Retail Buyers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Retail Buyers select and buy goods for resale in retail establishments.
Specialisations: Merchandise Planner.
Extensive retail experience is usually needed to work as a Retail Buyer. Some workers have a diploma in retail management or retail merchandise management or a university degree in business, marketing or fashion.
Tasks
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Monitors sales data and stock levels, and studies trade, manufacturers' and market information to keep informed of changing market conditions.
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Negotiates purchase, promotion and supply arrangements with suppliers.
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Designs and implements pricing, marketing, promotional and display strategies.
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Liaises with management on long-term planning and sales promotions.
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Establishes working plans according to seasonal and budgetary requirements.
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Anticipates consumer trends and determines quantity, style and quality of goods to be purchased.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Sedentary
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Light
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Retail and Wool Buyers, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 88% of people employed as Retail Buyers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 22 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 45 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Most Retail Buyers work in the Retail trade industry. They are also employed in industries like:
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Retail Buyers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 38.3 | 31.6 |
VIC | 41.5 | 25.6 |
QLD | 10.6 | 20.0 |
SA | 4.0 | 7.0 |
WA | 4.6 | 10.8 |
TAS | 0.7 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.1 | 1.0 |
ACT | 0.2 | 1.9 |
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Around 83% of Retail Buyers live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
Victoria and New South Wales have a large share of employment relative to their population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Melbourne - Inner
- Sydney - City and Inner South
- Melbourne - Inner South
- Sydney - Eastern Suburbs
- Melbourne - West.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Retail Buyers is 36 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 58% of the workforce. This is 10 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Retail Buyers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.1 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 5.0 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 39.2 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 28.6 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 16.3 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 4.9 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 3.1 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.7 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 36 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Extensive retail experience is usually needed to work as a Retail Buyer. Some workers have a diploma in retail management or retail merchandise management or a university degree in business, marketing or fashion.
Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Retail Buyers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 7.0 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 35.4 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 16.4 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 8.5 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 22.3 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 3.7 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 6.8 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Retail and Wool Buyers who interact well with others, provide good customer service and are reliable.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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57%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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57%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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57%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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57%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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55%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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55%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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55%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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55%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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54%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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50%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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48%
Management of financial resourcesFiguring out how money is needed to do something, and keeping track of the money that's being spent.
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48%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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48%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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48%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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48%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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46%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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45%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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45%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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45%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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45%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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64%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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63%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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59%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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59%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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57%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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57%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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50%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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47%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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39%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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38%
MechanicalMachines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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33%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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29%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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26%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
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25%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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25%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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23%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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22%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
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21%
PhysicsThe physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
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20%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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14%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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57%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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57%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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57%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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57%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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54%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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52%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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52%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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52%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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50%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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48%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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48%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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48%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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46%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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45%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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45%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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45%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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43%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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41%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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37%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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37%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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71%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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67%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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67%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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66%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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64%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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63%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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61%
Managing payments and ordersMonitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
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60%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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58%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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56%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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55%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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53%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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53%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
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51%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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49%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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48%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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47%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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45%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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43%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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37%
Estimating amounts, costs and resourcesWorking out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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100%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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81%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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48%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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33%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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29%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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19%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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57%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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57%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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57%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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57%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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52%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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50%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
Demands
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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100%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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97%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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95%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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90%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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89%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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88%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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85%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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85%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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83%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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81%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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80%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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80%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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77%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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77%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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75%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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74%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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71%
Making repetitive motionsSpend time making repetitive motions.
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68%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 13-1022.00 - Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.