Assistant Buyer Resume Sample
Anna Marie L. Guthrie
Address: 3303 Lawncrest Drive, Houston, TX
Phone: (281) 345 9784
Email: [email protected]
Current Job: Assistant Buyer; Otto Stein’s Shopper’s World, Houston, TX
Objective
Dynamic and versatile Assistant Buyer with more than 6 years experiences qualifying and negotiating with buyers, purchasing merchandise, managing inventory and using data analysis to help companies understand product matrices, track movements in order to arrive at quantifiable decisions. I am seeking a position as an Assistant Buyer for Marshall’s Department Stores where I can contribute my skills and experience to the continued success of the company.
Skills
- 6+ years experience as an Assistant Buyer
- Worked with global brands and the largest retailers in the industry.
- Certified in various Inventory Management software – Acumatica and Oracle NetSuite One World.
- Knowledgeable in other Inventory Management software – SysPro and Account Mate.
- Experienced negotiator.
- Great interpersonal skills.
- Proficient in data analysis.
Work Experience
Assistant Buyer; 2017 to present
Otto Stein’s Shopper’s World; Houston, TX.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Performs the administrative and operational functions in support of a designated buyer.
- Tasked with purchase order management and administration including item file setup, writing down orders, tracking down cancellations and additional orders.
- Prepares inventory report for discussion with departments of Purchasing, Accounting, and Operations.
- Reviews matrices on Otto Stein’s various merchandise and products based on category for the purpose of identifying fast moving and slow-moving items.
- Coordinates with the Purchasing Service Officer on the sourcing of suppliers, qualifying and purchasing select merchandise.
Assistant Buyer; 2013 to 2015
Trader Sam’s; Houston, TX.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Developed the framework for Trader Sam’s purchasing which includes supplier selection, product qualification, negotiation, establishing pricing points and in-store merchandising.
- Analyzed and interpreted key business variables as required by management.
- Conducted research on market trends, shifts in demand based on target demographics and competitive shopping.
- Worked closely with suppliers to address changes in product specifications, quality issues, and delivery schedules.
- Assisted management with ensuring availability of all products for every store opening.
Assistant Buyer; 2012 to 2013
Water Everywhere Swimsuits and Lingerie; Houston, TX
Duties and Responsibilities
- Ensured timely delivery of merchandise by constantly communicating with suppliers, vendors and other members of the distribution chain.
- Kept track of product flow by frequently studying and updating inventory records.
- Coordinated with Purchasing for the preparation, documentation and record keeping of orders.
- Attended to issues cascaded by various branches of Water Everywhere particularly on product defects, delivery delays and variances in Purchase Orders.
- Worked closely with stock inventory group to monitor the movement of merchandise.
Education
College
Bachelor Degree – Marketing
San Jacinto College
Houston, TX
2015 to 2016
High School
Saint Nicholas High School
Houston, TX.
2017 to 2015
Certifications/ Professional License:
- Certified in various Inventory Management software – Acumatica and Oracle NetSuite One World, 2016.
Personal information
Status: Single
Date of Birth: October 8, 1989
Hobbies include trail running, mountain biking.
Assistant Buyer Resume Skills List
The Assistant Buyer is the unseen hero who works to make sure the product you want is available all the time. For companies, a good Assistant Buyer helps them manage their inventory and maintain profitable operations. The perfect Assistant Buyer skills list must show the abilities to negotiate, analyze, qualify and run off quick but calculated decisions for the benefit of both the customer and the company.
What skills and qualifications do you need to be considered for the job?
- Education.
Don’t underestimate the job title just because it has the word “Assistant”. Small businesses will take their chances with candidates who do not have a college degree but not the big companies. Large retailers such as department stores, global brands, and manufacturing companies will always prioritize candidates with at least a 2-year Associate Degree. But a 4-year degree in a business related course will improve your chances of getting hired.
- Certifications/ Licenses.
Assistant buyers do not have to be certified or licensed but it would definitely raise your chances if you take up courses that will help you carry out your responsibilities effectively. You can see in the sample job description for Assistant Buyer, the candidate Anna Marie has certifications in two popular programs for Inventory Management.
- Data Analysis.
It is very important for an Assistant Buyer to be adept with numbers. Businesses manage cash flow and if you order way above the par stock level, you may compromise the financial flexibility of a company.For restaurants, assistant buyers play a crucial role in managing food cost, limiting wastage and assuring food quality. They do this by tracking product movements, inventory levels and making sure they correspond with sales levels.
- Negotiation.
The best negotiators are those who view it as a win-win-win situation. As an Assistant Buyer, you should always try to get the best price possible but it should never be at the expense of quality. Pursuant to this is the ability to stay disciplined and focused on the objective of negotiation. You want the best materials or products for the benefit of the consumer and the company without compromising the business of the supplier or vendor.
- Interpersonal Skills.
Although assistant buyers work behind the scenes they are frequently coordinating, collaborating and communicating with everyone in the value chain. This includes suppliers, vendors, creditors, Purchasing Officers, and accountants. Being a good listener and an articulate speaker are necessary qualities to become an effective communicator.
Assistant Buyer Resume Objective
The best kind of Assistant Buyer resume objective is straightforward. It is just like negotiating. Tell the potential employer what you can do for the company.
In our sample resume objective for Assistant Buyer, we started out with two of Anna Marie’s strongest attributes. “Dynamic” and “Versatile” are much sought after qualifications for assistant buyers because you have to be constantly updated in changes in demand and consumer preferences.
Then we highlight other strengths that are relevant to the job of an Assistant Buyer:
- Experience
- Negotiating skills
- Ability to purchase top quality merchandise
- Inventory management
- Business Analytics
These are keywords that most likely appeared in the job post or are ones popularly used to launch a search query on “Assistant Buyer jobs”.
Assistant Buyer Resume Format
The reverse chronological will be ideal for your Assistant Buyer resume format because it will highlight your experience.
You can see how we presented Anna Marie’s work experience in our example of a resume for Assistant Buyer. Using the reverse chronological format, we started out with her current job as an Assistant Buyer for Otto Stein’s Shopper’s World.
If you read through it, you will notice that Anna Marie has now taken on responsibilities that are more technical and specific to the needs of management. In her early career, she was doing mostly administrative-type work.
That is the advantage of the reverse chronological format as it highlights growth in your career. Even if her job title did not change, the fact that her responsibilities are more tied in with management will present Anna Marie as a more well-rounded candidate for companies.
Entry Level Assistant Buyer Resume
So you want to break into the exciting world of retail but can only submit an entry-level Assistant Buyer resume? No problem! All you need to do is a shift from the reverse chronological to the functional format.
Using the functional format, the resume template for Assistant Buyer will be re-organized to look like this:
- Contact Information
- Objective Statement
- Skills
- Certifications
- Education
- Work Experience
- Personal Information
If you don’t have work experience, we strongly advise that you sign up for relevant certification courses related to the job such as Inventory Management, accounting, and effective negotiation.
The purpose of the functional format is to transfer the attention of the Hiring Manager to your skills and qualifications and away from your work experience.
However, if you are planning a shift in career, assess your current work experience and pinpoint responsibilities and skills that are relevant to the job of an Assistant Buyer.
Assistant Buyer Resume Writing Tips
If you see a job post that interests you, don’t rush out and send your resume just yet. Not until you’ve read our Assistant Buyer resume writing tips.
- Stay on One Page – Assistant buyers are not expected to have long careers. After 5 or 6 years, you should be promoted already to Purchasing Officer or Lead Buyer. You should be able to keep all the information you need to one page.
- Organize Your Resume – As you have read, assistant buyers have a multitude of tasks to perform. Organize these tasks neatly and orderly by using bullet points and by keeping your sentences short, simple but descriptive.
- Check for Errors – Assistant buyers have to be meticulous when analyzing data. How can you convince the employer if your resume is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors? Proofread until you are 100% sure there are no mistakes.
If you follow our tips, you should be on your way to becoming the new Assistant Buyer! Don’t hesitate to review our Assistant Buyer resume sample before submitting your application to companies.
