Customer Service Resume Guide: Example, Samples & Tips

So it is not surprising why companies hire people capable of providing customer service excellence.

Many people try to get into the customer service industry but wonder what it takes and how they should present themselves when they apply for the job.

The best way to begin is with a well-written resume.

So we've put up a step by step guide to writing customer service resumes to help you successfully showcase yourself to a firm looking for a customer care representative.

You may also view some relevant resume examples here.

Their site also says that the median base pay for customer service representatives is above $17/hour.

This rate may decrease or increase depending on experience and years in the industry.

For example, if you apply for an entry-level position, the base is about $11.

Customer Service Managers, on the other hand, earn an average of $59,000, and the ones with less than a year's experience only get around $48,000 annually (Payscale).

How to Write a Customer Service Resume

Recruitment managers or anyone responsible for hiring employees expect to see impressive resumes that grab their attention. That's why it is essential to think about how you will present yourself to that one person who can make that decision to hire you. Think of how to pack all those critical details about you into a concise but well-designed resume.

What would recruitment managers want to see in your resume?

• Employment history and examples of your work
• Educational background and awards received
• Skills that will make you stand out among other applicants

How to Properly Format a Customer Service Resume

Recruiters know exactly what they're looking for. Even though they review numerous resumes, it only takes them a little time to limit their options.

In most situations, they will go with a straightforward resume. Depending on how much experience they require in a customer service professional candidate, choose a format that highlights your work experience or education.

Here are some tips for structuring your customer service resume effectively:

• White space is beneficial; it makes your resume look clean and uncluttered
• Ideal margins are one inch on all sides, though half an inch is fine if you need extra space
• Use bullet pointsto make your resume easier to read and to highlight your skills and qualifications
• Don't overlook the power of line breaks and separators; they enhance the attractiveness of your resume
• Subtle colors are increasingly popular. Use them wisely to draw attention to specific skills but avoid bright and distracting hues
• Keep it simple with fonts that are easy to read. Check out these colourful resume templates here.

You may not think much about what fonts to use if you’re aiming for artistry, but you need to consider employers who will be reading your resume. Do they have the ability to read the text? Some tips to keep in mind when choosing fonts for your resume:

The following font types will make resumes easier to read;

Serif, Bookman Old Style, Cambria, Georgia, Times New Roman, Sans Serif, Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Tahoma or Verdana.

Be conscious of your resume’s readability.

Organize your layout to position the best parts of your resume strategically. The content should not overwhelm, either, and recruiters will not want to spend their precious time reading a wall of text.

The Structure of a Customer Service Resume

Reverse Chronological Order Format

This format is the most common of all resume formats and the most advantageous to candidates with good work history.

Because it prioritizes your most recent job experience, HR Managers will find it easier to determine if you are the right fit for the job.

Functional Format

Some skills are not necessarily acquired through work. Use this format if you happen to be absolutely good at something that can make someone gasp, WOW!

This format showcases your skills or talents rather than your work experience. A functional resume format is best for applicants who have experienced an employment gap or have no relevant work experience.

Hybrid or Combination Format

This format is best to use if you would like to highlight both your skills and your work experience. If you plan to shift to another industry and you don’t want the HR managers to focus on your work experience since most are irrelevant, use this format to emphasize your skills relevant to the job you are seeking.

Use this format if you want to shift to another line of work.

Outstanding Header of the Customer Service Resume

Whatever you do, the header must stand out. Remember that you might be one of many applicants for the job, so your resume must be appealing.

The header must include your personal information without focusing too much on your online presence. Although it would be good to be familiar with emails, messaging apps, and social media, you don't need to include them unless they are relevant to the job. It is alright to include your LinkedIn account.

Mobile phone numbers should be included in the header more than your landline number because you are more accessible through your mobile phone.

Customer Service Resume Header Examples

You’ll know you’ve seen a good header if it looks like this:

All relevant information about the applicant should be visible and readable at first glance. We need to pay attention to the alignment and layout.

Resume Headers Should Never be Unaligned

Never overlook proper alignment, and make sure to emphasize your name, or you'll never get a call for that job interview.

Sometimes we think that these things can be overlooked, but it's telling how much an applicant pays attention to detail which is one of the things hiring managers look for in an applicant.

If you struggle with keeping columns and text aligned, simply use our resume builder as it will become done automatically for you.

Do Resumes for Customer Services Require a Photo?

It is not a requirement to include a photo in the USA on your resume in fact we recommend you don’t as companies are too concerned about being accused of discriminating against candidates based on their looks. To protect themselves, they often reject an application that includes a photo.

What Title Should I Choose for a Customer Service Resume

Your resume title should be relevant to the job or industry you’re applying for.

Giving your resume a title is not required but adds to the overall impact of your resume.

If done right, it can help with catching the interest of hiring managers and employers.

Think about love at first sight.

A hiring manager glances at your resume, sees your resume title, and POP! They would want to get to know you better and read further into your resume.

Take the example below:

ALL-TIME CUSTOMER SERVICE CHAMPION

Professional Summary for a Customer Service Resume

A professional resume summary sums up in 2 to 3 concise statements your professional experience and significant accomplishments throughout your work history, plus a statement of how you want your career to progress.

Want to create more impact?

Mention the name of the position you aspire for and the company you would like to join.

Express your achievements in numbers when possible.

Resume Summary Examples for Customer Service

CORRECT

With over three years of work experience as a customer service representative. Self-driven and has excellent interpersonal skills. Applies diplomacy in dealing with unhappy customers, earning her an all-time high customer satisfaction rating of 99%. Seeks to leverage skills with Innovative Technologies, Inc. as Customer Service Supervisor.

And here is how a flawed resume summary reads:

INCORRECT

Handled customer inquiries and concerns as a customer representative with 3+ years of experience. Monitored the status of customer complaints resolution and reported customer complaints to management. Contributed to the company's customer satisfaction survey rating of 95%. Aiming for a higher position related to customer service.

Whether you are applying for an entry-level job or have no relevant work experience, you can still wow hiring managers with your capabilities through a resume objective.

Resume Objective Examples Customer Service

Check this out. Does this resume objective impress you?

CORRECT

Earned a 96% rating as Front Desk Intern at The Opus Hotel for quick and accurate check-in and upsell of hotel service. Spanish-speaking volunteer office administrator at the MLK Institute for Nonviolence. Organized the most recent charity event sponsored by the school's Honors Society. With a 3.6 GPA, aims to start a career as a Customer Service Advisor at ZYX Telecommunications.

What about this one?

INCORRECT

Completed internship requirements as Front Desk Intern at the Opus Hotel. Active volunteer at the MLK Institute for Nonviolence. An active member of the school's Honors Society. Ready to use skills in the field of customer service.

There’s nothing exceptional in the second resume objective. Almost all college graduates complete their internship requirements, so what makes this job seeker special?

A hiring manager would not even spend time guessing what the applicant did as a volunteer or the role they played in the Honor Society.

And how vague can this applicant get with their career objective?

If you don’t have a lot of experience, use a customer service resume objective instead of a professional summary. An objective is very similar but instead of focusing on past achievements and experience, it should talk about goals, ambitions and show your passion for the job.

Work Experience in the Customer Service Resume Examples

The work experience section breathes life into your customer service resume as it showcases your professional history and the achievements you have acquired throughout.

It is the heart of your resume if you’ve got relevant experience.

Describe Your Professional Experiences on Your Customer Service Representative Resume

Use the reverse chronological order format to outline your work history. Start with the most recent.

Since you fit everything in a one-page resume or two pages if you have over 15 years of experience, you don't need to put all the details of your work experience. Choose only those that are meaningful to the customer service job you are applying for.

So, how do you know which is meaningful? Read the job post carefully and note the employer's qualifications in their customer service employee.

Indicate your job title, the name of the company where you worked, the month and the year when you started and ended your employment.

Outline your primary duties and responsibilities for each role with a minimum of three to a maximum of five bullet points.

In this section, make it a point to highlight your most impressive achievement that showcases your skills.

To pack more punch, use a practical action verb at the beginning of each bullet point.

If you are fresh out of university or lack relevant experience in customer service, mention your internship, the positions you held, and activities you spearheaded in school organizations, or that one summer you spent volunteering. While these do not count as formal employment, recruiters will still be able to glean information from these experiences and mark your positive qualities.

An Ideal Work History Example for Beginners or Juniors

A Winning Customer Work Experience Section for Seniors

If you lead a team and need a good customer service resume example to land you a customer service manager job, your work experience section should look like this.

Education in the Customer Service Resume

Most customer service resume templates put experience at the forefront. However, if you do not have any experience as a customer service professional, emphasize your educational background instead. On the other hand, if you are considered a veteran among customer service professionals, you can choose not to elaborate on your education.

Which should come first: education or work experience for a Customer Service Resume?

If you have had your fair share of customer service roles, your work experience section should be the first thing recruiters see. If you are just trying to land your first customer service position and have no technical skills to speak of yet, the education section should go first.

If you have a bit of relevant experience but cannot reasonably consider yourself a full-fledged customer service professional just yet, choose whichever of the two you deem will land you your dream job.

How To Properly List Your Education in the Customer Service Representative Resume

Make sure your education section includes the following details:

• What degree program you took or completed
• What university, college, or educational institution you attended
• Where the school is located
• When you attended

Example of the Education Section of a Customer Service Resume

College seniors exploring a career in customer care may refer to the following format when highlighting their education.

If you are a high school graduate without experience, you may use the template below.

Customer Service Resume Skills

Your work history and your education might be the first things the hiring manager will look at, but they will also be interested in your skills, too.

While you may boast of a wide variety of skills, zero in only on the relevant skills to avoid distracting them from your customer service capabilities.

What are the Most Sought-After Skills for a Customer Service Resume?

To succeed in customer service, you must have both technical or hard skills and soft skills. Both are important, and it is best to have a balanced mix of both in your customer service resume.

The hard skills of a customer service professional include hard skills that are distinct to this specific job - those you learn through study and are not intrinsic to you. Look at these examples:

• Product knowledge
• Basic computer skills
• Knowledge of operating systems
• Microsoft Office proficiency
• Tension de-escalation techniques
• Computer troubleshooting skills
• Typing skills
• Report management skills
• Schedule mastery
• Database management
• Spreadsheets
• Presentation skills

These are some strong customer service skills that any hiring decision-maker will want to see in a great customer service resume skills section.

While a hiring manager will most likely account for your technical skills first, your soft skills hold just as much weight. A customer service representative with great interpersonal skills, a positive attitude, mastery of conflict resolution, and an unlimited source of empathy will fare better in the field of customer care than a resource with only hard skills to show for.

Check the list below for some impressive skills that you might want to use in your customer service resume:

• Written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Problem-solving
• Stress management
• Teamwork
• Confidence
• Empathy
• Interpersonal skills
• Conflict resolution skills
• Cultural awareness
• Attention to detail
• Active listening
• Resourcefulness

Whether you are a junior or a senior applicant, you can beef up your customer service resume with a comprehensive list of skills. List down only those skills you possess and expect the hiring leaders to ask about them. Always refer to the job description for skills you need to highlight.

Skills a Junior Customer Service Applicant Should Include

If you are just about to try out your first customer service job, here is a list of skills to get yourself started.

• Familiarity with operating systems (Mac, Windows, etc.)
• Knowledge of basic computer programs (Microsoft Office, Google Docs, etc.)
• Data organization and management skills
• Basic computer hardware troubleshooting skills

• Time management
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Active listening skills

Skills a Senior Customer Service Should Highlight

When applying as a senior customer service representative, recruiters expect you to have more relevant skills than the average newcomer.

The customer service manager will most likely keep an eye out for the following advanced skills when going through your customer service resume.

• Quality assurance
• Business development understanding
• Client relations
• Advanced spreadsheets
• Data analysis
• Management skills
• Competency-based interviewing

• Enterprise thinking
• Creative problem solving
• Critical thinking
• Conflict resolution
• Organizational skills
• Emotional Intelligence
• Adaptability

Write the Ideal Resume Hook for a Customer Service Representative Resume

Songs are catchy, and headlines make history for the same reason: excellent recall. Attach an unforgettable hook or tagline at the very top of your customer service resume. Be that one candidate they think about even while they are at brunch.

Reel in HR managers by coming up with a unique and eye-catching tagline that neatly sums up your professional profile.

A Junior Customer Service Representative Resume Employee Tagline That Zaps

Juniors and total beginners can start with a hook that will showcase strong soft skills while their technical skills are still developing.

Customer Service Rockstar – Making Customers Happy – Positive and Solution-Driven

A Customer Service Manager Resume Tagline That Makes a Mark

If you are writing a customer service manager resume, choose your adjectives wisely and keep your tagline professional. The example below reflects the professional experience of a customer service manager.

Customer Service Leader – Managing Top-Performing Teams – Innovative and Energetic

Additional Headings for Your Customer Service Resume

Your resume objective, detailed work history, education, and skills are ready for the hiring customer service manager's scrutiny. Make their professional interest in you grow even more - pepper your profile with additional headings.

See the following suggestions and add them to your profile if it applies.

Computer Skills and Certifications

Technical skills are invaluable, especially for a tech company looking for customer service representatives. A formal certification will prove your technical aptitude.

LIst all the relevant technical certifications you have acquired in your career

Interests for a Customer Service Representative

Talking about what interests you outside of work will help the HR Manager determine whether you fit into the company culture or not.

Customer Service Languages on your resume

If you speak a second (or third) language other than English fluently, that means you can assist customers in those languages, too.

Include any language certifications you have acquired over the years. Emphasize your speaking level as well as your writing level.

Customer Service Resumes: Key Points to Consider

• Write an easy-to-read resume.
• Stick to the format that works best for your customer service level.
• Highlight significant performance-related achievements.
• List down a balanced mix of your relevant technical and soft skills.
• Include additional headings for foreign languages spoken, technical certifications, and personal interests to make your resume stand out more.

Additional Industry Information About the Customer Service

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 3 million people in the U.S. work as customer service representatives.

According to them, the following industries have the highest demand for customer service representatives:

• Business Support Services
• Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities
• Credit Intermediation and Related Activities
• Insurance Carriers
• Management of Companies and Enterprises

A Great Cover Letter Goes A Long Way

Managers are more likely to nod to the customer service applicant who took time to write a cover letter than to the one who did not.

Attaching a cover letter to your resume indicates how serious you are with your application.

Your cover letter is their first introduction to you and, therefore, must immediately pique the company's interest.

Start with a pleasant but professional greeting. Then say something about yourself, what exactly you do professionally, how you found out about the job opening, and why you are pursuing it.

The body of your cover letter should be all about why you are the perfect hire. Play up your significant achievements and support them with numbers and stats. This section is the meat of your cover letter, so pack it with why you are the best hire.

In your last paragraph, maintain your enthusiasm by mentioning the possible next step. Thank the manager for taking the time to read your cover letter and say how much you are looking forward to the next steps.

Frequently Asked Questions for a Customer Service Representative Resume

What skills should I put on my customer service resume?

Since the job requires you to be great at customer interactions, highlight your communication and interpersonal skills in your customer service resume. Apart from these, point out your problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, plus your positive attitude and immeasurable patience.

Some skills are industry-specific, so if you lack professional experience and are uncertain, always go back to the job description.

How do you describe customer service on a resume?

It depends on the nature of the company you are targeting and their traditional values. The most important thing for most companies is overall customer satisfaction, but others might include profit-driven tasks such as selling or technical tasks like analyzing data. Get to know the company first, including what their customers say about them.

How do I make my customer service resume stand out?

Build an exceptional customer service resume by detailing your major and minor accomplishments first. Make sure to highlight all your key achievements. Any career blog worth its salt will tell you that it is a numbers game. The more impressive statistics you highlight, the more inclined the employer will be towards making a hiring decision in your favor.

How do I describe my customer service skills?

Highlight your ability to anticipate customer needs, probe to confirm the customer’s need, listen actively to ensure details - spoken or unspoken - are captured, and provide the need or solve the problem. Mention any commendation or stat proving your customer service achievements.