Recent Grad and Unsure About Your Career Path? Procurement Is Your Answer!

For those who have just graduated high school, a difficult decision lies ahead. You may be enjoying your freedom for the summer, but what career field you will study will need to be decided very soon. If you already made your selection, you also may be wondering if the choice was the right one. Your whole life will be greatly affected by your decision. Will you do something you enjoy, something fulfilling, or something challenging? How about all the above! Procurement is your answer.

So, what is Procurement? According to Investopedia.com, Procurement is the act of purchasing or otherwise taking possession of something, especially for business purposes. To simplify, we in the field of Procurement strategically setup relationships to buy the goods and services a company will need to operate. This seems like something that every company already does, but surprisingly it is not. Every organization, big or small, can benefit from effective Procurement.

Here are a few reasons as to why Procurement is such a great selection for your future career.

1.   Growth Within the Field

Remember in 2020 when the Coronavirus pandemic hit the world and companies were tightening budgets? A simple way for a business to save money is to get strategic about HOW they are buying their needed goods and services. Many companies realized this throughout the last year, and even a little before. By 2028, the Procurement as a Service (PaaS) market is expected to reach 12 billion! This is simply for outsourcing functions related to purchasing. Imagine what the number would be if you added companies who internally control their Procurement functions.

2.    Challenge Yourself How You Want

The art of scoping, sourcing, contracting, and finding savings is more of a challenge than you may think. You must find your current state as a comparison tool to know if your effort was effective. You must know exactly what you want to purchase. You must find who you want to purchase from and come to contract terms that benefit both your organization and the supplier. Planning, organization, data analysis, negotiation, and communication are just some of the skills you will need to develop. Whatever you enjoy, a function of Procurement will require knowledge in that area. You can become a jack of all trades or become a subject matter expert. You can be a strong negotiator or analyze data on your computer for a living. The option to do what you want and challenge yourself how you prefer is absolutely within the field.

3.   
You Will Pay For Yourself

If you are effective, a Procurement department will literally pay for itself. That is job security! Being strategic about how you purchase goods and services can save a company millions. If you analyze expenditures and personnel, the ability to pay for yourself is clearly there. When we were dealing with COVID-19, tightening of budgets caused many to be laid off. Not in Procurement. Us Procurement folks have the business case of being paid for with our efforts. It is not a difficult business case to make either.

These are just a few of the benefits that working within the Procurement field can offer. The career journey can take you from entry-level positions all the way to the C-suite. It is exciting and fulfilling. Whether you are unsure about your choice or completely confused on what your calling is, take the time to consider Procurement. If you are like me, it may be the perfect fit!