How to get Call Center Job
The first question you need to ask yourself before you apply for a job in a call center is “Why do I want to work here?” Many customer service positions at call centers require employees to put on their happy faces and deal with a steady stream of phone calls from customers who are eight times out of ten, calling the service center because they are making complaints. If your reasons for working in a call center are because you enjoy sales jobs, enjoy helping people and you have exceptional customer service skills then you should definitely apply for a job in a call center.
Call centers need employees who are patient, speak well, type well and problem solve. Years ago, call centers would give job applicants a chance even if they weren’t fast typists but that is no longer the case. It is an expectation now that call center agents be able to type quickly because each minute that they slowly spend typing up details on a customer’s file is time that could be spent servicing other customers’ calls that are waiting to be attended to. You must be a proficient typist if you want to increase your chances of being hired by a call center. Verbal and written communication skills are also important in call center work. Every person has an accent but if yours is vastly different than those of the majority of the customers who you will be serving, you must take extra care to enunciate your words clearly and speak in a steady and easy to understand pace during your job interview.
During your job interview, the call center management team will ask you to describe how you handled a challenging situation at your previous jobs. Make sure to answer the question enthusiastically and emphasize how you took control of the previous situation with as much integrity as possible. Avoid speaking negatively about your previous place of employment because your potential new employer will consider that to be a disloyal trait. Instead, mention something positive about your former employer and make it clear that you left their company because you wanted to broaden your horizons in a new environment. Make eye contact with your interviewer and smile a lot because call center management teams aim to hire people who can be businesslike yet positive. Dress for success by wearing suits and dress clothes and avoid denim clothes. Be sure to have an extra copy of your resume with you, even though the company already has one.
Call centers mainly advertise job openings on their websites and in newspapers. Some call centers advertise through television and radio commercials and some advertise through job agencies. Applying for the job directly through the company and avoiding a job agency hire is better because job agencies claim a portion of your wages as compensation for getting you the job. Have at least 3 to 4 personal and professional references ready to provide to the call center interviewer in case they request them. Call centers look for people who are patient, quick-thinking, good communicators, coachable and willing and able to work a variety of shifts. If you fit the description of what makes an ideal call center employee then you should pursue call center job opportunities.
