Not everyone who works in Customer Service should be in Customer Service. So how can you find your next service hero in the pile of applications? Follow these guidelines.
Resumes can speak volumes about how good a candidate will be — if you know what to look for and study it close enough, according to experts at OpenForum.
Keep your eyes peeled
Here’s what to look for when you weed through customer service resumes:
- A history of responsibility. Some job-hopping is expected and actually OK in the customer service industry, as long as it comes with a steady increase in the applicant’s responsibilities. If titles and responsibilities evolve in the history of contact center work, the candidate is likely good. If jobs change, but levels of work and responsibility don’t, you might want to pass on that candidate.
- Work values. You probably won’t see on a resume numbers to support whether a customer service professional aimed for and achieved goals. But you can likely see what they consider the most valuable part of their jobs based on how they describe their work and responsibilities. Look for applicants who mention how their work contributed to the big picture, not just the functions of the work.
- Forward motion. Despite conventional belief, customer service is not a dead-end job. The best candidates should show that they moved along into roles that entailed more responsibility and skill, whether it was at the same company or several over many years. A candidate who stays in the same position might lack motivation, while someone who moved forward shows willingness to learn and take on new opportunities.
- Happiness. This isn’t just about being happy when dealing with customers. You want to see signs that candidates are happy about working. If you see frequent promotions, special training and movement between departments, those are signs that the candidate enjoys the challenges of work and will continue to grow in your environment.
