Michelle Vaca Senecal is an international trade analyst at the US International Trade Commission (ITC), an independent government agency that provides trade expertise on how imports will impact various US industries.

Related Resources The Federation of International Trade Associations is an excellent resource. Its Web site has links, articles, upcoming conferences and more. The Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) is a nonprofit professional organization designed to promote women doing business in international trade by providing networking and educational opportunities.

She provides industry advice for national policymakers. In addition to monitoring various industries (from dolls to sporting goods) and the World Trade Organization, she tracks international trade in Latin America. While Senecal has chosen to pursue a career with the US government, every sector has options for people interested in international trade.

Working for the Government

Certainly, the federal government is a major place to look for trade-related jobs. In addition to the ITC, there's the US Department of Commerce, headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices and professionals scattered nationally and globally. There is also the Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, which is essentially the export promotion agency for agriculture. The Export-Important Bank helps finance and facilitate the sale of American goods and services abroad.

State and local governments have also become increasingly involved in promoting trade and investment in their cities or exporting goods abroad. Thus, jobs exist in regional government offices as well. Sometimes these jobs are located within departments of economic development; other times they are within a port authority or similar organization.

The Private Sector

In the private sector, opportunities are available in many places. Trade associations and US chambers of commerce here and abroad provide a variety of services for their corporate members. They can be exciting places to work and get exposure to a wide array of industries and sectors.

Import-export companies exist in the thousands. They can be very small shops or huge operations. Jobs are hard to research with these companies, although local papers or Internet listings are sometimes helpful. Trade shows are also good places to network for jobs and information.

Brian Chung, vice president and general manager of Kawai USA, says, "At our headquarters in Japan, all trade-related matters are handled through a separate foreign trade division. Each person rotates from the home office to foreign subsidiaries and back again every three to six years. Some can stay abroad much longer. The perspectives they bring back to headquarters are extremely valuable in all areas of corporate planning."

Characteristics for Success

Most people involved in international trade policy have a master's degree or PhD in international affairs, economics or public policy. MBAs are also useful. However, an advanced degree is not necessary. Although major US companies often hire MBAs to promote trade, sometimes you can penetrate the field with a bachelor's degree. There are also opportunities for attorneys to work with companies and governments on trade laws and restrictions.

Senecal says, "strong writing and research skills, good working knowledge and coursework in international business and economics" are critical for success in her analyst job.

Fluency in a second language is very helpful, as is knowledge of a particular world region. Chung notes that at Kawai, "The (Foreign Trade) group is made up of mid to senior-level managers. All have multilanguage skills and are required to spend significant time abroad with company subsidiaries during their tenure in the division."

In terms of personal characteristics "a positive attitude, being a team player and stepping up to the plate to lead when the opportunity presents itself are crucial," adds Senecal adds.