Resume and CV Tips for H2A Jobs in America
South Africans seeking H-2A agricultural jobs in America must distinguish themselves to potential employers through skills, experience, and references. Standing out is easier said than done, especially if you haven’t had the chance to work in America.
Whether you know it or not, you’re competing with other H-2A job seekers around the world, and to get a job, you will need to separate yourself from the pack.
Today’s blog offers some tips on how you, as an H2A candidate in South Africa, can market yourself to farm employers for H2A jobs in America.
Resume and CV tips to get hired for H2A agricultural jobs
Building a great H2A resume takes time, planning, and attention to the details employers want to know before scheduling an interview with you. Here are a few tips for crafting a great H2A resume and CV that stand out to American ag employers:
List your previous farm work experience, and be able to describe your duties and the skills gained or skills needed for success in those roles
Create a resume with an eye on your hard skills (operate machinery, drive semi trucks, etc.) and soft skills (communication, reasoning, fluent in English)
Create a video CV for employers
List legitimate references, even if you need to reach out to former employers to ask (make those calls, and ask graciously if they’d be willing to provide a reference)
Be honest about your experience and skills, but don’t lie or embellish on your resume; employers will see right through this, and potential employers prefer you to be honest
Your main goal is to create an H2A profile and resume that reflects what employers are looking for in their workers. To that end, the USA Truck Labor team is constantly seeking feedback from American ag employers to better understand their labor needs and how to match our training and verification services to meet that demand.
By partnering with USA Farm Labor, the top H2A agency in America for skilled South Africans, we have a direct path to learning about the labor needs and desires of American ag employers. American farm employers need skilled workers who can speak English, have driving and equipment skills, and at least some experience or exposure to the ag industry, even if it’s not in America.
Importance of listing experience, skills, and references on your H2A job search resume
American farm employers want to know about your farming experience and the skills you possess, and how those areas will translate to being a successful hire for their operation. That’s also where solid references come into play. Good references will verify your skills and affirm your prior experience for American ag employers.
South Africans are highly sought after for skilled farm jobs, such as operating equipment, driving trucks, and maintaining and repairing machinery. Your H2A resume should reflect that you possess skills in at least one of these areas. Be sure to include details such as:
Types of machines: List whether it’s a sprayer, tractor, harvester, etc.
Makes and models: Get specific about the equipment by listing the makes and models (i.e. John Deere Tractor 7R series) you have experience operating.
Time and experience: Including details such as the number of hours logged on a machine or the number of years of experience will help you stand out.
Tasks performed: Add the types of tasks you have performed with each piece of equipment to demonstrate your skills and aptitude for ag.
Learn more about the different types of farm jobs in America
Finding references can be a little more difficult, especially when you haven’t previously worked in American ag. If you haven’t worked in the States before, list all of your relevant ag experience in South Africa or your country of origin. Be sure to include details such as:
Dates employed with years and months listed
Types of tasks performed
Name and title of supervisors or managers
Phone number and address of employer
Types of machinery used
Types of crops or livestock
Methods of farming or raising livestock (i.e., no till farming)
Location of farm or ag business
The goal here is to make it easy for potential employers to learn more about your experience and skills through your references. Give plenty of details and information to paint a full picture of your experience with an ag employer. You’ll need to ensure there aren’t any gaps between your H2A resume and your references, and that your most relevant jobs are listed as references.
Tips for creating a stellar CV video for H2A jobs
One of the most important aspects of a stellar H2A profile is your CV video. Your CV video should be a one- to two-minute video that conveys your farmwork experience, skills, and worker personality. Be sure to express your desire to work in American ag. While employers realize you’re not a video maker (that’s not why they’re hiring you), there are a few things you can do to create a great H2A CV video that stands out to potential employers and lands you interviews:
Choose a nice background and setting (don’t sit on your couch with your cat)
Write a short script or an outline to memorize or at least practice what you’re going to say before recording
Stick to the facts, such as your skills, experience, and work ethic
Use specific examples of equipment and prior experience
Keep the total run time under two minutes
Use another person to help film, or use a tripod or a camera stand, so you don’t have to hold your phone/camera
Use a simple, free video editing software to finalize your video
Incorporate USA Truck Labor’s complimentary drone footage from your training session
Upload the video to YouTube so it’s easily accessible for anyone with the link (potential employers)
You don’t need to create an award-winning cinematic masterpiece to have an effective CV video. When you upload the video to YouTube, you can set the video’s web address as “unlisted,” so the video is not discoverable by search engines if someone Googles your name. An “unlisted” video still exists on YouTube and can be viewed by anyone you choose by sending them the link. The unlisted feature makes it easy to use YouTube to house your CV video without worrying about it being public or compromising your online privacy.
Instantly boost your H2A profile with USA Truck Labor’s training and verification services
If you’re struggling to get noticed by American ag employers, you might need to beef up your H2A resume. USA Truck Labor’s training program gives you tangible skills that will help you land the H2A job you’ve been waiting for.
After completion of the USA Truck Labor training program, you’ll have verified skills that you can list on your resume. You’ll also have drone footage of your skills behind the wheel. The drone footage demonstrates knowledge that you can safely operate the types of trucks most commonly found on American farms or ag businesses.
Our partnership with USA Farm Labor puts your profile near the top of the list of available candidates for their American farmers to discover first, putting you in a better position to land an interview and receive a job offer. Your profile will also stand out with a truck icon next to your name so their farmers know you’ve been trained and verified through our program.
