Purchasing agents buy the raw materials, products, and services a company needs for its operation. They coordinate their buying schedules with company production schedules so that company funds will not be tied up unnecessarily in materials ordered too soon or in too large a quantity.
In small companies, a purchasing manager, assisted by a few purchasing agents and expediters, handles all aspects of buying. Large companies employ many purchasing agents, with each one specializing in one item or in a group of related items.
Beginners in this field function as junior purchasing agents, ordering standard and catalog items until they gain enough experience to handle more difficult assignments.
Over one-fourth of all purchasing agents work in manufacturing industries. Others are employed by government agencies, construction companies, hospitals, and schools.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Purchasing agents work in all sections of the country but are concentrated in heavily industrialized areas.
They usually work a standard 40-hour workweek but may have longer hours during peak production periods if they work in a seasonal industry.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
A purchasing agent must be able to analyze numbers and technical data to make responsible buying decisions. The person must have a good memory for details and be able to work independently.
High school should include mathematics and science; business courses are also helpful.
Small companies sometimes promote clerical workers or technicians into purchasing jobs or hire graduates of two-year colleges. Most companies, however, require at least a bachelor's degree in liberal arts or business administration with course work in purchasing, accounting, economics, and statistics. Companies that produce complex products such as chemicals or machinery may prefer a degree in science or engineering with an advanced degree in business administration.
Regardless of their educational background, beginners usually undergo an initial training period to learn the company's operating and purchasing requirements and procedures. Successful purchasing agents keep up with developments in their field through participation in seminars offered by professional societies and by taking courses at local colleges and universities.
In private industry, the recognized mark of experience and professional competence is the designation certified purchasing manager (CPM) conferred by the National Association of Purchasing Management, Inc. In government agencies, the designation is certified public purchasing officer (CPPO), which is conferred by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. Both have educational and experience standards and require a series of examinations.
Potential and Advancement
The Burea of Labor Statistics estimates that the field will grow by only 2 percent between 2014 and 2024, indicating weak job opportunites.
Purchasing agents can advance to purchasing manager and to executive positions such as director of purchasing or materials management. Some advance by moving to larger companies with more complex purchasing requirements.
Income
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for purchasing agents was $59,620 in 2015.
Related Jobs
Related jobs are retail buyer, traffic manager, and production manager.
