How to hire a purchasing internship

How to hire a purchasing internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step purchasing internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a purchasing internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new purchasing internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The purchasing internship hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A purchasing internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, purchasing interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of purchasing interns and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Purchasing Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Purchasing Internship	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$14-23
   Media Buyer	Media Buyers are marketing professionals who manage the company's advertisements. They create the company's media plan to determine the advertising needs of the company... Show more	$26-47
   Landman	Landmen are referred to as the public-facing side of a gas, mineral, and oil exploration and production team. They are professionals who interact and negotiate directly with landowners for the acquisition of gas and oil drilling leases... Show more	$25-61

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Purchase Orders
   • Logistics
   • Cost Savings
   • Supplier Quality
   • Data Entry
   • Supplier Performance
   • RFQ
   • Data Collection
   • Cost Reduction
   • ERP
   • Data Analysis
   • Strategic Sourcing
   • Supplier Selection
   • Global Sourcing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Help manage all aspects of the MRO department which include purchasing new and need parts to meet daily production requirements.
   • Prepare RFQ, RFI, and RFP for supplier selection, reporting directly to senior manager.
   • Create RFPs and score-card RFP responses of solution vendors.
   • Complete purchase order process; review overstock reports, open orders and expedite reports.
   • Work closely with plant managers and PLEX MRP system to maintain optimum inventory levels to support production demands.
   • Train on how to develop a bid, competitive bidding exception form, and a contract for RFP.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your purchasing internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A purchasing internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, purchasing interns' average salary in utah is 29% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level purchasing interns earn 38% less than senior-level purchasing interns.
   • Certifications. A purchasing internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a purchasing internship's salary.

   Average purchasing internship salary

   $38,527yearly

   $18.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level purchasing internship salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a purchasing internship job description

   A job description for a purchasing internship role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a purchasing internship job description:

   Purchasing internship job description example

   The Boring Company was founded to solve the problem of soul-destroying traffic by creating an underground network of tunnels. Today, we are creating the technology to increase tunneling speed and decrease costs by a factor of 10 or more with the ultimate goal of making Hyperloop adoption viable and enabling rapid transit across densely populated regions.
   
   The Boring Company purchasing team is responsible for ensuring lowest product cost and risk through supplier management, strategic negotiations; spend analysis and continuous process improvement. An intern joining this team would expect to gain first-hand experience analyzing supplier and spend data, communicating with suppliers, purchasing direct and/or indirect goods or services, and support of various projects like creating and implementing new processes.
   
   ResponsibilitesHelp to develop efficient, cost-effective solutions to a variety of construction challenges.Assist with generating comprehensive cost estimates to drive decision making.Maintain strategic supplier relationships that exist with The Boring Company.Assist in development and implementation of purchasing systems and processes to improve company efficiency.Assist with executing purchase orders and handle purchases quickly and without error. Communicate order status to internal customers and coordinate delivery logistics.Aid in sourcing critical items, working directly with purchasing team and internal customers.Resolve invoice issues with suppliers to ensure vendor payment.Track and support rental equipment logistics such as delivery and returns of equipment in a timely manner.
   
   Basic RequirementsCurrently enrolled in or recently graduated from a 4-year Bachelor's or Master's program from an accredited college or university.
   
   Preferred Skills GPA of 3.5 or higher Hands-on experience through lab research, project teams, prior internship or work experience Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a team environment, accomplishing tasks with limited resources at a rapid pace Intermediate skill level using Windows Operations SystemsIntermediate skill level using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Must be able to work full time for a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks.Must pass a background check with results satisfactory to The Boring Company.
   Additional Requirements This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
   Culture
   We're a team of dedicated, smart, and scrappy people. Our employees are passionate about our mission and determined to innovate at every opportunity.
   
   Benefits
   We offer employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) plan, paid holidays, paid vacation, and a competitive amount of equity for all permanent employees.
   
   The Boring Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with The Boring Company is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right purchasing internship for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with purchasing interns they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit purchasing interns who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your purchasing internship job on Zippia to find and recruit purchasing internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit purchasing interns, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new purchasing internship

   Once you've selected the best purchasing internship candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new purchasing internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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