The 9 characteristics
of a food trader
This profession is not something you are taught at school. You need to gain experience,
but you also need to have the right characteristics. Being a trader appeals to traits and skills
that partly can be taught, but mostly have to do with your talents.
Responsibility
You are not afraid to take responsibility. In fact, you like it! At Kühne + Heitz you are responsible for your own market of customers and suppliers. You are an entrepreneur, and you immediately get responsibility. With that, you will be supported by a group of professionals from commerce, finance, and logistics.
Persistence
Your challenge as a food trader? Keep trying to get the best out of each and every deal. In other words, close the deal you weren’t able to get last week. This requires a competitive mindset and perseverance. In short, a winner’s mentality.
Stress resistance
A trader feels at his best in a dynamic environment. Who pays the best price, what supplier delivers the best product? How do you coordinate those two to get to the perfect deal? That is a matter of timing and dexterity. The most important things are your quick-thinking skills, and that you do not shy away for a bit of multitasking.
Eagerness to learn
In the world of trading, change is the only constant. Product and sales markets are always developing. You therefore learn this profession through practice. You learn from your fellow colleagues and through your own curiosity. In this profession, you will never stop learning.
‘On top of things’
You’ve got to want to help your client stay ‘on top’ of market changes, by keeping ahead of the game. With the help of our IT-systems and relevant information from your colleagues, you will always be up to date on what is happening around the globe. Because of this, you are the expert in your market.
What you as a food trader
do in a day?
Analytical
As a food trader you need to master the supply and demand game in your market. You will get a feel for your clients’ needs and how to maintain good working relationship. This profession appeals to your intuition, requires a quick shifting mindset, tactical insight, and the right timing. This way, you will realize the best deal at the right time, but you also lay a foundation for future deals.
Mr./Mrs. Worldwide
The whole world is your playing field. You can easily adjust your negotiation style
and communication according to your client or supplier and their cultural background. Speaking multiple languages is therefore an advantage.
Guts
A trader also walks the untrodden paths. At Kühne + Heitz the possibilities are endless. So, do you see new business opportunities in Costa Rica? Or do you want to start doing business in Taiwan? Go for it! Because if you can substantiate your plans well, we will make it possible together with you. You understand that takes guts.
Teamplayer
Our business is competitive. Even though you operate independently, you understand you always need another person to close a deal. Colleague, customer, or supplier: you want to close deals that makes every one of them happy. Therefore, at Kühne + Heitz we are all teamplayers who know each other’s qualities, offer help when necessary and celebrate together when we’re successful.