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>Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
Overview
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
Purchase farm products either for further processing or resale. Includes tree farm contractors, grain brokers and market operators, grain buyers, and tobacco buyers. May negotiate contracts.
Demand
Core Tasks
Purchase, for further processing or for resale, farm products, such as milk, grains, or Christmas trees.
Arrange for processing or resale of purchased products.
Negotiate contracts with farmers for the production or purchase of farm products.
Arrange for transportation or storage of purchased products.
Maintain records of business transactions and product inventories, reporting data to companies or government agencies as necessary.
Review orders to determine product types and quantities required to meet demand.
Examine or test crops or products to estimate their value, determine their grade, or locate any evidence of disease or insect damage.
Coordinate or direct activities of workers engaged in cutting, transporting, storing, or milling products and maintaining records.
Sell supplies, such as seed, feed, fertilizers, or insecticides, arranging for loans or financing as necessary.
Advise farm groups or growers on land preparation or livestock care techniques that will maximize the quantity and quality of production.
Calculate applicable government grain quotas.
Estimate land production possibilities, surveying property and studying factors such as crop rotation history, soil fertility, or irrigation facilities.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Mathematics
80%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Customer and Personal Service
79%
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.
Economics and Accounting
78%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
English Language
78%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Transportation
78%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Sales and Marketing
74%
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.
Computers and Electronics
72%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administration and Management
71%
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.
Food Production
69%
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Production and Processing
65%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Top 10 Skills
Critical Thinking
78%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
78%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
75%
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.
Judgment and Decision Making
68%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Negotiation
68%
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Persuasion
68%
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Reading Comprehension
68%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Complex Problem Solving
65%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning
63%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Coordination
63%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
73%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Oral Comprehension
73%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Clarity
73%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Comprehension
73%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Inductive Reasoning
68%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Near Vision
68%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity
68%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Recognition
68%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression
65%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Top 10 Work Activities
Getting Information
88%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
85%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
84%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
82%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
81%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
81%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
78%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Analyzing Data or Information
75%
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
75%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
74%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Detailed Work Activities
Purchase products or services.
Negotiate contracts with clients or service providers.
Execute sales or other financial transactions.
Coordinate logistics or other business operations.
Calculate data to inform organizational operations.
Maintain data in information systems or databases.
Communicate with government agencies.
Determine the value of goods or services.
Supervise employees.
Evaluate condition of properties.
Advise others on business or operational matters.
Work Context
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Education
Interests
Enterprising
91%
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.
Conventional
86%
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.
Realistic
58%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
39%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic
24%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative
19%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Top 10 Work Styles
Stress Tolerance
94%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Dependability
93%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
92%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity
92%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Analytical Thinking
86%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Initiative
86%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Achievement/Effort
81%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Cooperation
81%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Leadership
79%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Adaptability/Flexibility
78%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Work Values
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
60%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Recognition
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
