Guidance.help

Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

In the Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products occupation, workers purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. You may also need to monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations. Interest ratings put Conventional on top at 5.7 out of 7 and Enterprising second, so the code is CER and the day leans toward orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in negotiation, reading comprehension, and writing helps most here. It tends to suit people who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.

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.

Main tasks

  • Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
  • Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
  • Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
  • Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
  • Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.
  • Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.

Skills

  • Negotiation
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Active Listening

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on negotiation and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.2 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CER takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Buyer
  • Contract Administrator (Contract Admin)
  • Procurement and Contracting Administrator (Procurement and Contracting Admin)
  • Procurement and Contracting Buyer
  • Procurement Official

Related careers

Is this your direction?

See how your interests line up with CER and 906 other careers.

Take the career test

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.