Import-export industry: GenZ's never-ending choice

The import and export industry includes all activities related to the process of exchanging goods between domestic and foreign countries. Import and export is an indispensable link in the economy of countries, playing an important role in the circulation of goods and building comprehensive cooperative relationships with countries in the region and the world.

Vietnam is a country with a strategic location in Southeast Asia and is a favorite import and export market of many countries due to its low cost and friendly legal policies. So what advantages and difficulties will you face when studying this major?

2.1. Opportunities when studying import and export

There are many opportunities opening up for the import and export industry and those who follow this industry in our country.

1. To cultivate professional knowledge and skills in import and export

First of all, you will be provided with basic knowledge about economics, international trade, and in-depth knowledge in the field of import and export. Not only that, students are also intertwined with training in related professional skills to get acquainted and gradually adapt to the industry before graduating.

2 - Equipping skills to respond to changes in the economy

The flow of social, political, and many other external factors has more or less always had a certain influence on the economic sector. Therefore, the development trend of countries' economies as well as international trade policies are always fluctuating day by day. Studying the import and export major, students will have the opportunity to update the latest trends and be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt and cope with change.

3 - Have the opportunity to improve foreign language proficiency

The characteristics of the import and export industry force you to contact and work with foreign businesses and suppliers regularly, and need to use a lot of specialized vocabulary throughout, so it requires you to firmly grasp all 4 skills of listening - speaking - reading - and writing in English. This means that you can practice and improve your English every day and your foreign language level will inevitably improve significantly.

4 – Have Extensive Job Opportunities

Currently, in our country, the shortage of human resources in the industry is huge, especially highly skilled labor. The strong development of domestic and international foreign trade activities has created countless career doors for graduates majoring in import and export. Therefore, with a bachelor's degree in this field in hand, it is not difficult for you to find yourself a stable job with a decent salary.

5 - High income

With such a high demand for human resources, the salary you receive when working in the import and export industry is of course not small. Your total income depends on many factors such as capacity, experience, job location, sales bonus,.. A new graduate with little experience has a monthly salary of about 7-9 million VND, if you work hard, after 3.4 years, the number can reach 2 or even 3 digits depending on your ability.

2.2. Challenges when studying import and export

Opportunities always go hand in hand with challenges, let's see what difficulties you will face in studying import and export.

1 - Lack of human resources

This is both a strength and a weakness of the industry. If the shortage of human resources makes it easier for you to get a job, it is also the reason why employees in this industry are facing the general situation of working many jobs at once, often working overtime,. In the long run, it can make you feel tired and unmotivated to work, leading to a decrease in overall productivity.

2 - Good foreign language proficiency is required

As mentioned, industry characteristics require your English proficiency to be good enough to work with customers as well as understand specialized terms. A solid English foundation from the beginning is a necessary condition for you to be recruited for jobs related to the field of import and export.

3 - Non-fixed work location

Depending on the job location, your main place of work is not the same. However, if you take on many positions at the same time, you may have to move continuously from the office to the customs department, seaport, and airport in one day,. You need to be flexible and have a lot of energy to meet the job requirements.

4 – Great work pressure

Working in this field requires patience and the ability to withstand great pressure. Every day, you have to focus on closely monitoring the stages of transporting goods to ensure that nothing goes wrong, find ways to handle unexpected situations and most of them have to work overtime.

You may be interested in: Which major should you choose to study abroad?

So are you suitable to study the export industry? Let's see if you have the traits that we list below.

3.1. Love international trade activities

If you are interested in business activities in general, especially international trade activities, this is a very suitable field for you because import and export is an indispensable link in the national economy.

If you love to learn about international trade activities, import, and export is the right industry for you.

3.2. Good foreign language communication ability

As a specific industry with a multinational and multicultural working environment, the ability to hear and speak fluently in foreign languages is an extremely necessary factor for employees. If you feel confident in your foreign language abilities, especially in communication skills, then you should highly consider becoming part of the import and export industry's workforce.

3.3. Good networking and negotiation skills

In the import and export industry in general, it is very necessary to create connecting relationships between domestic and foreign businesses to build more business opportunities. Therefore, networking and social communication skills are extremely important for developing work and self effectively.

So specifically, what major can you learn about import and export through? What knowledge are you trained when studying import and export? Let's dive into this major.

4.1. 4 majors in import and export training

Import and export is a name that encompasses many fields related to international trade activities. Therefore, similar professions have the training and knowledge you need to work in the field of import and export.

1 - International Business

As the name suggests, international business includes commercial transactions between countries. In addition to specialized knowledge in economics, you will also be taught industry-specific knowledge such as international trade policies and practices, global supply chain management and logistics,..

2 - External Economy

This major is similar to international business but more research-oriented. Specifically, the external economy will focus on studying the mutual impact of countries' economies and socio-political factors affecting it. Graduating from this major will be fully equipped with both professional knowledge and skills in international trade issues and import and export activities.

3 - International Trade

Majoring in international trade, you will receive in-depth training in theoretical and practical knowledge related to international trade activities such as international trade negotiations, international shipping management, global strategic management, international payments and import and export financing, etc. customs operations,..

4 - Logistics and supply chain management

Logistics and supply chain management refers to the management and control of the network of businesses that have an impact on the production process and bring goods and services to consumers. It is a large field that includes various steps such as material transportation, production, storage, inventory handling,.. This industry provides you with useful knowledge for supply chain-related work such as system operation and design, import and export freight forwarding process management, customer relationship management, control of international transportation, insurance and payment methods, etc ...

Logistics and supply chain management is a vast industry that encompasses the jobs involved in the production process and getting products into the hands of consumers.

4.2. 5 Basic knowledge to grasp when learning import and export

When studying import and export, you need to focus on mastering the following basic knowledge:

1 - Import and export processes and policies

The Board needs to understand the import and export policies of each type of item: import and export conditions such as licenses, documents, quotas,..? What category are the goods in and under the management of which ministries, departments, and branches? In addition, the basic thing is to understand the import and export process, how to step by step.

2. Freight forwarding in import and export

It is divided into 2 branches: domestic freight forwarding and international freight forwarding:

• Domestic forwarding: You need to understand the purpose, form of operation, the appropriate type of transportation, and the accompanying costs as well as the understanding of the system of seaports and river ports in the country.

• International forwarding: It is necessary to understand the form of transportation and related costs; information about airports and seaports in countries and special attention should be paid to the issue of international documents.

3 - International payment in import and export

International payment methods and instruments along with the associated risks and benefits are things you need to understand. In addition, you should also have a certain understanding of popular international payment methods such as COD and CAD, T/T - Telegraphic transfer, and L/C - Letter of Credit,...

International payment is an important basic knowledge that needs to be firmly grasped when learning import and export.

4. Customs procedures in import and export

Customs procedures include legal policies, circulars, and administrative sanctions on customs. You need to understand these things so that the circulation of goods takes place smoothly. In addition, it is also necessary to understand how to calculate the customs value and import and export taxes of each item,.

5 - Import and export documents

Import and export documents are important legally valid documents accompanying the shipment. You need to know how to apply for a license, inspect all types, and complete documents depending on the form of payment.

Below is a list of good import and export training schools and study abroad countries that you can refer to.

5.1. Top 7 best import and export training schools in Vietnam

The major in import and export is present in the methodical training system of universities in Vietnam through many different names:

>>> View articleWhich school does the import and export major study? Suggest 15 Best SchoolsFor more information about universities training in the import and export industry!

5.2. How to study abroad in import and export?

Although the import and export industry in Vietnam has begun to be invested and has made significant progress, studying abroad in developed countries still has more advantages when you have the opportunity to experience advanced technology applications, quality infrastructure, and a multicultural and multinational learning environment.

We would like to introduce some countries and universities with good import and export training to you:

Next, let's dive into the specific jobs and salaries that employees in the import and export field can receive.

6.1. Typical jobs

Here are the most common jobs in an import-export business:

1 - Import and export sales staff

An import-export salesperson needs to find international customers, negotiate and trade sales contracts, and establish long-term relationships with them. Along with that are jobs accompanying export work such as transportation services, payment,..

2 - Voucher Officer

Document staff undertake the work of drafting and completing import and export documents and exchanging information with customers to ensure convenient trade.

3 – Field Worker

This is a location that requires quite a lot of movement. Field staff are responsible for directly going to ports, warehouses, and border gates to receive goods and carry out transaction procedures for orders.

4 - International Payments Department Staff at the Bank

Employees working in this field need to have in-depth knowledge of international payments, understand the policies and regulations of transactions between banks to be able to confirm invoices, documents or support customers when necessary.

6.2. Reference salary

1. Reference salary in the import and export industry by rank:

• New graduates: 5-6 million VND/month, gradually increasing with years of experience

• Team leader: 16 - 19 million VND/month

• Management: 23 - 92 million VND/month

2. Reference salary in the import and export industry according to the job position of the new graduate:

• Import and export sales staff: 7.9 - 13.9 million VND/month

• Purchasing staff: 6.7 - 10.1 million VND/month

• International payment specialist: 7 - 10 million VND/month

• Document staff: 7 - 10 million VND/month

• Field staff: 5 - 8.5 million VND/month

• Customs officer: about 7.2 million VND/month

Thus, the above article has summarized for you the most basic and general information about the import and export industry. Hopefully, the above information will be useful to you and help you make a decision about whether or not to pursue this interesting profession. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact IDP Education immediately, we will help you answer the problems and difficulties you are facing in the fastest and most effective way.