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SOC: 13-1023 |
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products |
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Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semi-finished materials for manufacturing.
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| Career Exploration Guide Index |
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Education: |
Educational requirements vary with the size of the company. Large stores prefer people with a bachelor's degree in a business related field. Manufacturing firms put more emphasis on formal training and prefer people with a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, business, economics, or applied science. Regardless, new employees have to learn the specifics of their employer's business, and they do this on the job. This training could last 1 to 5 years. People interested must have good work processing skills, have knowledge of supply-chain management, good marketing skills, good judgement, and self-confidence.
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Conditions: |
Most purchasing agents work in a comfortable office, but they often work more than 40 hours a week. Evening and weekend work is common. People in this position are under great pressure because of the competitive nature in the wholesale and retail industries. Many purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents travel at least several days a month.
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Outlook: |
Purchasing agents should experience slower than average growth over the period through 2016. Despite the greater use of electronic transactions, purchases of complex equipment is more difficult to automate. Furthermore, as the more technical nature of farm products limits the ease of making purchases electronically, agents will be in demand.
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License: |
License not required.
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