Trade Specialist Series, 1140

Individual Occupational Requirements

Separate individual occupational requirements have been established for International Trade Specialist positions with the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.

Education

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- marketing, business administration, political science, public administration, history, business or commercial law, economics, finance, international trade, or international relations.

or

Experience

General Experience (for GS-5 positions): Experience that provided an understanding of the principles of merchandising, market research, sales promotion, and advertising, and similar aspects of the distribution of goods and services.

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience that demonstrated knowledge of:

• Marketing that included economic, psychological, and sociological influences bearing upon consumption patterns;

• Business practices pertaining to wholesale, retail, manufacturers' distribution, distribution costs, finance and tax structure, and similar areas of activity or concern; and

• For International Trade Specialist positions (other than those covered by the separate individual occupational requirements for the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration), international economic and political factors influencing balance of payments, monetary exchange and tariffs, and their bearing on the distribution of commodities.

Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:

• Promotional work with trade associations or Chambers of Commerce.

• Export-import management, sales promotion, and advertising.

• Investment analysis.

• International relations work in the commercial field.

• Area economics development planning.

• Foreign trade documentation and forwarding activities.

• Work with international insurance companies.

• Teaching college-level courses in the fields listed above under "Undergraduate and Graduate Education."