Import and export workers oversee the buying and selling of raw materials and finished products between U.S. companies and companies in foreign countries. Some workers handle both importing and exporting materials; others specialize in one or the other.
Import and export workers may work for firms that do only importing, only exporting, or both. Some work in the foreign trade divisions of large companies.
An export manager is responsible for overall management of a company's exporting activities. He or she supervises the activities of sales workers called foreign representatives who live and work abroad. These foreign representatives may work in a single country or travel between several countries in the course of servicing the company's customers. They also keep the company informed of any foreign political or economic conditions that might affect business. Orders from foreign customers are processed by export sales managers, who draw up contracts and arrange shipping details, and export credit managers, who review the customer's financial status and arrange credit terms.
For importing functions, a company usually employs a support manager to handle the purchase of foreign goods or raw materials. He or she supervises the work of buyers, who live and work abroad.
Companies that do not employ their own import and export workers may utilize the services of export brokers, who sell the companies' goods abroad for a commission, or import merchants, who sell products from foreign countries in this country. A company may also sell its goods to an export commission house broker. These brokers are speculators who buy domestic goods outright and then sell them in foreign countries.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Most import and export workers are employed in the United States. The few overseas positions usually go to those with many years of experience or a special area of expertise.
Workers employed in the United States usually work a 35-hour to 40-hour week; in foreign countries they are expected to adapt to local working conditions and hours. They may be exposed to extremes in climate and living conditions and may have to spend a great deal of time traveling.
Import and export workers who are posted abroad come across an array of situations that they must adapt to, including local weather conditions, cultural habits, and living conditions. Working hours differ with the country. All import and export workers who transact with foreign citizens must be discreet and judicious, irrespective of whether their interactions are in person, by mail, or electronic.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Ability to work with detail, administrative talents, diplomacy, and tactfulness are necessary. Those in sales need aggressiveness and the ability to get along with people as well as adaptability for living in foreign cultures. Knowledge of a foreign language is also usually required.
Most employers require a college degree. Some will accept a liberal arts degree, but most prefer specific areas such as law, engineering, or accounting. An advanced degree in business administration is necessary for some positions.
Many employers provide training for new employees. This usually in-includes classroom and on-the-job training that covers U.S. laws governing foreign trade and the practices of foreign countries.
Potential and Advancement
Job opportunities in this field are expected to increase through the year. Population growth and expanding foreign trade will account for a number of new job openings.
Import and export workers can advance to management and executive positions. Buyers and foreign representatives sometimes advance by going into business for themselves as export brokers or import merchants.
Income
Earnings differ with qualification and years of experience. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for import and export managers in 2010 was $114,110. Workers stationed overseas receive bonuses in the form of overseas incentive allowances. Benefits generally include paid vacations, health and life insurance, incentive allowances, and retirement plans.
Related Jobs
Related jobs include sales manager, wholesaler, translator, interpreter, customs broker, distribution and sales representative, merchant wholesaler, and sales representative.
