- Administrative, Technical and Administrative Support Personnel
- Trade Analyst
Efforts to expand international trade include initiatives, mainly on the part of governments, to ensure that the United States access rights in World markets, set out in various trade agreements, are respected. Government agencies, and some private industry associations, also promote trade by making the American capabilities known to buyers in World markets and raising the awareness of export opportunities among the American business people.
Trends
Like all aspects of international trade, the globalization of business, the end of the Cold War and technological changes in communications and information technology have all had an impact on the work that government officials do to promote trade.
The globalization of business combined with increased interest in international markets by many US companies has increased the workload of many trade officials. It has also changed their ways of doing business. Improved communications mean that many meetings, which formerly took place face-to-face, now occur electronically. The end of the Cold War has increased trade-prospecting activities in the countries of the former Soviet Union, and put a heavier emphasis on language and cultural knowledge to support this in the qualifications of new trade officers.
For trade analysts, improvements in information technology mean that that there is less emphasis on briefing officials and more time spent providing information and tools to help business representatives make their own decisions. The Export i Mexico program, which makes large quantities of market information available in electronic form to businesses interested in Mexico, is a good example of this change in emphasis.
^ TopAdministrative, Technical and Administrative Support Personnel
These staff have a wide variety of duties and come from various backgrounds, ranging from secretarial jobs to computer and communications positions.
Qualifications
Education required for these positions varies, depending on the position. Electronics technicians, for example, ensure the security of communications between US and overseas postings, and they require a certificate or diploma from a post secondary institution. For secretarial and other support positions, the entry requirements are typically higher than for similar jobs in the United States.
Skills and Aptitudes
Administrative, technical and administrative support staff need to be flexible enough in their attitudes and living arrangements to be able to relocate overseas and be willing to move occasionally. They must also be comfortable in diverse cultural settings and capable of learning new languages, although the language requirements may not be as stringent as for senior staff who are required to meet with local business and government officials.
Trade Analysts gather information, analyze economic data and prepare reports, briefings and information. These reports are used by government officials at home and abroad to formulate policy and to pursue market access and trade promotion initiatives. Industry associations and individual businesses in the United States also use some of the reports they create to pursue trade opportunities. Trade Analysts may be posted overseas, but there are many positions in multiple US departments with an interest in trade policy.
Trade Analysts may be given responsibility for monitoring and reporting on a specific industry, a specific region, or a combination of both. Some examples of Trade Analysts include:
Trade policy officer, responsible for monitoring and analyzing Canada-U.S. trade relations in automobiles and technical standards. Desk officer for Bulgaria, responsible for all commercial relations with Bulgaria and the development of America’s trade strategy for that country. Desk officer, responsible for coordinating the US international business development efforts in the apparel, housewares, energy and agricultural machinery sectors.
Qualifications
There is some overlap between Trade Policy Analysts and Trade Commissioners, and each may be expected to spend some part of their career doing the other function as well. Therefore the general requirements at the federal level for Trade Analysts are similar to those for Trade Commissioners. In most cases a graduate degree in economics or business is required. Some are hired with an undergraduate degree, but this is becoming less common for new entrants. Trade Analysts at the provincial level as well as those in the private sector are expected to have similar credentials.
Skills and Aptitudes
Trade analysis requires good quantitative skills and the ability to focus on detail, as well as well developed computer skills. Much of the work involves the use of statistics, and an understanding of quantitative methods is required. Analysts are expected to have a good grasp of the international economy at both the theoretical and practical levels.
Good presentation and communications skills are important, since market reports generally must be presented to senior executives in a form that supports practical decisions. As more of the focus in trade analysis is shifted to providing business with analytical tools and information, the ability to write clearly is an asset as well.
Since Trade Analysts may be posted overseas at some point, they need to be flexible enough to travel and must be comfortable in diverse cultural surroundings. Language ability is important, with an emphasis on the languages of the particular region on which most emphasis is currently being placed for trade purposes.
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