How can I become an international trade consultant?

The overall recommendation is of course to get the training needed in a business-oriented degree program that can prepare a trade specialists which might include: business administration, international relations, international finance or global business management, among others.

While any business-related degree can give a student a strong base a specific program concentrated on global or international business may offer the best option as they often join together standard business courses such as ethics, accounting and management with foreign language, business courses dedicated to international business subjects and practices.

Following graduation any aspiring international trade specialists is eligible for entry-level employment, preferably in a field that is related to international business area of their choosing. International trade specialists normally need to have 3-5 years of international trade experience before being qualified for a professional job in the field as reported by the Society for Human Resource.

Earning a master's degree in the field is definitely a better option as the training is more extensive. Graduate programs are available in a variety of areas for instance: global economy, international development and international commerce. Another advantage is that most master's degree programs combine classroom knowledge with on the job training experience that help students develop real-world international business expertise and knowledge of many of the relevant practices and cultural issues.

After formal training certification is not a mandatory requirement for working as an international trade specialist, but it might increase job opportunities since it enhances professional credentials, which separates individuals from the competition on the accreditation of a higher level of professional expertise. One available certification is the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) which a test-measure of the specialist's knowledge of international marketing, finance, documentation and logistics.

Maintaining the certification requires individuals to renew the certification periodically in order to keep up with changes in regulations, treaties and so on. Renewal guidelines usually include completing an indicated amount of continuing education units (CEUs).

International Trade Consulting

Companies considering outsourcing or selling their products overseas need to evaluate many more choices than in the past and process greater amounts of information for decision making. Cultural barriers and complex compliance regulations make global trade a larger challenge than domestic commerce.

Consulting services need to go beyond mitigating risk and develop a comprehensive understanding of the culture, treaties, and regulations to assess the impact to the business. Most clients require customized assessments regarding difficult compliance and administrative issues facing global enterprises which often becomes a competitive trade advantage due to the ability to rapidly adapt to new requirements that might be imposed by governmental authorities.

Customs-specific knowledge for individual countries can help mitigate risks of trade by developing a firm understanding of international trade issues that may impact a business such as working closely with government agencies to keep up-to-date on any changes or amendments to trade regulations and tariffs.

Tariff Consulting can design business processes so that a company can adapt to changing regulations and tariffs with simplicity in a rapidly evolving international trade landscape. Consultants can help understand bilateral and multilateral trade agreements and the processes involved so that operations can be plan accordingly.

Here is a short list of educational institutions that can help one become an international trade specialist:

Ashford University

Winthrop University

Benedictine University

American InterContinental University

American University

Strayer University

Jack Welch Executive Master of Business Administration

Seton Hall University

George Mason University

Saint John's University

The University of Scranton

Subject areas:

International Business

Business Administration

Operations Management and Analysis

Operations Management

Master of Business Administration

Master of Arts in Economics