How to Become a Log Buyer

Hardware retailers and lumber companies alike use log buyers to find quality products at a low price. As a log buyer, you investigate forests for fresh lumber resources while maintaining quality control over current lumber sources. Your business acumen and knowledge of forestry will help you become a successful log buyer. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Develop a Career as a Log Buyer

1. Combine studies in forestry management and business administration while you attend a 4 year school. Courses in forestry and biology help you learn about different tree species involved in commercial logging. The business administration courses will help you become adept at balancing supply and demand issues in logging.

2. Contact a lumber company in your community about internships while you are in college. Smaller lumber companies use interns to complete administrative tasks and to teach a new generation of buyers how to assess raw materials. You should make these contacts during your junior year so you can work several semesters with the same company.

3. Apply for part time and summer positions with a lumber company as you complete your studies. These positions are typically in the saw mill or in local forests organizing lumber as you load materials onto trucks. You can expand your resume while you earn money as a professional logger.

4. Check regional lumber wholesalers and hardware retailers to expand your search for log buyer positions. Major areas in the United States where log buyers can find jobs are the Pacific Northwest and the Mid-Atlantic states.

5. Accept extra shifts and additional work in your logging position to gain experience for buyer positions. Lumber companies like to promote current employees to log buyer positions based on familiarity with company policy. You can show your determination to advance by working in the office, saw mill or warehouse beyond your regular hours.

6. Spend some of your free time walking through competing retailers, wholesalers and commercial forests. You can expand your knowledge as a log buyer by reviewing the grades of lumber competitors purchase. A few hours a week in the early years of your career can help you become a successful log buyer.

Tips & Warnings

• Show a willingness to travel throughout your state or region when you apply for a log buyer position. Lumber companies and wholesalers that work on a regional or national level use log buyers that cover a large area. Most log buyers travel at least 30 percent of the time to review new lumber sources and meet with customers.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Earn your degree from industry experts at University of Phoenix. Take the next step in your career.

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on 10/21/2008 You have some great insites to this field I like that you mention interning and interning at an early stage in anyones education.