Purchasing Agents

service information supplier supply contract conventional interests applicable law market condition english language purchase machinery

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.

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

  • Microsoft Dynamics Hot Technology
  • Oracle PeopleSoft Hot Technology

Word processing software

  • Google Docs Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology In Demand

Data base user interface and query software

  • Microsoft Access Hot Technology
  • Oracle Database Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree
usually needed

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about purchasing agents.