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.
At a Glance
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products. Top skills: Getting Information, English Language, Communicating with People Outside the Organization.
Not available
Not available
N/A
Varies
Skills & Requirements
Skills (16)
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
Knowledge (8)
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 laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
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 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 administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
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 circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Abilities (13)
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Technology (16)
Category: Project management software | Hot Technology
Work Activities (27)
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Careers with Overlapping Skills
These occupations share the most skills. A career transition between them means many of your skills transfer directly.
Cost Estimators
Business and Financial Operations · 216 shared skills
Human Resources Specialists
Business and Financial Operations · 214 shared skills
Sales Managers
Management · 214 shared skills
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Office and Administrative Support · 213 shared skills
General and Operations Managers
Management · 212 shared skills
Marketing Managers
Management · 212 shared skills
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
Sales and Related · 212 shared skills
Accountants and Auditors
Business and Financial Operations · 212 shared skills
Explore Key Skills
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to build these skills?
Sign up to find courses that teach these skills, track your progress, and build a skills passport aligned to Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products.
Get Started Free