Take a free class in management communication from MIT's Sloan School of Management to get a jumpstart on the skills you'll need in this career.

Take an online class in management communication. 

There are a variety of risks that companies and organizations face that can cause them to incur losses. Get trained and certified to be able to identify, assess, and mitigate risk factors. 

Get certified in risk management.

The skills of a project manager are desirable qualities in a variety of careers & some even require certification. Do your research on various certification programs that would benefit your career. 

Get certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Prepare to take on that leadership role by gaining valuable management tools and techniques that help improve processes within an organization.

Get Lean Six Sigma certified.

Learn about the basics of operations management by taking a class online or at your school. Discover how this skill can benefit a variety of careers. 

Take an operations management class. 

Learn about the basics of auditing and how this skill can be used in a variety of careers. Take a class online or at your school. 

Take a class on auditing.

Think of a problem at your school and brainstorm a solution. Write down the problem and your approach, and why you think that this new approach would work. Do you like tackling problems like this?

Find something that bothers you—then fix it.

Obtaining a purchasing certification can give you an advantage in the world of business and supply chain management. Check out what it takes to get started today!

Become a Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP). 

Obtain a compliance certification in order to stand out in the job market or take your current career to the next level. Check out what it takes to get started today!

Become a Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP).

Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

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.

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Buyers and Purchasing Agents

Business and Financial Operations Occupations

Business Operations Specialists

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.

Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.

Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.

Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.

Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.

Maintain and review computerized or manual records of purchased items, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories.

Research and evaluate suppliers, based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.

Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.

Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Overview

Career

What Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Do

Other Job Titles Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Overview

Career

What Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Do

Other Job Titles Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders