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A purchasing assistant buys inventory for a business and may handle accounting tasks. A high school diploma is required, but an associate’s degree in accounting or business is helpful. Good communication and organizational skills are important, and advancement opportunities are available with experience.
A purchasing assistant is a person responsible for purchasing inventory such as supplies and equipment for a business. He or she may also be required to contact suppliers about orders and provide accounting services as needed. To become a purchasing assistant, you will need to obtain a high school diploma or similar degree. While you can obtain this position without a higher education, it may be wise to obtain at least an associate’s degree in accounting or business. After several years of experience, there are also opportunities to advance in this field.
Obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent should be one of your first tasks to complete in order to become a purchasing assistant. This job requires you to work with a variety of people, such as vendors, and have good math skills; so try to take language, math, communication, and writing courses while you’re in high school. Accounting, business and management courses would also be beneficial if offered.
While companies may hire employees with only a high school education, some are looking for employees with degrees or who have previous experience in purchasing or accounting. Therefore, it may be wise to obtain an associate degree in accounting or business to increase your chances of obtaining a purchasing assistant position. Courses in this type of program will give you the basic knowledge needed to perform accounting procedures such as accounts payable and financial reporting, and you will also be able to learn about using different computer software and equipment.
Employers in various types of industries look to hire purchasing assistants to work primarily in offices. Once you become a purchasing assistant, you may need to work full-time, but some positions may be part-time. In addition to having a high school or higher education, employers try to hire employees with good communication and organizational skills.
The duties of a purchasing assistant may vary according to the employer’s needs. Once you become a purchasing assistant, you may be responsible for obtaining bids for office supplies, paying for invoices, and working directly with suppliers on special orders. Although many purchasing assistants work under the direction of a purchasing supervisor or director, he or she must have the ability to make purchasing decisions based on their employers’ purchasing guidelines.
After gaining at least two or three years of experience, there may be advancement opportunities available. One of the most common steps taken at this time is the purchasing supervisor. If you want to enter the procurement management field, employers often require your management staff to have higher degrees, such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a business-related field.
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