Written
by Swetha Amaresan @swethamaresan
Applying
for a new job is always nerve-wracking. What if they don't like me? What if I'm
overdressed for the interview? What if I hand in the wrong cover letter?
There
are some mistakes and mishaps during the application and interview process that
are out of your control. However, your resume is completely in your hands and
there are steps you can take to make it the best it can be.
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12 Resume Templates [Free Download]
In
this post, we'll give you some tips on what a call center resume should look
like. Then, we'll provide a few resume examples you can use to optimize your
application. If time is a factor, use the links below to jump to your preferred
topic.
2. Customer Service Resume Summary Examples
3. Call Center Resume Objective
5. Call Center Resume Examples & Templates
Call
Center Resume Summary
It
doesn't matter if you're applying for an entry-level position or an executive
role, your resume should begin with a brief summary. These two to four
sentences outline your candidacy and summarize the skills and experiences
listed on your resume. This highlights your most definitive characteristics to
employers who may be skimming through applications.
A
good summary describes your professional career and identifies why you'd be a
good fit for the organization. Talk about your relevant work experience and
point out skills that would be beneficial to your employer.
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Customer
Service Resume Summary Examples
Below
are a few examples you can consider when drafting your resume summary.
1.
Experienced Support Rep
When
applying for any position, it helps to showcase your experience performing in
that role. Below is an example summary you can refer to from my colleague's
application for the HubSpot Support team.
"Experienced
customer service rep seeking a support position with an expanding tech company.
Possesses a bachelor's degree in marketing communications and has over 3 years
of experience in customer service roles. Highly skilled communicator who meets
deadlines and ensures customer satisfaction."
2.
Bilingual Service Rep
Communication
is key in customer service and being able to communicate with people from all
over the world makes you a much more attractive applicant. If you're capable of
speaking two or more languages, be sure to include that skill in your summary
to distinguish yourself from other candidates.
Here's
an example from Cover Letters and Resume of
an applicant who speaks both English and Spanish.
"Friendly
and outgoing Customer Service Representative with 8+ years of experience,
looking to increase the customer experience at the ABC Company. Expert in
taking and entering orders, managing accounts, and resolving complaints.
Familiar with the processes of customer needs assessment, quality standards for
services, and customer retention. Bilingual: English/Spanish."
3.
Skilled Customer Service Rep
When
it comes to customer service, some companies are more concerned with the
candidate's soft skills than they are with their technical or product
knowledge. Soft skills like active listening and emotional intelligence can be
much harder to teach than using or troubleshooting a product.
Take
a look at this summary from Indeed that
highlights the applicant's ability to build meaningful relationships with
customers.
"Energetic
Customer Service Representative with 3+ years of experience resolving complex
customer inquiries. Passionate about building strong customer relationships,
driving brand loyalty, and increasing customer engagement."
4.
Call Center Team Lead
As
a team lead, you're responsible for managing employees and meeting deadlines
set by the call center manager. This requires strong communication skills as
well as the ability to plan and execute campaigns. When applying for this role,
your summary should indicate you're an organized, goal-oriented worker who's
capable of meeting deadlines.
Here's
a good example of a team lead summary provided by myperfectresume.com.
"Results-oriented
Team Leader with expertise in invoicing, document controle, and financial
reporting. Effective at managing diverse [teams] to accomplish business goals.
Detail-oriented and efficient, with strengths in both project and time
management."
5.
Call Center Manager
As
a call center manager, your summary should highlight your team-building skills
as well as your ability to meet and surpass goals. In this example from Day Job, the
candidate does this by showcasing her ability to problem-solve and provide
others with constructive feedback. While this summary may be a little long for
some recruiters, it demonstrates the applicant's potential value to the
company.
"A
goal-oriented and flexible Call Center Manager who can accept constructive
feedback and then rectify any shortcomings. Maxine is super energetic with a
passion for not just achieving but exceeding targets. She can demonstrate a
stable career history and has a proven track record of winning new business and
driving sales revenue. She is keen to join a company that offers exciting
career opportunities and promising earning-potential for hard-working, driven
professionals."
Call
Center Resume Objective
Your
resume should make it abundantly clear what your short-term goals are. You
should place these objectives below your summary to show why you're interested
in this position. Here are a few to consider when applying for a call center job.
1.
To build lasting relationships with customers.
Right
off the bat, you want to show your employer that you aren't going to be
impersonal, scripted, and rude. You want to work in this position because you
love the opportunity to connect with customers and guide them through problems.
2.
To solve customer problems in creative ways.
This
one is similar to the previous in that you're highlighting the primary purpose
of the role: connecting with customers. However, if you're a creative thinker
who's passionate about problem-solving, this is a good way to demonstrate what
you have to offer while simultaneously calling out what you're looking for in a
role or workplace.
3.
To help organizations grow with higher retention, up-sells, and cross-sells.
It's
easier to sell to someone who already knows your brand and has purchased from
you before. In addition, it's very possible that the issues customers want to
solve are easily rectified with add-ons or premium offerings. With that in
mind, a call center rep's primary focus is on handling customer issues and
solving problems, but there's always an opportunity for cross-selling and upselling in
these conversations. To call this function out in your objective signals to
potential employers that you're growth minded.
4.
To work in a fast-paced environment.
Tell
them right away that you're both prepared and looking forward to the brisk
day-to-day life of a call center agent. This is a major plus for employers
because they can feel confident that you're ready to take on the challenge and
work in a position that requires constant communication.
5.
To further existing experience working with customers.
If
you've worked in a call center before, great! You're already halfway there.
This objective will clearly relay that you have experience and are still trying
to gain more. Even if you haven't worked specifically as a call center agent,
it's helpful if you have any experience in customer service, support, or
success.
6.
To use my problem resolution skills to turn unhappy customers into brand
advocates.
If
you're skilled at managing unhappy or irate customers, this is the objective to
choose. You're not only demonstrating your level of comfortability with what
can be seen as a difficult job, but you're also painting a picture of what the
hiring manager can expect if they choose you: happy customers who will sing
praises about the organization or brand.
7.
To gain insight into the industry.
Call
out the specific industry the company is working in, whether it be tech or
retail or something else. This will show that you've done your research on the
company. In addition, it'll show you're learning about more than just your
specific team, but also about the purpose and mission of the entire company.
8.
To be challenged in navigating computer systems.
Show
your potential employer that you're ready to be challenged. They love someone
who has a fresh perspective and energy to bring to the table. Additionally,
they'll love that you're interested in learning as much as you can about call center software,
as this is an important part of your position. This could help you be
successful as both a call center rep and a technical rep.
Call
Center Resume Skills
After
listing out the key objectives you're trying to achieve, you can highlight the
skills and knowledge you have that will make you a key asset to the company.
This is your chance to show off why you're an ideal candidate.
1.
Outstanding Communication Skills
One
of the most important skills you can have as a call center agent is strong
communication skills. Your job will entail an excessive amount of written and
verbal communication. You must be able to speak quickly on your feet, go off
script, and respond appropriately to customer complaints, both on the phone and
over virtual channels. Employers want to hire someone who doesn't need constant
reassurance on how to respond to a customer and can effortlessly communicate.
2.
Learning Proficiency
In
order to solve issues quickly and provide the best experience possible, you'll
need a deep understanding of the product/service you're providing support for.
You won't be expected to know everything on the first day, but it's important
to learn quickly from trainings, be resourceful when finding answers, and
retain knowledge well.
3.
Problem-Solving and Troubleshooting
Customers
are going to call with issues. Some of them you'll know how to fix, and some of
them you won't. For the latter, you'll need to develop a process for diagnosing
what their issue is and determining how to fix it. This means that you'll not
only need knowledge of your organization's system but also the ability to
detect issues using logic and the process of elimination.
4.
Close Attention to Detail
When
working directly with customers, you need to pay close attention to detail.
Customers will be reaching out with specific problems, questions, and concerns.
You must pay attention to the details and ensure you're offering up the correct
solution. Additionally, misspellings and grammatical errors are a sure sign of
unprofessionalism and will deter employers from trusting you.
5.
Strong Organizational Skills
Call
center agents are required to keep a record of all their customer interactions.
Since agents speak with several customers in a day, it can get confusing to
remember which customer had problems with certain products or services. If
you're someone who keeps to-do lists, budget spreadsheets, or other records,
you should add these skills to your resume.
6.
Empathy
Customers expect to be heard,
appreciated, and valued, especially if they're having an issue and
reaching out for support. As a result, one important aspect of providing
customer service in a call center is doing so with empathy. Treating the
customer like another number (or worse) is a sure-fire way to impact the
experience in a negative way.
7.
Ability to Stay Calm in Emergencies
Something
that's underappreciated in the industry is an employee who can remain
level-headed. When working closely with customers, it's easy to end up in tough
situations with unhappy or angry customers.
The worst thing a call center agent can do is panic. Proving that you are calm
and collected in even the worst of scenarios will be a major boost in the eyes
of employers.
8.
Persuasive Selling
A
big part of working in the frontlines is directly selling products or services
to customers. You will be the voice that customers hear, and what you say
matters. Thus, companies want to hire call center agents who are persuasive and
can sway prospects towards making purchases or buying upgrades. They don't want
someone deceitful, but if you strongly agree that the products or services will
improve your customers' lives, then you should be able to relay that
confidently.
Now
that we've covered some of the components of a call center resume, let's take a
look at some examples and templates.
Call
Center Resume Examples & Templates
1.
Bilingual Call Center Agent
This
sample resume highlights an employee with call center experience. The
fictitious Michael Lopez makes his experience in the field clear by adding it
first thing, right below his name. The title, in bold, "Call Center Pro
with Inbound & Outbound Experience" is impossible to miss. Having a
strong title that outlines your lengthy experience will give employers a reason
to continue reading your resume.
Additionally,
below the title, he adds, in bold, that he's bilingual and the languages in
which he is fluent. This will be a plus for employers since multilingual call
center agents provide added value to specifically global companies.
2.
Call Center Agent With Strong Highlights
Source: LiveCareer
This
sample resume also clearly shows off the fictitious Natalie Hill's call center
experience. The majority of her resume is taken up with her professional
experience and the skills she's acquired, which is a tip-off that she's someone
that doesn't require extensive training or supervision.
Moreover,
even before her experience, she added her highlights. Placed in brief bullet
points, they easily catch the eyes of employers and show off all her traits,
skills, and knowledge in one quick section.
3.
Call Center Agent With No Experience
Source: LiveCareer
This
sample resume highlights a candidate with no actual call center experience.
However, this well-structured resume shows that they have what it takes to
handle the position.
The
fictitious William Morrison states that he has a background in customer service
and writes up the skills he has learned from previous jobs that are
transferable to a call center. Besides his previous positions, he notes the
tasks he completed directly relates to a call center position, which will show
that he has similar qualifications as someone with actual experience at a call
center.
4.
Ecommerce Customer Service Representative
Source: LiveCareer
Ecommerce
companies have slightly different needs on their customer service teams. Their
call center representatives need to be tech-savvy and able to troubleshoot
product issues from a remote location. Additionally, they'll need excellent
interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate resolution steps
clearly to customers. Most businesses in this industry look for applicants who
are detail-driven and proficient writers.
In
this example, the applicant lists her skills near the top of the resume. Notice
how the first ones are mostly technical or related to the candidate's writing
ability. Employers tend to skim when reading resumes, so it's important to put
the most relevant information at the top of the document.
5.
Analytical Resume Template
Source: Freesumes
This
clean resume template is perfect for someone who is very organized. You are
methodical and live for structure. To-do lists, chore charts, and binder tabs
are your weakness.
This
template will show off how organized you are, which is a great quality for
someone working in a call center. It presumes that you will be equally as
organized and meticulous in keeping track of your daily tasks and records of
customer interactions.
6.
Creative Resume Template
Source: Smashresume
This
resume template designed by Federica Procaccino is
a great choice for a call center agent with a background or interest in design.
You're the person who's a visual learner, loves doodling, and has a knack for
color coordination.
This
infographic-style template is perfect for your love of visuals and creativity.
This will show employers that you can easily envision customer problems and
find creative solutions that may be more difficult for the average person to
conceptualize.
7.
Minimalist Resume Template
Source: Behance
This
sleek resume template designed by Raka Caesar is perfect for the call center
agent who is very minimalist. You're someone who enjoys the simple things in
life, like clean structures, neutral colors, and, probably, bullet journaling.
Rather
than a very wordy resume, your resume will highlight your simplicity. Small
icons and brief phrases show that you are low-maintenance, calm, and collected.
This is the perfect resume to show off how level-headed you would be as a call
center agent. Unwavered by frustrated customers or high tempers, you would
handle these emergency situations with ease and grace.
8.
Extroverted Resume Template
Source: Freesumes
This
fun, colorful resume template shows off your spunky, extroverted side. You're
someone who's very outgoing, has a colorful personality, and probably enjoys a
good photo shoot.
This
template is perfect for someone who wants to include their own photo on their
resume. Also, there's a long "About Me" section where you can craft a
summary of both your personal and professional sides. This template is wordier,
so if you have a lot to say to describe yourself, this is the one for you.
Editor's
note: This post was originally published in October 2019 and has been updated
for comprehensiveness.
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