Purchasing Agents
Also called: Buyer, Procurement Official, Procurement Specialist, Purchasing Agent,
What they do:
Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semifinished materials for manufacturing. May negotiate contracts.On the job, you would:
- Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
- Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
- Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
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What they do:
Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semifinished materials for manufacturing. May negotiate contracts.On the job, you would:
- Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
- Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
- Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
KNOWLEDGE
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Business
- management
- customer service
Math and Science
- arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Safety and Government
- law and government
SKILLS
Basic Skills
- reading work related information
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
- bringing people together to solve differences
- talking people into changing their minds or their behavior
ABILITIES
Verbal
- read and understand what is written
- listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
- notice when problems happen
Math
- add, subtract, multiply, or divide
- choose the right type of math to solve a problem
PERSONALITY
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Integrity
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Analytical Thinking
- Initiative
TECHNOLOGY
You might use software like this on the job:
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- SAP
Data base user interface and query software
- Data entry software
- Microsoft Access
Financial analysis software
- IBM Costimater
- Softstar Costar COCOMO II
EDUCATION
- bachelor's degree
JOB OUTLOOK
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
$64,380
$38,230
$107,510