Using the critical incident method, this study sought to describe job requirements perceived as critical by Michigan Cooperative Extension agents, identify training needs, and determine possible differences in training needs and job requirements according to employment position and tenure. The research involved collecting 444 written descriptions of effective and ineffective job performance from 74 subjects in 23 small group meetings. Incidents were classified by six functional areas. Functions, in order of frequency, were teaching and communicating; organizing; conducting programs; administration; program planning; and evaluation. Other findings included the following: (1) agents of differing tenure reported incidents with similar frequency in all categories except evaluation; (2) the importance hierarchy consisted of organizing, conducting programs, program planning, evaluation, teaching and communicating, and administration; (3) the difficulty hierarchy consisted of evaluation, organizing, administration, program planning, teaching and communicating, and conducting programs; (4) home economists and agriculture and natural resource agents stressed teaching and communicating, while Four-H youth agents stressed organizing. (author/ly)