Purchasing Agent Careers Information
Purchasing agents are responsible for making corporate purchases of goods and services for use by their organization. The goods that they buy, and the efficiency with which they do so, can have a great impact on their organization.
Purchasing Agent Careers & Degrees
- Art Institute of Pittsburgh: Online
Purchasing agents evaluate suppliers of necessary goods for quality and price. As many organizations have switched to “just-in-time” supply chains (the use of sophisticated tracking tools to facilitate buying supplies on an as-needed basis, rather than maintaining large, costly, warehouses of supplies), the job of the purchasing agent has become even more crucial.
He or she must make timely purchases at the lowest possible cost to ensure there are no delays or stoppages in their organization’s production process.
Purchasing agent careers use a wide range of tools to investigate their suppliers. They attend meetings, conferences, and trade shows to view presentations and network with colleagues to find out details about suppliers and their goods.
The internet is a crucial fact-finding tool for purchasing agents as well. Regardless of how they gather information, purchasing agents must make informed, rational decisions in order that their organization can operate efficiently and in a cost-effective manner.
Purchasing Agent Careers Path
A bachelor’s degree is required in order to be competitive for any purchasing position. The concentration of the degree can vary with the type of purchasing position sought (purchasing positions for fashion outlets would benefit from degrees pertaining to fashion or design, purchasing positions in the manufacturing industry would benefit from degrees in engineering, etc).
However, all purchasing agents, regardless of specific industry, should have some amount of business or finance coursework. For most industries, master’s degrees are essential for advancement into higher-level purchasing positions.
Nearly all entry-level purchasing agents will undergo some form of formal training with their new company. These training programs can include apprentice- or assistant-style positions, working under experienced purchasing agents; or may entail working with production or fabrication departments; or tracking stock or selling products.
All training programs revolve around familiarizing the new purchasing agent with the goods they will be purchasing and how they will be used by the company.
Purchasing Agent Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Familiarity with computers and ability to learn new programs quickly, strong quantitative ability, excellent analytical skills, good communication skills, professional appearance and good negotiation abilities
Purchasing Agent Careers: Salary Expectations
Most purchasing agents earn between $63,000 and $81,000 per year. The median salary falls around $72,000 per year. However, purchasing salaries can vary by industry: for example, the median salary for retail and wholesale buyers, as well as purchasing agents of farm and agricultural equipment, is closer to $49,000.
Purchasing Agent Careers: Job Outlook
Total employment of purchasing agents is expected to grow on pace with overall employment for the next decade. Specialized industries will see the fastest growth, as companies outsource greater numbers of functions, requiring buyers to procure goods and services that were previously done in-house.
Technical and manufacturing industries are good examples of such industries.
Slightly Off the Footpath
Sources: salary.com; bls.gov/oco/ocos023.htm
