Buyer Resume: Templates, Examples & Essential Skills

As a buyer, you know what looks like a smart investment when you see it, but getting someone to buy what your resume is selling is harder than it seems. Our tailor made resume templates can make any hiring manager see that you are a quality candidate worth investing in.

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Margaret Buj
Reviewed by
Margaret Buj
Career expert
Updated on December 13, 2023
Written by
ResumeGiants Team
Resume and Cover Letter Experts

Being a buyer requires great experience in negotiation, communication, and analysis. 

Buyers have a diverse set of skills that help them to achieve the desired results. Evaluating suppliers, negotiating and monitoring contracts, maintaining inventory records and product quality are just the tip of the iceberg when talking about buyers’ responsibilities. 

With this in mind, a suitable applicant for a buyer position should possess negotiating, analytical, and decision-making skills. 

Does this description fit you to a tee, but you’re having trouble placing all of your relevant skills and experience on a resume?

If you are, you’re in the right place. 

By using our expert advice and resume building tools you won’t have that much trouble getting an employer to buy into what you’re selling them as a candidate.

Let’s get into what a well-structured buyer resume looks like. We’ll cover the skills, education, objectives, and experience that your resume should include to increase its value.

Example of a Buyer Resume

The role of a buyer may be demanding, but it provides high rewards. High salary and industry recognition are just some perks of being a buyer. 

But don’t get ahead of yourself. 

To get that dream job, let us show you how to prepare a high-quality resume like our example below. Have a read of it, and then we will break it down.

resume Example
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[Will Simpson]

[Buyer]

[49 George Street, Charlotte, NC 28105   |   704-558-9846   |    w_simpson@email.com]

Summary

Innovative and performance-driven Buyer with 10+ years of experience. Skilled at purchasing materials and identifying possibilities for reducing budgets and increasing revenue, as well as improving management of inventory. Proficient in the evaluation of business partners and potential suppliers.Negotiated better deals with 43 suppliers to save over $1m on materials costs. Possessing strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and teamwork abilities.

Experience

Buyer

J&C, Boston, MA

June 2019 – Present

  • Responsible for monitoring and managed inventories
  • Significant revenue increase due to reduced inventory waste by 35% through implementing the system to better predict demand
  • Resolved delivery problems, decreased unnecessary expenses by 23% within 2 years
  • Maintained excellent business relationships with current vendors, researched new ones to ensure on-time product delivery
  • Managed and negotiated orders over $200K each quarter and tracked order history in Excel

Education

University of Massachusetts Boston

Bachelor of Science in Finance

2010–2014 

GPA 3.9

Skills

  • Microsoft Office 
  • Oracle
  • Precoro, Deltek Costpoint
  • Strong attention to detail

Hobbies and Interests

  • Hiking
  • Music
  • Movies

Pretty good right? 

By the end of this article, you should be able to write your own resume that looks even better than this one—especially if you use one of our many, trusted resume templates.

Favorite Buyer Resume Layout

Recruiters won’t waste much time analyzing the resume of each candidate in detail. 

This makes the applicant’s job all the more difficult. 

And, having to think of various ways to catch the recruiter’s attention and to stand out among all the other candidates is time-consuming.

Just by Googling ‘how to write a resume’, applicants are swamped with all kinds of information—some good, most bad. 

When considering the options for your resume, the first thing that comes to mind is the format. Let us provide you with the three resume options most commonly used by applicants:

  • Reverse-chronological resume—present your working experience through a reverse chronology from most recent to oldest. This is ideal if you have at least a few years of experience as a buyer.
  • Functional resume—the spotlight is more on the buyer’s resume skills and less on the working experience.
  • Combination resume—Using a mix of experience and skills. It is a combination of the previous two resume formats and what a lot of recruiters prefer.

Recruiters like to read information that’s short, clear, and accurate on your resume. 

Always adapt the information in your resume based on your level of experience. If you’re just coming out of college, don’t stress—below you’ll also find examples to help with entry-level resumes. 

But before we go into more detail, there are four key things to keep in mind when thinking about the format of your resume:

  • Select a professional-looking font
  • Contact details come on top
  • Try to use a reverse-chronological format when advantageous
  • Keep it short and clear, providing only relevant information

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty and show you how to write the resume that’ll land you your dream job. 

How to Write a Buyer Resume Summary or Resume Objective

Writing resumes may be tricky, however, if you make a great first impression you can keep an employer’s interest going. 

Before you list your work experience, the first resume categories you need to think about are the resume summary or objective.

Which one of these two options you opt for will depend on your professional background.

  • If you are writing a resume for an entry-level Buyer and have very little or no experience, you ought to feature a resume objective. This section will portray your goals and aspirations, as well as your personal and academic skills. 
  • A resume summary, on the other hand, is a more suitable option to be considered if you are applying for a senior position and have the experience to show for it. 

Keep in mind that both a summary and a resume objective need to be short and clear, and emphasize your best professional and personal achievements. 

Buyer Summary Example

To make your resume summary captivating, highlight your achievements in as few words as possible. 

Think of the resume summary as a blinking neon sign on the road calling the recruiter to “get off the highway” and read more about your biggest career accomplishments.

Use your summary to allure the recruiter into reading more about you. Three to four sentences are all it takes to convince them of your value. 

A well-structured resume summary should include the following:

  • Position and years of experience in the industry
  • Key career accomplishments
  • Your proposed input 
  • Solid professional and personal traits

Below is an example of a bad resume summary:

Wrong ❌

A buyer with 10 years of experience in dealing with purchasing materials and managing inventory. Worked in a team environment. Have great negotiating skills and an excellent approach to establishing great relations with suppliers.

Unfortunately, this won’t do an applicant much good! This resume summary is not effective because it lacks specific achievements and results, and it does not highlight the candidate’s unique qualifications and strengths. 

Now consider the following example which is an excellent sample for a buyer resume summary:

Right ✅

Innovative and detail-oriented Buyer with 15 years of experience in dealing with national and global suppliers. Highly skilled at purchasing by analyzing order requirements and supplier information. Proficient in negotiating the best-buying terms to reduce unnecessary expenses and increase revenue.

See the difference? 

The first example lacks the confidence and motivation recruiters are looking for, while the second example portrays the picture of a confident professional every company would like to have on their team. 

How to Write an Entry-Level Buyer Resume Objective

Applicants who have not worked in this role before might lack experience, but they also forget that having other skills is valued by recruiters too. 

In fact, some companies are always on the lookout to recruit the eager and enthusiastic young talent they can sculpt into their ideal employee.

An entry-level resume objective should include some crucial elements in those few sentences:

  • Reasons for applying
  • Your contribution to the company
  • Academic information
  • Selection of specific skills

This section is not the time to be shy and modest. 

Use this opportunity to promote yourself—carefully phrased and confident content can get the attention of your prospective employee. 

Entry-Level Buyer Resume Objectives

Writing an entry-level buyer resume objective is perfect for interns and the new generation entering the labor market. A solid resume objective can open the right doors for you.

First, let’s have a look at some things you should avoid when writing a resume objective.

Wrong ❌

Seeking a position as a buyer where I can use my skills and knowledge to contribute to the company’s success.

This objective statement is poorly written because it does not provide any specific information about the candidate’s skills, experience, or career goals. It also does not address the needs of the employer or demonstrate how the candidate can add value to the company. 

Below is an example of what an entry-level buyer resume objective should look like:

Right ✅

A highly motivated entry-level buyer with a strong interest in the fashion industry. Strong organizational and communication skills and excellent knowledge of fashion accessories for women. Looking for an opportunity to work in a challenging environment to expand my knowledge and experience.

For an entry-level applicant, this looks great! It clearly states the candidate’s career goals and aspirations, while also highlighting their relevant skills and knowledge. The language used is specific, concise, focused, and uses a few resume power words, which will catch the attention of potential employers

How to Describe Your Buyer Experience

The content in this section highly depends on how rich your working experience is. 

Obviously, the more years of quantifiable buyer experience you have, the better, but the way you convey this information is just as important. You need to show how you have grown in your career.

This is even more relevant for those of you who have lots of material to include in your buyer resume—including listing your promotions—it’s essential to only select your relevant experience.

Don’t just list responsibilities for the sake of filling space. 

Always aim to add information with purpose – using bullet points and short, precise wording is the way to go here.  

Here are some tips on how to structure the experience section:

  • Start with your current position, or the latest position held, and work backward in chronological order. 
  • Include information on the company you worked for, the position you held, and the date of employment.
  • Try to link your experience to the requirements for the position you are applying for.
  • Include any metrics to back up the claims you make about your achievements

Buyer Resume Examples: Experience

Use a buyer job description resume format to present your experience. 

Incorporate some core responsibilities of every good buyer. Negotiation with suppliers, excellent communication, accuracy, revenue increase, a decrease of costs, and others, are just a few buyer resume keywords that’ll catch the eye of the reader.  

Let’s look at an experience section that will most likely not interest an employer that much.

Wrong ❌

Global Co., Chicago, IL 

Lead Buyer

Jul 2011 – Sep 2016

  • Managed procurement of goods and services
  • Negotiated with suppliers to get the best price
  • Ensured timely delivery of products
  • Maintained accurate records of purchases

An experience section like this may put a hiring manager to sleep. It lacks detail and does not provide any specific examples of achievements or responsibilities. 

Here is an example of what the experience section of a buyer’s resume should look like:

Right ✅

Global Co., Chicago, IL 

Lead Buyer

Jul 2011 – Sep 2016

  • Cut materials costs by 21% through sourcing better deals and negotiating contracts
  • Worked closely with suppliers to cut our lead times by 35%
  • Developed proprietary company specifications in collaboration with R&D and Quality Assurance 
  • Monitored monthly and measured the main supplier contract performance
  • Scheduled flow of quality materials from price-competitive and high-performance supply sources. 
  • Maintained a comprehensive procurement process (monitoring and reporting on transactions’ budgetary impact, price catalog)

This is much more specific and shows how your past responsibilities will help in your possible future role.

Entry-Level Buyer Resume: Experience Section

We’ve all been at that starting point in our careers—young and eager to work, but without a clue as to where to begin. 

Questions like “Will they even consider me for the position?” or “Who would take someone with no experience?” have crossed everyone’s mind at some point—you’re not alone. 

The good news is that there is alternative information you can add to your buyer resume that recruiters will like if you fall into this entry-level category of applicant. 

Your strength as an entry-level candidate is the enthusiasm and fresh approach you can bring to the company.

Including relevant volunteer work, projects, or internships you’ve done at school can come in handy here. 

However, it’s essential that you get this section right when you’re lacking experience. Let’s have a look at what you should avoid.

Wrong ❌

Macy’s, Boston, MA

Retail buying intern 

Oct 2017 – Feb 2018

  • Assisted in the procurement of products for the store
  • Conducted market research to identify new products and suppliers

In this example, the bullet points are basic and do not provide any context for the candidate’s work.

To give you an idea of how you should write the section, take a look at the example below.

Right ✅

Macy’s, Boston, MA

Retail buying intern 


Oct 2017 – Feb  2018

  • Assist buyers in product mix developments 
  • Create weekly reports on bestsellers and complete all transaction documentation
  • Record exchanged and refunded merchandise, inspecting for damages.

Including these responsibilities highlights the applicant’s relevant skills and experience in purchasing and inventory management, which are crucial for a buyer role.

How to Write the Education Section for a Buyer

Don’t underestimate your education and academic achievements

Often overlooked—education holds a high place during the evaluation process because it points to your qualification or gives insight into your ability to get qualifications in the future. 

One of the things that you need to include in the education section for the buyer resume are the following:

  • GPA if 3.50 or above
  • Courses relevant to the job
  • Seminars, training, and projects related to the job
  • Memberships in any clubs

Buyer Resume Education Section

When writing your education section, think about the requirements of the job you are applying for. 

Try not to be too generic like the following example below:

Wrong ❌

Business Administration with Economics

University of Toronto, Canada

2012 – 2016

Education:

  • High School Diploma
  • Bachelor’s Degree 

This Education section is poorly written because it lacks important details about the applicant’s academic achievements and extracurricular activities.

The following is a more solid example:

Right ✅

BA Business Administration with Economics

University of Toronto, Canada

2014 – 2018

GPA: 3.94

Activities: Math Society, Engineering club

Certification: Project Management Professional (PMP), 2018

This is much more specific, as it shows a relevant certification and a high GPA. The extracurricular activities will also go a long way.

You can include things like awards you have won in school or college competitions relevant to the business, or academic awards like the Dean’s List.

The Best Buyer Skills for Resumes

For any type of resume the skills you choose to put on your resume should complement those wanted in the job description

Soft and hard skills may be incorporated as part of the working experience descriptions—keep an eye out for the terminology your future employer is using and try to mirror their language. 

With your skills, you should aim to impress a hiring manager, especially when you lack experience in the field. Key competencies for this role involve analytical skills, a head for math, communication skills, solving problems, and relationship management.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we are now in the age of hybrid and remote working opportunities. Can you add any work-from-home specific skills to your resume?

By listing relevant hard and soft skills you can do just that. Have a look at the table below to understand what you should include in your resume as a buyer.

Soft Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Relationship building skills
  • Teamwork
  • Attention to detail
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Decision-making skills
  • Time management skills
  • Customer service skills
  • Leadership skills
  • Adaptability

Hard Skills

  • Knowledge of procurement processes and principles
  • Negotiation skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Data analysis
  • Contract management
  • Vendor management
  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Inventory management

Try to remain modest when presenting your skills—stick to the ones you are confident you possess. 

Overselling your skills might be seen as a wrong move by recruiters, especially if it’s not believable. 

Many hiring managers even put skills at the top of their list, so if you get this section right you should be in luck!

How to Add Other Sections for an Effective Resume

Many applicants might disregard other sections in their buyer resume, thinking they might be irrelevant. 

This is where they are wrong. 

These sections complete the picture of you as a potential candidate. They can shed light on your interests and hobbies, projects, or organizations that you’re passionate about. 

These sections show the real person behind the academic and professional profile

Use it wisely to incorporate all information you feel might help you get the job you applied for. 

Buyer Resume Sample “Other” Sections

This part of your resume will be based on your personal profile. 

Choose the elements you think will paint the right picture of who you are. Below is an example of how to do this:

Right ✅

OTHER:

Hobbies:

  • Participation in chess tournaments
  • Tennis
  • Painting Warhammer figurines

Languages:

  • Fluent in English, Italian, and German
  • Conversational Proficiency in French

Technical Skills:

  • Microsoft Office Suite, AvidXchange orderhive, TradeGecko, Procurify

You might choose to list your IT skills within your bulleted skills list section rather than separately here. It all depends on what you want to emphasize and in what order, which will depend in turn on the exact job role and job description.

Key Takeaway

By using the information we provided in this guide, we’re confident that you will be able to create a top-rated buyer resume and land that dream job. 

It’s essential to remember the best resumes are ones that are honest and detailed. If you are able to clearly show how your previous experience, skills, and education will be a huge asset to the role you are applying for, you can start getting ready for your interview. 

By using these tips, our tools, and looking over some professional resume templates, you’ll have no trouble landing your dream job in the near future. 

Free Resume Templates

Using resume templates that are proven to work will help you to move your career search forward. Start and customize as many resumes as you need with our free resume builder .