Burts Greenhouses

Opportunities

Here are some questions designed to get you thinking about the kind of day you would have when working at Burt's Greenhouses. Remember that since a wide variety of skills are required there is not necessarily a right or wrong answer, but there will definitely be some skills that are more important than others, and some positions will fill more quickly than others. For example we already have two bosses and that is quite enough thankyou...

Context Possible Responses Notes
It is 15 minutes from quitting time. Your supervisor comes to you and asks if you can work an extra two hours to get a load out or fill in for someone who cannot make it. No I always work to now and that is it, see you tomorrow. I want to be on retail sales so my hours will be more predictable.
I can't tonight due to commitments but I can tomorrow.
Sure, any extra time you can give me would be great, but in future can you give me more notice? I want to earn the max in a short time period (May). 		We must make hay while the sun shines. Orders must go out on time. Wholesale load preparers in Odessa can work long days, good for those who want to earn the max in a short period of time in May. The hours at the retail locations are more predictable.
You are working from your tractor about 200 metres from the parking lot where you left your car. It starts to shower with rain and you estimate that it will be about 15 minutes before you are back there so that you can pick up your rain gear... Run for the parking lot and run back or drive tractor to parking lot immediately.
Put on the jacket you have tied around your waist in anticipation of the dark clouds opening up.
Speed up, get the immediate job done, get to the parking lot and change sweaters. 		You may occasionally get wet. Pack a change of sweater! Another issue of making hay while the sun shines (or doesn?t!). Orders will come in and must be prepared rain or shine.
Can you tell the difference between a pansy, a petunia and a geranium? No
Yes
No but I am a fast learner 		Many employees start knowing very little about plants and their care. The expectation will be that you will learn on a constant basis on the job. Each day there will be something that will help you become more technically proficient.
Your supervisor asks you to fetch a flat of red petunias from bed A5. When you get there you find that there are no red petunias only pink and white. Grab a flat of pink and bring it back
Ask for guidance what you should do
Search the whole of the outside beds for red petunia because they must be here somewhere since the computer says so, and I dont want to disturb my sup 		We use walkie talkies quite a lot to resolve issues like this. Customer may or may not be willing to take a substitute. Your supervisor will need to be disturbed while they are busy from time to time, it is part of their job.
Your computer does not start when you switch it on. You think it might be a wire that is not plugged in. You look down at the tangled mess of wires... It must be the power cord since the hard drive did not spin up and this must be the cord, you plug it in and it starts up fine
Go get your friend to help you solve the problem
Get as much information as you can, do what you can, leave what you cannot, then get help, explaining what you have found out about the situation. 		Mechanical problems quite often crop up. Whether it is a tangle of wires or a tangle of pipes, if you have the reasoning ability to sort out the problem you have a valuable asset.
We have to keep an eye on pH since some plants like an acidic environment, and some like more alkaline conditions. This kind of talk frightens me.
Yes I agree, it is important to measure pH to at least 2 decimal places.
I would like to learn about this. 		A scientific approach helps keep quality up and is an important component of the watering position.
Do you have transportation to the work site? Yes I have my own car.
I can get a ride.
I live near the workplace. 		Don't even think of cycling to Odessa. After a long day you may not have the energy to get home and end up sleeping in the ditch.
Do you prefer to work alone or in groups? Most people can do both, but tend one way or another. I like to work at my own speed, I am either intimidated by the speed of others or frustrated by their slowness.
I like to be able to measure what I am doing against others, I find the constant interaction with others stimulating and always do better in company.
I feel I am an all-rounder, happy to do either. 		The waterer position tends to spend a lot of time alone, and at the small greenhouses (retail) you may spend a lot of your shift alone. In Odessa you are more likely to be in a group.
Are you a powerhouse of energy with little time for detail, or cool and persistent with a care for each detail as it comes along? I go like a bull at a gate. I need to keep my muscles in motion, moving from one thing to another.
I'm afraid my attention to detail slows me down quite a bit, but I still get the work done.
I can do both. 		The waterer needs to be able to observe and organize. All employees need to be attentive to detail, but circumstances vary. Invoices must always be correct to the last detail.
You may see snakes and other wildlife from time to time. I am frightened by snakes. Keep them away at all costs!
I think snakes are interesting. What kinds do you see, milk, black rats?
Well I would not be pleased to see them, but I am still in control when I do. 		Greenhouses are nice warm places. Many creatures make their homes where they can. Things can show up in unexpected places. Farming is like that. Not a lot can be done.
Burt's has a customer discount programme. You can find a link to details from our main web page. If a customer spent $100 total in Odessa last year and this year they have spent $20 do they get a discount on that purchase? Yes and I can tell you how much the discount is.
No.
I could not find the page that gave details on your discounts. 		Familiarity with our policies for customers is important for some positions. If you can resolve issues confidently without disturbing your supervisor you have a valuable asset.
I like to organize my day. I am disturbed by too much variation in what I am expected to do. This is me.
This is not me.
I rely on others to organize my day. 		Wholesale load preparers need to organize each trip before setting out. Retail sales people have a much more varied day.
I am an emotionally mature person. I can handle most situations with a wide variety of people. This is me.
This is not me.
I rely on others to handle the emotional side of things. 		Retail sales people meet a wide variety of personalities and have to handle the situation in the absence of supervisors, particularly in our remote locations.

Now for your evaluation - what type of score are you expecting...?

I always get A and if I do not get A this time I shall make someones life miserable.

I would feel comfortable if I achieved what I usually score, that is, average.

I would feel comfortable if I achieved what I usually score, that is, a bare pass.

I would like to use this guide as a basis for an intelligent person to person discussion with someone in charge.

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