International trade officer is typically an interdisciplinary field of study leading to a variety of potential scopes. This field has immense opportunities in different industries, from government to private sector, financial organisations to manufacturing companies.
Specialists are usually responsible for analysing foreign trade information, evaluating market and economic factors that may impact trade and participating in developmental programmes.
They are similar to world economists and work full-time, although irregular hours may be required because of time changes around the globe. They usually work by themselves in an office setting. Depending on the project some collaboration with other specialists in related fields may be necessary.
An officer in this field, studies the development and distribution of a wide array of goods and services for which transactions take place between countries. This job requires analysing the financial market closely and has to work with different tax policies of the countries. They are expected to make presentations, provide interpretations of the data, make recommendations, work efficiently with the available resources for the growth and profitability of the organisation.
One must have at least a Bachelor's degree before starting up in this profession. A degree related to international trade, such as international business, global public policy, political science, international trade, business administration, economics or marketing will add as a bonus. A Master's degree or doctorate may be required for more prominent positions. Employers often desire candidates with extensive training for in-depth research and analysis.
One should focus on a curriculum highlighting advanced mathematics and statistics, as well as general principles of business and finance. You'll likely want to engage in internships and related entry-level business positions. They are responsible for coordinating credit and financial activities, obtain payments for import/ export operations. The employee acts as an advisor on matters of tariffs markets, federal and foreign regulations.
International trade specialist ensures that paperwork and letters of credit are according to trade laws. They get to work on the variety of field's concept, practices and procedures giving them a great professional exposure. They closely work with managers or the head of a unit/ department and expected to have a wide degree of creativity and latitude.
One must have excellent written and verbal communication skills to be a part of this field. Some other skills required are strong problem solving skills, ability to prioritise and multitasking, and organisational skills. These along with the familiarity in the foreign trade programmes and regulations, knowledge of international trade issues and tariff structures, and familiarity with foreign market research and import/export laws are some of the added advantage.
The writer is Director, TKWS Institute Of Banking And Finance.