Have you been looking for your next job in the purchasing department? Or you may have doubts about pursuing your procurement dream position in the overwhelming electronics industry despite your professional background. You have then come to the right place, as this blog is written to address a reader like you who wants to know more about the world of purchasing!
You will gain information by visualizing and emotionally experiencing the realities of the purchasing department. These shall equip you to determine whether the electronics industry and a company like BD Electronics Ltd is the right fit for you. You will slowly realize that one is not better than the other from all the electronic purchasing assistant jobs you have seen online or offered, as it is more than a matter of personal preference.
What To Expect in the Purchasing Department?
The purchasing department is an essential company division that maintains a financially healthy organization. Procurement of goods and services is the fundamental concept it is often regarded with; it is meant to consistently provide operational needs and aim for the highest possible value.
There are also administrational or more like executive roles where procurement policies and procedures are established to ensure that operation is performed with integrity at all times. Some tasks are also done with external participation, including negotiations with third-party vendors while monitoring a smooth supply chain flow.
The tasks mentioned above of the purchasing department are not one-size-fits-all as they can vary depending on the company and specific department position. In addition, the roles of an electronic purchasing manager are different from electronic purchasing assistant jobs but with complementing tasks that will make the department strive successfully.
A consistent flow of business activities is highly dependent on this department, so it can often be regarded as one of the most pressured company divisions. However, this shall not stop you from following your dreams because are more things to look forward to beyond these ill-sounding responsibilities.
The 4 P’s of the Purchasing Department
Now that your expectations with the department have been set, it is time to know what you need to possess, not merely to survive but rather enjoy the work as a purchaser. As Marketing has 4 P’s, we have also created one for the purchasing department to remember even under pressure easily and at the most challenging time.
Electronic purchasing assistant jobs have lesser work achievement expectations as the individual is known to have little or just basic knowledge. However, they still require the guidance of supervisors or electronic purchasing managers to introduce the department’s and industry’s technicalities slowly.
This is where the first P comes in, which we will refer to as ‘Presence.’ It has been mentioned earlier that purchasers are expected to provide the highest quality of products by keeping financial records healthy for the business operation needs. For one to efficiently perform these tasks, it is essential to immerse himself in the surroundings, and for this department, it is the company industry.
As negotiations will take place, being constantly updated with what is going on in the industry can hugely impact the outcome of your deals. In addition, understanding product information, specifications, and pricing are necessary for the supply chain’s sustenance.
As you are just about to start a new position or enter a new industry, the second P, ‘Practice,’ can help you slowly settle into the department. An overwhelming environment may welcome you but remember that this is normal for any beginner, especially electronic purchasing assistant jobs.
Tasks and goals are set for you to achieve but despite these assignments, keep in mind that the primary phase is complex, and the process will never be perfect. Negotiations come with potential rejections; the only way to figure out which strategy works for you is to keep practicing.
The third P applies to almost all aspects of the purchasing department, including oneself. ‘Patience’ is a primary yet complex characteristic to possess as we want immediate outcomes for everything. We live in a world of ‘instant’ but to be frank, it only applies to the things that humans have control of physically, like food and gadgets.
However, if we think about it, being impatient does not make things better or faster. Sometimes, it can even cause one’s destruction or failure to continue. The article is trying to address this to help readers like you figure out how to conquer the not-so-fancy world of purchasing.
Trying out something new comes with fear and hesitations, but nothing is more fulfilling than overcoming those obstacles. So for the last P of purchasing, which is ‘Perseverance,’ you are encouraged to recognize your hard work. It starts from the moment you have been sending all of your electronic purchasing assistant jobs applications until you finally familiarize yourself and get used to the different roles and activities of the department.
All the efforts will unfold your unknown potential, and who knows, one day, you can be the next electronic purchasing manager of an electronic company you were once clueless about.
These 4 P’s of purchasing is a lifetime guide that you can always follow in no consecutive order. At this moment, you already can comprehend whether you are not meant for the position or the industry does not fit your interests. Still, you should not mark an end to your career as a purchaser in the electronic industry as there are other positions the department offers.
What’s Next After Electronic Purchasing Assistant Jobs?
Any department has an organizational structure that varies depending on the industry and how big the company is. For BD Electronics, there are three positions which you will see in the diagram below, followed by a short description of their tasks and responsibilities.
You may wonder what the differences are between these BD Electronics Ltd procurement positions. Each is further explained below, starting from the bottom to the top-level position:
Electronic Purchasing Assistant – An entry-level position perfect for beginners in the department or the industry. General roles are given and are as follows: seeking potential suppliers, collaborating with the sales department for product inventory demand requirements, collating purchase orders and requisitions to find the best electronic component goods & supplies options, replenishing stock orders, creating inventory reports to maintain adequate levels of sellable products and outdated records such as product and part number data, and so on. The electronic purchasing assistant jobs may be a handful, but this advantage will be beneficial in the long run as your position accelerates in the department.
International Purchasing Executive – This position is designed for those with more experience as a purchaser in the company’s industry, which is electronics for BDE. As an international distributor of electronic components, most of BD Electronic Ltd’s clients are purchasers of relevant companies.
Therefore, purchasing executives need adequate expertise to deal successfully with clients with similar roles, expectations, and practices in their respective companies. Evaluating vendors, comparing prices among vendors, finding the cheapest deal of the highest product quality, sending purchase orders, and collaborating with credible vendors are some of the work expected for this position.
A purchasing assistant and an executive may have overlapping responsibilities, but this is a part of the department’s teamwork. To help you differentiate these positions, consider how BD electronics manage its product deals and quotes, as illustrated in the diagram below.
Electronic Purchasing Manager – Last but not least is every department’s highest position, which may also be referred to as the Supervisor. It is the person responsible for overseeing the overall direction of its product sales category. To successfully manage and supervise the entire team, a well-experienced purchaser is the most effective.
Therefore, all of the purchasing executive and electronic purchasing assistant jobs have already been completed or gone through by the purchasing manager. As what has been told to you in the 4 P’s of purchasing, only practice can tell you what
The purchasing positions of BD Electronics are set according to how they would work best for the organization. However, this does not mean that the tasks of the company’s purchasing department are created from scratch. Instead, they are delegated either through separation or a combination of duties that a different position for other companies can represent, just like the following:
- Posting Clerks – Works closely with the receiving team to update records of inbound products and communicate accurate shipping information details to customers and business partners.
- Administrative Assistants – Helps in resolving any stock and inventory shortages or miscounts. They also work closely with the accounting department to retrieve possible vendor inventory billing issues. All of the changes to be done are then updated in the company’s system.
Knowing the organizational structure of the company you are interested in joining is helpful for your career growth direction. Aside from the tasks and goals set to challenge you, knowing the responsibilities of other positions will keep you motivated to unlock new opportunities.
As this guide comes to an end, we hope that your uncertainties about the purchasing department and the different positions have been reduced. Starting a career or creating a shift is always difficult initially, but once you take the time to weigh out your personal goals and set your heart on what you want to do, everything will eventually be smooth and straightforward.
Feel free to reach out to BD Electronics Ltd if you are looking for a purchasing department position or have already chosen from the list presented earlier. In addition, there are more career opportunities to choose from, which you can explore on the BD Electronics Ltd website.
You may send your CV and contact us on these channels.
