Occupation Profile

Purchasing Agents

(SOC Code : 13-1023)

in California

Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semi-finished materials for manufacturing. Include contract specialists, field contractors, purchasers, price analysts, tooling coordinators, and media buyers. Exclude "Purchasing Agents and Buyers, Farm Products" (13-1021) and "Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products" (13-1022).

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$32.06	$23.21	$30.37	$39.30

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	32,000	34,500	2,500	7.8	1,120

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Electronic Instrument Manufacturing

1,043

6.4%

Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing

281

4.9%

Management of Companies and Enterprises

914

4.1%

Semiconductor and Electronic Components

1,759

3.8%

Architectural and Engineering Services

23,211

3.2%

Employment Services

6,297

2.9%

Building Equipment Contractors

29,622

2.7%

Scientific Research and Development Svc

5,742

2.7%

Computer Systems Design and Rel Services

9,933

2.7%

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

1,393

2.4%

Advertising and Related Services

11,500

1.9%

Computers and Peripheral Equipment

509

1.8%

Colleges and Universities

1,979

1.6%

Medical Equipment and Supplies Mfg

3,367

1.6%

Electrical Equipment and Appliances

1,041

1.5%

Residential Building Construction

22,021

1.5%

Communications Equipment Manufacturing

464

1.3%

Pharmaceutical & Medicine Manufacturing

364

1.2%

Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing

6,864

1.0%

Machine Shops and Threaded Products

4,048

1.0%

Accommodation

11,143

1.0%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

General Merchandising, Sales, & Related Marketing Operations

Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.

Interview vendors and visit suppliers` plants and distribution centers to examine and learn about products, services, and prices.

Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.

Research and evaluate suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier`s reputation and history.

Attend meetings, trade shows, conferences, conventions, and seminars to network with people in other purchasing departments.

Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.

Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes.

Maintain and review computerized or manual records of items purchased, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories.

Arrange the payment of duty and freight charges.

Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.

More Tasks for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Top Skills used in this Job

Active Listening - 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.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

More Skills for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

More Abilities for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

More Work Values for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

More Interests for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Alternate Titles

Contract Specialists; Procurement Clerks; Procurement Specialists; Purchasing Managers