Procurement Specialist Resume: Examples + Templates

What should a good procurement specialist bring to the table?Simple: a pro cure to the company’s supply chain ailments!

Procurement is a growing industry and is likely to stay that way.

So, let’s get to the deets of making your procurement resume the best it can get.

This guide will show you: 

• A procurement resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a procurement resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a procurement resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a procurement specialist to get any job you want.

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Considering similar jobs in the industry? See related guides:

• Purchasing Resume Examples
• Business Resume Examples
• Sales Resume Examples
• Purchasing Agent Resume Examples
• Supply Chain Manager Resume Examples
• Project Coordinator Resume Examples
• Supervisor Resume Examples
• Sales Manager Resume Examples
• Sales Representative Resume Examples
• Sales Associate Resume Examples
• Job Resume Examples for All Professions

Sample Procurement Specialist Resume

Inspiring? Time to learn about improving your procurement resume:

1. Lay out the Format of Your Procurement Resume

Procurement specialists handle procurement processes and the flow of the supply chain. Your resume needs to show recruiters that you can orchestrate processes and the supply chain. Evaluating suppliers and developing the right strategies is crucial for writing a successful procurement resume.

So, see theseresume tips to ensure minimal breakage:

• First, structure your resume with clear headings and specific sections.
• List your contact information, like your name, e-mail, and phone number, in the resume heading.
• Choose a resume format that presents your skills and accomplishments in the best possible light, which, in your case, is likely the reverse-chronological layout.
• Use proper resume spacing and a presentable font to make your resume easy to read and visually appealing.
• Can you imagine a SaaS company not giving the option to generate PDF records? They do it for a reason, and a PDF resume is more reliable.
• Avoid exceeding one page if you’re uncertain how long a resume should be.

Read more: More Resume Ideas: 99+ Excellent Examples

2. Write a Procurement Resume Objective or Resume Summary

A top-notch procurement resume needs to read like a well-curated, triple-checked list.

Can you make that impression straight away?

Of course! You can do it through a resume profile—an elevator pitch with your biggest accomplishments.

To write a resume summary for procurement specialists with 2+ years in the industry:

• Say how long you’ve worked in the position.
• Show off your professional experience and highlight major achievements. Use positive language in your descriptions and give them some hard numbers to chew on.
• State a clear goal you have in mind and want to achieve.

Not that experienced? No worries. Your order form will be similar to the above, but instead of a profile, go for a resume objective and emphasize transferable skills they could find valuable.

Read more: Writing a Resume Introduction: In-Depth Guide

3. Describe Your Previous Procurement Work Experience

TheEU’s single market report cites climate change and environmental degradation as key challenges to tackle in supply chain management.

Procurement specialists have to, therefore, exhibit incredible foresight to respond to unexpected complications efficiently.

If you are to come in among the company’s ranks, you’ll have to show you’ll be their strongest link.

Do so through a rock-solid work experience section:

• Start with the basics: job titles, company names, and dates of past employment. Listed in reverse chronological order, of course.
• When describing past job duties and responsibilities, pretend the recruiter sent you an RFQ, and give them lots of numbers and percentage values to show off your impact.
• Customize your resume to fit the job description, highlighting the skills and expertise that match the employer’s needs.
• Use action words to spice things up, like “sourced,” “negotiated,” and “managed,” for example. Show them you put the “Ownership” in “TCO.”

Read more: How Far Back Should a Resume Go (How Many Years to List)

4. Mention the Education on Your Procurement Resume

Here’s the lowdown:

Your resume needs an education section.

In this sense, the education section functions like a purchase order. No PO, no deal.

For procurement specialists working with plenty of experience, list your school name and location, degree, major, and any minors you may have, as well as your graduation year.

And for those just starting out, add in relevant coursework, internships, volunteering, extracurricular activities, scholarships, or projects from your school days to beef up your resume and, with it, your chances.

Pro Tip: Still not convinced about listing education? Well, procurement specialists typically need to show at least a bachelor’s in a relevant field. Companies might think you simply don’t meet the criteria if you don’t mention your degree on your resume.

Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.

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5. Demonstrate Valuable Procurement Skills

How many skills should you list on a procurement resume? Five? Ten? Twenty? The answer is typically around eight to ten.

But if you just slap any haphazardly chosen skills and call it a day, guess what?

Your application instantly gets lumped together with the rest of their tail spend.

Tailoring your skills section to their needs is a much better idea.

Check this out:

• Brainstorm a list of your hard and soft skills. 
• List them all out.
• Compare your freshly created list against the job ad. 
• Look for any matches.
• Put them in this section using resume bullet points.

Matching skills should find their way onto your resume, as they likely have programmed theirATS software to check for those specific keywords.

Here’s the promised list of procurement skills that doesn’t skip a beat:

Procurement Skills for a Resume

• Procurement Processes
• Sourcing
• Negotiation Skills
• Cost Analysis
• Vendor Management
• Supplier Relations
• Financial Modeling
• Contract Management
• Legal Compliance
• Project Management
• Inventory Management
• Supply Chain Optimization
• Quality Control
• Risk Evaluation
• Market Research
• Strong Communication Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Adaptability
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management
• SAP, Oracle, Procurify
• Excel Skills
• E-procurement Tools
• Compliance Standards
• International Procurement Laws
• Record-Keeping
• ERP Systems
• Logistics & Transportation Management
• Financial Software

Read more: Resume Strengths: Taking Advantage of Your Best Side

6. Get Creative with Extra Sections

We’ve done the basics, the equivalent of your typical MRO order. But it doesn’t end here. 

Including more sections is the key to success here.

Sure, your skills and experience are important, but you're more than just a list of qualifications. Let your personality shine through with some of these:

• Language skills
• Procurement certifications
• Industry events
• Workshops and seminars
• Side projects
• Freelance work
• Achievements and awards

Read more: 100+ Words to Describe Yourself on Your Resume

7. Write a Cover Letter to Include With Your Procurement Resume

Procurement deals with contracts for massive amounts of money every day. Checking the essential documentation is a necessary skill to have.

And you think acover letter is not necessary?

Sure, if you want to send them a message like “Yeah, I gloss over the details and can cost you millions in damages” in big, bold letters.

A cover letter always shows you mean business. It’s never a good idea to skip it.

Here are the basics on writing a good procurement specialist cover letter that'll land you the job:

• Pick the right cover letter format. Your proposal will be judged by its cover, so choose wisely.
• Captivate your reader with an engaging cover letter opening.
• Highlight your prospective contributions, not expectations. Salary requirements on a cover letter are a no-go; it’s not an RFP.
• Write a proper cover letter ending to ensure you get a callback.
• What's the right length for a cover letter? About 3-4 paragraphs is the sweet spot.

Pro Tip: The main difference between a cover letter and a resume is that cover letters are more personal than the rest of your application. Make sure in advance that you know who you will be writing to and how to address your cover letter properly.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

So there you go—

All you must know about writing a perfect procurement specialist resume.

Going to save these tips for later? Maybe you have some of your own procurement knowledge to pass on. Leave me a comment, and let me know if I missed anything!

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