How do you know if your customer service resume makes the grade? What do employers look for in a customer service resume? How can you make sure your skills and abilities stand out from the competition when applying for jobs?
If you’re wondering about these things, then this guide to skills for customer service resume will give you all the information you need to impress hiring managers and get hired as soon as possible.
Qualities of an Exceptional Customer Service Professional
Most companies value employees who can deliver superior customer service. And when it comes time to hire new employees, those employers usually seek people with a natural gift for communication. But that’s not all you need to excel in your role as a customer service professional.
Good communication skills will help you get hired, but several other factors determine how good of an employee you will be once you start working.
Here are some qualities that make exceptional customer service professionals stand out from their peers:
- You should also be open-minded and eager to learn. A willingness to go above and beyond makes customers feel special and helps build trust between them and your company.
- Empathy also plays a large part in great customer service. You should put yourself in another person’s shoes when addressing their concerns or complaints, so you understand where they’re coming from and what they expect.
- Finally, proficiency in written communication is a major asset. Strong writing skills are crucial if you need to document issues or communicate product information effectively.
Please take a look at these skills and how they fit into the customer service field.
Adaptability, self-motivation, a well-rounded skill set, and people skills. These are all skills that you should consider adding to your resume or personal profile if you’re in search of a job in customer service. But what can you do if you don’t have these skills on your resume? There are ways to acquire them.
For example, when most people think of self-motivation, they picture someone who is born that way. However, every single person who has motivation needs help to unlock it within themselves. If you aren’t sure where to start, try looking at some books about customer service.
You may also want to ask friends and family members how they handle certain situations with customers.
The more experience you get dealing with customers, whether it’s through reading or real-life experience, the better off you’ll be when applying for jobs in customer service.
A look at what it takes to stand out from the competition.
In today’s job market, companies have a tonne of candidates to choose from when it comes time to hire someone. What are some skills you can learn that will make you stand out? Here are a few things you can consider adding to your resume or cover letter.
The key is to do something beyond what most people would think of doing and demonstrate how it has helped you achieve success in previous roles.
These are just a few examples; use them as inspiration and create your list. Your goal should be to be memorable and present yourself as an exciting new hire with big potential who can contribute quickly and help grow their business in unique ways.
Communication
Customer Service requires good verbal and written communication skills. The ability to communicate your thoughts, both verbally and in writing, will be imperative during in-person interactions with customers.
If you want a job where you’ll be answering phone calls or emails from customers regularly, having great communication skills is of utmost importance.
Also, make sure your grammar and spelling are impeccable! Misspelt words or weird sentence structures can damage your credibility. It’s also important that you have good voice quality when speaking with customers over the phone.
No one wants to deal with someone who sounds like they’re just using their teeth! (Unless it’s Halloween.)
So keep that in mind as well while practising your customer service skills by talking on the phone and recording yourself.
A great way to show off your skills as a communicator is through social media. Employers can see both how well you interact with clients online and how much positive engagement you get from your updates.
Listening
The art of truly listening is a rare skill. People don’t listen to understand; they listen so that they can respond. If you want to connect with people truly, focus on them and let them talk—about anything.
Resist inserting your opinion or idea and give them your full attention. If you do, you’ll be rewarded with new connections and insights into their situation that might help serve their needs even better in the future.
Conflict Resolution
The secret to surviving and thriving in a service-based industry is conflict resolution. A good customer service representative will go beyond just solving problems – they’ll establish positive relationships that benefit both sides.
ALSO READ: 10 Skills You Need to Be a Successful Teacher
That’s because, at its core, customer service is about helping customers get what they want, when they want it, regardless of their feelings or interests.
Conflict comes into play when you need help getting something you need. Customers usually aren’t interested in dealing with a cold or standoffish employee.
To effectively resolve any difficult situation, you should know how to be assertive without being abrasive.
Time Management
By learning how to manage your time better, you can reduce distractions and increase productivity. Prioritise high-value tasks, set realistic deadlines, and work with a timesheet so that you have clear expectations of what needs to be done by when.
These include taking regular breaks from sitting at your desk—15 minutes every few hours—to give your body a rest and boost concentration levels.
Resources, websites, apps, and books
The following tools and resources are guaranteed to boost your customer service resume, no matter where you are in your career.
These tools will help you develop and showcase your customer service skills like a pro. Here’s a list of skills that may appear on your customer service resume.
So whether you have extensive experience or a limited work history, be sure to read up and improve your chances of getting noticed by employers with these helpful resources below.
For example, Don’t forget about networking! Connecting with other professionals. Being able to provide valuable insights is one of the best ways to expand your knowledge base and set yourself apart from other job seekers.
Forums/Social Media: Check out Facebook groups, Quora groups, and LinkedIn discussion boards for lively discussions about trends in your industry.
Not only will you learn from others’ experiences, but you might also find a mentor who can guide you or introduce you to new opportunities.
What makes you unique?
The customer service resume is very competitive because everyone is looking for work in a field that offers great job security and flexibility. The more skill sets you can list on your resume and back them up with experience or education, the more you will set yourself apart from other candidates.
If you’re looking to break into customer service as a first job or change jobs, here are some skills that may help you land your dream position:
- Customer service
- Handling difficult situations
- Problem-solving
- Good listening skills.
- Follow-up skills
- Multitasking abilities
- Word processing/computer skills
- Public speaking (not required but helpful)
- Interaction with people from different cultures or socioeconomic backgrounds.
