Purchasing Resume Examples

Experts in purchasing are tough negotiators and are required to be strategic and tactical. They are an asset to businesses because of their cost-savings techniques.

Careers in purchasing and procurement roles often start with a bachelor’s degree in business economics, supply-chain management or logistics.

The qualifications should include previous experience in a similar position, strong negotiation skills, excellent communication skills, relationship building and management skills. Another strong set of qualifications are experience in budgeting and cost-savings as well as sourcing and vendor management.

Purchasing agents are responsible for ensuring that the company has the materials and inventory they need to operate. There are different roles within purchasing, such as inventory management and procurement.

Inventory management handles the lifecycle of a company’s stock levels. Their duties include completing purchase orders and reorders that will keep their inventory replenished. Proper research is conducted based on need and demand rate, to avoid shortages.

While procurement roles are responsible for the purchasing process and material selection. Part of their duties include handling the negotiation of contracts and evaluating vendors and products before making their purchase.

When describing your purchasing experience on your resume, be sure to add numbers or statistics to your duties and responsibilities’ section. This will give employers a better understanding of the scope and impact of your responsibilities.

For example, you can describe your duties as a beer merchandiser with figures like these:

1. Maintained the stock and promotion of 18 different types of beer for 5 chain restaurants.
2. Managed company’s purchasing budget, resulting in 19% profit increase.
3. Successfully negotiated with over 10 suppliers to get the best guarantees and wholesale prices reduced by 30%.

Try to use numbers that impress, but never exaggerate or lie on your resume. Doing so may backfire, putting you at risk during your interview or future employment.

First and foremost, try to include the type of purchasing experience that would be the most similar to the purchasing role that you are applying for.

Pay very close attention to the way that the job post describes the necessary duties and job requirements. Write about your experience performing these same tasks in previous roles.

After all, if your purchasing duties were similar in a past role, an employer will feel more confident you can perform their job.

Include any experience you have had in planning, selling and merchandising along with metrics of how well you managed the inventory. Outline your purchasing experience with examples of how your performance helped ensure the successful growth of the company.

However, be selective about what you include based upon what you think will best serve your new employer the most.

In procurement and purchasing roles, a bachelor’s degree and some certifications are required depending on the role. For example, the International Purchasing and Supply Chain Institute, IPSCMI, offers Certified International Procurement Professional courses to certify you in strategic sourcing, negotiations or legal aspects in procurement.

To ensure ethics in the integrity of purchasing professionals, there are now five worldwide American Purchasing Society certification programs, which are the Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP), the Certified Professional Purchasing Manager (CPPM), the Certified Green Purchasing Professional (CGPP), the Certified Professional in Distribution and Warehousing (CPDW), and the Certified Professional Purchasing Consultant (CPPC).

The Certified Professional Purchasing Manager (CPPM) program is specific to those interested in a managerial position. While the certification for Green Purchasing Professionals (CGPP) is geared to policies and procedures for green procurement and sustainability.

Professionals certified in Distribution and Warehousing (CPDW) are responsible for functions involved in distribution, inventory, logistics, and warehousing. Another procurement certification is to certify Purchasing Professionals (CPP) who consult or teach purchasing to people outside their own employer.

A prerequisite for eligibility for CPP certification is a minimum of two years purchasing related experience.

When listing your formal education, start with your most recent degree listed first. Include the name of the institution you attended, its city and state, and if you graduated, you should list your degree and major(s).

Here’s an example of a candidate with extensive education:

Kean University   Union, New Jersey

PhD in Management with a concentration in Logistics

Frampton University   Velden, New Jersey

Masters, Supply Chain Management

Montclair University   Montclair, New Jersey

BA Economics

If you have a college degree, you do not need to include your high school education or the year you graduated. Listing dates could lead to potential hiring bias because it gives a hint as to your age.

Yes you should!

A well-written cover letter will attract recruiters to your resume and can create a great first impression. It’s an opportunity to highlight and expand on information included in your resume.

A cover letter is a more personable document than your resume where you can let hiring managers know more about you and why you are interested in working for them.

Use the cover letter to detail out your qualifications and top accomplishments, especially in how they relate to the role you’re seeking.

For example, if you are a procurement manager applying for a similar role, you can highlight how you successfully contributed to the company’s finances, negotiating contracts with suppliers that reduced costs by 20% in a year. That story might convince employers you have the critical thinking skills to save their business money too.

To get started, check out JobHero’s library of purchasing cover letter samples.