Hands-on
2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert
Explore a possible path
Purchasing Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. Includes wholesale or retail trade merchandising managers and procurement managers.
How does this connect to your interests? →A look at the work
- Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
- Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
- Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
- Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
- Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
- Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
- Administer online purchasing systems.
- Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
A selection of source-listed tasks; duties vary by role and employer.
Interests involved in this work
These source scores describe occupational work activities. They are separate from your personal test results.
2.5 / 7
Investigative
2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert
Creative
2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert
Helping people
2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert
Enterprising
2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert
Organizing
2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert
Skills to explore
Source-reported importance on a 1–5 scale. Try a course, project or conversation to learn what these skills involve.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
2023-08
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
2023-08
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
2023-08
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
2023-08
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
2023-08
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
2023-08
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
2023-08
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
2023-08
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
2023-08
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
2023-08
Plan a small next step
Talk to someone doing this work, look for a supervised activity, and explore the subjects that interest you. Admission, licensing and current program requirements should be confirmed with the relevant institutions.
Source preparation category: Job Zone 4 of 5 · 2023-08. This category describes typical preparation, not your eligibility.
Related study fields
Source crosswalk connections are research leads, not required qualifications.
Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management →
Explore all related study fields →Source & methodology
O*NET-SOC code 11-3061.00 · Database 31.0 · Retrieved Oct 14, 2026. Dates on individual observations describe their source periods.
How interest exploration matching works →Data: O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0. StudyIndex normalizes the presentation and adds exploration features; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions.