Ever consider the food and entertainment that you consume every day? Chances are, they are the byproduct of global trade. And, it’s not the type of global trade seen in the history books either.
Today, global trade is elevated, prosperous, and full of opportunity. It takes mere days for raw material, completed products, and even services to arrive on the other side of the world. Global trade literally holds the world together.
Not quite sure what global trade is? Today, we’ll be defining global trade, the types of jobs available, and the skills necessary to thrive in this field!
Global Trade Defined
Global trade (also known as international trade) can be defined as the exchange of goods and services between countries. Pay close attention to the keyword between. For example, let’s consider a product that’s designed, manufactured, and sold exclusively in the United States. That would just be trade. As soon as you add another element – let’s just say marketing or sales – rooted in another country, it then becomes global.
For countries, global trade allows them to expand their markets and access goods/services that were previously never accessible before. For individuals, it offers convenience and variety within their daily purchases. For businesses, they are able to access more opportunities that enable them to provide more competitive pricing.
What Jobs Are Available in Global Trade
Trade itself is a huge job, and global trade is even bigger in terms of responsibility. Several career paths weave together to uphold the processes seen in global trade. Here are only a few examples of the jobs available in global trade:
- Global entrepreneur (one of our favorites)
- Export sales representative
- Purchasing agent
- International trader
- Foreign market researcher
- Interpreter/translator
- Compliance analyst
- Global logistics coordinator
- International insurance broker
- Product designer
- Customers writer
- Supply chain manager
- International trade analyst
Related: The Investor's Guide to Global Trade.
Necessary Skills to Thrive in Global Trade
As you can tell, no two jobs are the same in global trade. Yet, there are some fundamental skills necessary simply for working in the international scene. Here’s what they are.
- Open-mindedness
- Communication
- Leadership
- Cross-cultural intelligence
- Adaptive thinking
- Resilience
- Social
- Self-motivated
- Observant
- Innovative
- Competitive
- Flexible
Interested in Other Global Supply Chain Related Jobs?
Global trade is a flourishing industry, and we can guarantee that it’s not going away any time soon. After all, our world depends on global trade these days. Interested in learning more about global trade?
Our Global Trade Career Guide can help you prepare and feel more confident. It spans many industries and is designed to help you understand the facets of opportunities in international business and global trade. Check out the Career Guide today!
Also be sure to check out the Global Careers Hub job board for the latest career and internship listings in international business, and bookmark this website for the latest in industry news.
If you found this post helpful please share globalcareershub.com with your friends and colleagues!
