Assistant Buyer Career

*A job as an Assistant Buyer falls under the broader career category of Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products. The information on this page will generally apply to all careers in this category but may not specifically apply to this career title.

Job Description for Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products : Buy merchandise or commodities, other than farm products, for resale to consumers at the wholesale or retail level, including both durable and nondurable goods. Analyze past buying trends, sales records, price, and quality of merchandise to determine value and yield. Select, order, and authorize payment for merchandise according to contractual agreements. May conduct meetings with sales personnel and introduce new products. May negotiate contracts. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.


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Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Product Career

What skills are required for Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products?

Importance Skills
  Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  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.
  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.
  Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
  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.
  Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
  Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
  Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

What knowledge is needed to be an Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Product?

Importance Knowledge
  Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  Customer and Personal Service - 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.
  English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  Administration and Management - 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.
  Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Work Styles

Importance Styles
  Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
  Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
  Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
  Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
  Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
  Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
  Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
  Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
  Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.