Buyer Resume Guide + Tips + Example

Dayle Kavonic
By Dayle Kavonic, Career Advice ExpertRated 4.7/5 Stars
Last Updated: October 26, 2023
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On the hunt for a job as a buyer? To land a great position, you will need a strong buyer resume. Not sure where to start? We can help! Use our guide to create a compelling resume for a buyer role and win hiring managers over with your excellent strategic planning, procurement and negotiation skills.

Buyer Resume Template Customize this resume

Start by editing this buyer resume example, or explore our library of customizable resume templates to find the best one for you. 

Buyer resume sample (text version)

Nelly Smith

Avon, OH 44011
555-555-5555
example@example.com

Professional Summary

Industrious buyer adept at keeping costs under control while optimizing inventory for usage needs. Versed in record-keeping and production requirements. Skilled in research and forecasting abilities with strengths in communication and key relationship management.

Skills

  • Supply inventory measuring
  • Purchasing report updating
  • Product status tracking
  • Product delivery reconciliation
  • Documentation requirements
  • Corporate policies and procedures
  • Vendor coordination
  • Team leadership
  • Strategic planning

Work History

July 2016 – Current
Kiewit Corporation – Cleveland, OH
Buyer

  • Purchase the highest quality products for the lowest possible price, saving 25% of the assigned budget.
  • Review and organize over 300 records of items that were purchased and any costs relating to purchases.
  • Negotiate with vendors and suppliers and administer contracts.

August 2011 – November 2015
Systems Ltd. – Arnold, OH
BUYING AGENT

  • Built a competitive bidding environment with a broad range of suppliers.
  • Assessed changes and determined proper courses of action by collaborating with suppliers.
  • Documented purchasing activities, inventory reports and department records, improving functionality by 85%.

August 2007 – December 2010
Wholesale Floors LLC – Chadwick, IL
ASSISTANT BUYER

  • Analyzed customer needs and accordingly developed procurement requirements.
  • Managed monthly purchase order shipments by deadline and cancellation dates.
  • Prepared contract agreements and other documentation for over 50 clients.

Education

Chicago State University Chicago, IL
BBA Marketing Management and Research

5 essentials of a top buyer resume

  1. Contact details

    Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you for an interview. As our sample resume for a buyer role shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state and ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add them last. 

  2. Personal statement

    A personal statement, also known as a professional summary, is a concise, three-to-five-sentence statement that tells the hiring manager who you are and what you offer. Your buyer resume summary must include job-relevant skills and one or two notable accomplishments. It should also touch on how long you’ve been in the procurement field. If you are applying for your first job or changing careers, use a buyer resume objective instead.

  3. Skills

    Create a compelling buyer resume skills section so hiring managers can see if your skill set matches their needs. Add your job-relevant skills to a bulleted list, making them easy to scan. It is best to include both hard and soft skills, such as product status tracking and problem-solving.

    If this is the first time you are applying for a buyer role, include transferable skills from other employment.

  4. Work history

    Whether this is your first job or you’ve been at it for decades, a buyer resume must include a section to display your job history. In reverse-chronological order, list your current and previous employers and provide company names, locations and the dates you worked for them. Include three bullet points of measurable achievements for every job you list.

  5. Education

    As you can see in our buyer resume example, it’s important to include an education section in your resume, whether or not you have a degree. In reverse-chronological order, use bullet points to display the schools’ names and the years you graduated. If you did not attend college, list your high school information and the classes or training you’ve completed since graduating.

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Do’s and don’ts for building a buyer resume

  • Use measurable achievements to describe your buyer skills and experience.
  • Use action words to make an impact on your buyer resume.
  • Tailor your resume to your target buyer job.
  • Use keywords from the job description throughout your buyer resume.
  • Format your buyer resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
  • Lie about your experience and skills in the procurement field.
  • Boast that you are the “most competent buyer ever.”
  • Include irrelevant personal information, such as your ethnicity and age.
  • Add skills and experience that are not relevant to a buyer role.
  • Forget to proofread. A buyer resume with errors is unprofessional.

Top 4 tips for acing a buyer interview

  1. Research.

    As a buyer, you will know how important research is. It is vital to take the time to learn about your target employer’s history, goals, values and people before the interview. Doing so conveys interest, passion and commitment — traits that can set you above the competition.

  2. Practice.

    Practice does make perfect. To prepare for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as: 

    • We can sometimes identify a small problem and fix it before it becomes a major problem. Give an example of how you have done this.
    • Which is more important to you – the job itself or your salary?
    • What is the biggest mistake you’ve made?

    Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend or family member. 

  3. Ask questions.

    Always have at least three questions for each person you speak with during the interview process. Doing so shows that you are interested and have been paying close attention.

    Some questions you might ask for a buyer job are: 

    • How do you see this role fitting into the larger goals of the company?
    • What are some of the challenges I might face in this role?
    • Can you tell me more about the company’s culture and values?
  4. Prepare references.

    Have professional references ready before your interview — you never know if the hiring manager might want to contact them immediately. Ask a former manager and two former colleagues who can speak about your performance and who you are confident will give you a stellar review.

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Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.

Sources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Purchasing Managers, Buyers and Purchasing Agents”

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