Finding the right people is key to running a successful sheep and beef operation. This section walks you through the essentials of hiring – from writing clear job descriptions to advertising roles, handling applications and running effective interviews. It’s designed to help you choose the best fit for your team while giving applicants a fair, positive experience from start to finish.
Recruiting
- Why is recruitment important? (PDF, 454KB) – a quick snapshot of why smart recruitment matters on farm - how good hiring strengthens your team, cuts avoidable costs, and sets you up with the right people from the start.
- Checklist of things to consider before advertising (PDF, 274KB) – a quick checklist to help you advertise well covering what to include, how to stand out, and the key details that make your job ad clear, professional, and appealing to the right applicants.
- Job descriptions (PDF, 348KB) – give you a clear picture of each role – what’s expected, the skills needed, and how the job fits into the wider farm team. Check out the example ones to help build the ones for your farm.
- Example of a job description from the Food and Fibre CoVE employer toolkit (PDF, 368KB).
- Job description template (PDF, 348KB).
- Job analysis (PDF, 358KB) – using job analysis to identify tasks, duties and responsibilities involved in a job and the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform it.
- Person specifiation (PDF, 109KB) - this factsheet explains why person specifications matter and how they help employers objectively select the best applicant.
- Person specification template (PDF, 109KB).
- Describe and advertise a job (PDF, 915KB) – a practical guide to describing the role, outlining key responsibilities, and writing a job ad that stands out to the right candidates.
- Good attraction (PDF, 55KB) – this case study from the Food and Fibre CoVE employment toolkit gives you some real-world examples of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to attraction and employment of new staff.
Selection
- Handling job applications (PDF, 203KB) – a quick guide to managing job applications well – from sorting candidates to communicating clearly.
- Reviewing applications (PDF, 1.1MB) – a quick guide to reviewing applicants and running effective interviews.
- Interviewing (PDF, 183KB) – a handy set of interview questions to help you dig deeper, compare candidates fairly, and choose the right fit for your farm team.
- A simple overview of behavioural interviewing (PDF, 37.1KB) – using past actions to reveal how someone is likely to work on your farm.
- Interview types (PDF, 44.1KB) – this resource from the Food and Fibre CoVE employment toolkit can help you understand the different types of interviews and what one will suit your business best.
Remuneration and agreements
- Individual employment agreements (PDF, 823KB) – this resource explains what must be included in an Individual Employment Agreement and helps you set up a fair, transparent employment relationship.
- Remuneration(PDF, 874KB) – a straightforward guide to understanding wages, benefits, and the full range of remuneration options for farm employees.
- Employment paperwork checklist (PDF, 298KB) – this checklist from the Food and Fibre CoVE employment toolkit helps you ensure you have covered all the paperwork required when hiring.
Check out resources from Dairy NZ on the interview process.
- Federated Farmers Employment Guides – Federated Farmers offers a range of practical guides to help employers understand their responsibilities and manage staff with confidence. These resources cover things like agreements, workplace policies, and good employment practice – handy reference material when you’re hiring or managing people on farm.
Image supplied by Otiwhiti Station