Farmers' Market Managers/Promoters

Any sales or management experience will be useful for farmers’ market managers and promoters. Try to find jobs or volunteer positions with local farmers’ markets or any retail operation.

Management positions, in general, require strong, clear communication skills. This is especially true for farmers' market managers. They deal with a wide range of people, from the general public to farmers and employees. Patience, flexibility, and diplomacy serve this type of work well. Knowledge of farming and farming products is also especially helpful. Familiarity with software programs, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Publisher, are essential for administrative work. And fluency in another language, such as Spanish, may come in handy. Creative skills are useful in successfully advertising and promoting farmers' markets. Negotiation skills are also helpful in attracting and securing vendors for the market. Other important traits include the ability to multitask, self-motivation, top-notch financial skills, and problem-solving ability.