Buyer Resume Example
Working as a buyer can provide a rewarding career, involving negotiating with suppliers and analyzing market trends. A professional resume for buyer applications will showcase your relevant skills and career achievements, to help you stand out from the crowd. In this article, we'll explain how to write a winning resume for buyer applications that best showcases your skills and experience.
This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a buyer resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your buyer resume.
Main sections of a buyer resume
Most resumes contain similar key sections, with a buyer resume being no different. A resume for candidates with little or no work experience may focus less on the work experience section, and bring sections to the fore that emphasize their skills, such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, education, projects and skills lists.
While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:
Header and Personal Information
A buyer resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.
Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.
Madelyn Walker
madelyn.walker@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
linkedin․com/in/madelyn–walker123
Resume Summary
Following your resume header, write a resume summary to introduce yourself and showcase some of your key skills and achievements. Alternative names for this section are 'resume objective' and 'personal profile'. While a resume summary focuses on your career experience, a resume objective covers your ambitions and career plans. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for buyer roles.
Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why buyer roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.
A strong resume summary focuses on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for buyer roles in a clear, quantifiable way. It also gives an insight into your personal qualities, to help the reader understand why you're a suitable candidate. See below for some great examples of what to include in your buyer resume summary.
Experienced Buyer with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and a proven track record as a Procurement Specialist. Skilled in sourcing and negotiating with suppliers, managing contracts, and optimizing procurement processes to achieve cost savings and efficiency. Strong analytical and organizational abilities, with a focus on maintaining quality and fostering vendor relationships. Proficient in procurement software and ERP systems, with a comprehensive understanding of market trends and supply chain management
Buyer with some experience in business administration and procurement. Worked in roles involving finding suppliers and making deals. Managed contracts and tried to make buying processes better. Have skills in analyzing and organizing, with attention to keeping quality and working with vendors. Used procurement tools and systems, with some knowledge of market changes and supply chain
Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your buyer resume summary.
Skills
The skills section of a buyer resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include ERP systems proficiency, attention to detail or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Again, refer to the buyer job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.
How to include hard skills on your buyer resume
Hard skills are the key technical skills required for buyer positions. They include specific industry knowledge and abilities that you could learn on the job, or through a specialist qualification. Furthermore, an extensive list of hard skills helps to make a compelling case for your buyer job applications, as they show employers your understanding of the buyer role. Include around four or five key hard skills that are listed in the job description. These skills will help to convince the hiring manager that you're a good fit for the position.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a buyer resume below.
- Negotiation techniques
- Supply chain management
- ERP systems proficiency
How to list soft skills on your buyer resume
Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for a buyer position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. You should generally look to include up to five soft or transferable skills that match the job description.
A good soft skills section would include skills that match the job description, and also reflect your key strengths and qualities. See the graphic below for an indication of what to include in a strong soft skills section for a buyer resume.
- Negotiation and persuasion
- Attention to detail
- Communication skills
Education
Your resume's education section provides space for you to list your highest and most relevant qualifications for buyer roles.
To work as a buyer, employers tend to require candidates to have a specialist degree, such as a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Supply Chain Management. If you have this degree, focus on it in your education section, while also mentioning any educational achievements that show your cost analysis or contract management.
List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. You can also add some bullet points outlining any high grades, awards you won or specialist subjects you studied. Adding this information will show the employer your dedication to learning and your areas of specialist knowledge.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), 2017 - 2020
University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV
Certifications and Training
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional buyer certifications, licenses or qualifications. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and proessional certifications required for buyer roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.
Take a look at some example certifications for a buyer resume below:
- CPSM - ISM, 2022
- CSCP - APICS, 2022
- CPP - AIPMM, 2022
Employment History
In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your buyer skills. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.
In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.
A good resume work experience section includes your most relevant previous jobs and highlights your key achievements in each role. To make the best possible impression on hiring managers, make sure each entry in your work experience section references skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you added value to each role with quantifiable evidence and outcomes. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Procurement Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Global Trade Solutions, Inc, Cincinnati
- Reduced procurement costs by 15% through strategic supplier negotiations and bulk purchasing agreements
- Implemented a new e-procurement system, increasing process efficiency by 30% and reducing manual errors
- Achieved 98% on-time delivery rate by optimizing supplier relationships and improving inventory management practices
Procurement Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Global Trade Solutions, Inc, Cincinnati
- Improved procurement processes and supplier relationships
- Enhanced efficiency and accuracy in purchasing operations
- Achieved significant cost savings and delivery improvements
Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.
Jobseeker Tip:
Tailor your resume to the job by including keywords from the job description and focusing on skills that align directly with the role’s requirements. (1) Use a professional layout with consistent headings and formatting to ensure your resume stands out visually. (2)
Optional Sections
In addition to the core sections of a buyer resume, there are several optional sections you could include to enhance your chances. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.
Hobbies and Interests
Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a buyer resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.
Voluntary Work
This section can be valuable for a buyer resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.
References
It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard buyer resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Be sure to prepare your referees in advance, so they've agreed to provide a reference and are ready to be contacted.
References will be available upon request.
Best words to use in a buyer resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.
- Negotiated
- Sourced
- Procured
- Analyzed
- Managed
- Coordinated
- Evaluated
- Forecasted
- Optimized
- Facilitated
Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.
Example of a buyer resume
Now that you know everything that needs to go into your buyer resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
•
madelyn.walker@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/madelyn–walker123
Results-driven Buyer with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management and extensive experience as a Procurement Specialist. Skilled in strategic sourcing, vendor negotiations, and inventory management. Proven track record of reducing costs, optimizing supply chain efficiency, and ensuring timely delivery of materials. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with expertise in contract management and supplier relationship management. Proficient in utilizing procurement software and ERP systems to streamline operations and improve procurement processes.
Procurement Specialist
2020
-2022
Acquisition Nexus Ltd (Tucson)
- Negotiated and secured supply contracts resulting in a 15% annual cost reduction for the organization
- Implemented procurement software, streamlining processes and reducing order cycle time by 30%
- Developed strategic supplier relationships, enhancing product quality and achieving a 20% increase in on-time delivery rates
Negotiation techniques
Supply chain management
ERP systems proficiency
Negotiation and persuasion
Attention to detail
Communication skills
CPSM - ISM
CSCP - APICS
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Tips for buyer resumes
- Use action words that show how you've made an impact in different buyer jobs (e.g. sourced, coordinated, optimized).
- Write a compelling resume summary or objective to introduce yourself and your key buyer skills.
- Keep your buyer resume as brief as possible. Aim for one page for an entry-level role, and two pages for more senior jobs.
- Order your work experience in a reverse-chronological timeline, starting with your most recent position.
- Quantify your career achievements by including evidence of your impact throughout your resume.
- Don't fill your resume with industry jargon or business-speak that could alienate the reader.
- Don't list unrelated work experience unless you can show you used skills that are valuable to the job you're applying for.
- Don't use an email address that contains unprofessional content, and if necessary create a new, more professional email address.
- Don't use complex and elaborate formatting that can make your buyer resume less readable and more difficult for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan.
- Don't forget to keep your contact information up to date, to ensure the employer can contact you if necessary.
How to make your resume ATS compliant
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your buyer resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
- Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
- Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions for a buyer resume
Alongside your buyer resume, it's important to produce a professional cover letter that creates a similar positive impact on the reader.
In some situations, a full, professional cover letter may not be necessary. Check the job advert and decide whether to write a formal cover letter, or if a brief email is more suitable.
If you decide you want to write a traditional cover letter, follow the standard letter-writing conventions around layout and structure. In the main body of the letter, write an opening paragraph to introduce yourself and explain why you're applying for the buyer role. Your second paragraph is typically where you highlight your key relevant skills and achievements. Finally, close by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and leave a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to make contact with you.
Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates were created by experts to help you make a strong impression with your applications. Follow the simple steps to create a winning cover letter today.
As an experienced buyer, you'll want your resume to showcase all of your relevant experience and achievements. As an experienced candidate, your buyer resume might include a work experience section that goes back beyond the standard 10 to 15 years. This will give you the chance to highlight your extensive experience and achievements. Consider adding any optional sections that show employers the impact you've made in your career to date. These include awards, successful projects or a dedicated achievements section.
Use a resume headline to make it easy for the reader to start assessing your suitability for buyer positions at first glance. Resume headlines can also help you pass the ATS stage of the selection process, by highlighting the job title and one or two key details. Take the time to draft a concise, eye-catching headline which includes the job title, one or two key skills and reference to either your experience level or track record.
You can use this example resume headline as a template for creating your own:
- Aspiring Buyer with Analytical Skills
- Strategic Procurement and Supply Chain
- Strategic Procurement and Sourcing Leader
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For applicants without much relevant work experience, a functional resume format tends to be best. This places the emphasis on your key skills and relevant qualifications. If, however, you have experience in your chosen profession, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format might be the way to go. This showcases your relevant skills and achievements in your work experience section.
Key takeaways for your buyer resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.
Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.
Sources:
(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
