agriculture is going to contribute to improving climate change.”
The pandemic has sped up the industry’s transition, though it hasn’t been without challenges. Access to high-speed internet is still unreliable in some parts of rural Canada, and the problem has been more apparent than ever this year.
“This year, it made you realize how important the internet is,” said Greg Stamp, a seed farmer in Enchant, Alta., about 200 kilometres southeast of Calgary.
“Our rural internet just can’t keep up. It gets bogged down and sometimes is just unusable. We definitely noticed that. It’s a weakness in rural infrastructure.”
WATCH | Innovation on the farm is more than just online shopping:
Nutrien CEO Chuck Magro says more farmers are buying product online because of the pandemic and they are also using more digital programs do improve efficiency and sustainability on the farm. 1:20
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
