STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Would it be a good intro level type career to pursue after college?

I think it would be good to pursue.

How about pay?  I think the pay would be lucrative. My first buying job over 10 years ago in couture bridal shope and it paid about 35K but that was for a small small chain. Big chains like the one you mentioned pay much more.

Then I was a produce buyer at a $3B dollar company and it paid anywhere from $55K-75K plus bonus of $10K-$15K.

Currently, I am interviewing at Sears Corporate in buying and category management and the pay is over 6 figures with at least a $20K bonus.

The pay is pretty good in buying, procurement and category management. Please PM me if you have more questions or want to know what types of questions they asked of me or I can post a job description. It can be stressful. They look for a good numbers person, creative with some marketing background, business sense, good computer skills--Excel, etc.

You have to control inventory levels, your budget, inside market gain, Gross margin, you are responsible for service levels--having the right product and the right amount at the right time. You need to understand basic financial statements -- the P/L or income statement and basic terms--gross margin, EBITDA, Cost of Goods, Gross Sales, etc.

Anyway--i will be glad to tell you more if you need.