Customer is king. That is why almost all industries employ people to handle customer service and provide excellent customer service. Specific duties of customer service employees vary by industry, but they all have the same objective: to provide customer satisfaction through a positive customer experience and ultimately earn customer loyalty. Customer service jobs do not require tertiary education, but customer service professionals will tell you that the role is fun and exciting yet also challenging.
SUE ANN LANDERS Customer Service Representative Brooklyn, NY 11222 (718) 456 9087 salanders@gmail.com
Professional Summary People-oriented customer service representative with 5+ years of experience responding to customer inquiries and resolving customer complaints. The only CSR of the Month Hall of Famer for getting above 97% customer satisfaction rating for fifteen consecutive months. ABC Business Solutions’ only bilingual English/Italian customer service representative. Seeking a higher customer service position at FAST Technology, Inc. to maximize service potential.
Work Experience ABC Business Solutions Customer Service Representative November 2018-May 2020
Responded to basic customer inquiries regarding the company’s products and services and referred them to sales advisors if they needed more details Identified customer needs using probing techniques Recorded details of customer complaints using the company’s prescribed customer service software, escalating them to the appropriate department Monitored response time to customer complaints, ensuring that feedback is given to the customer within 48 hours Earned at least 98% customer satisfaction rating for 15 months, from February 2019 to April 2020
ABC Business Solutions Receptionist/Telephone Operator April 2018 - October 2018
Assisted visitors by inquiring about their purpose and addressing their concerns within the limits of the position’s authority Managed the issuance and return of security passes to visitors Promptly answered phone calls using the company’s standard spiels and connected callers to the correct party Recommended safety and security measures in the reception area Reported problems with the company’s telephone system to ensure 100% availability of telephone lines
Education Bachelor of Science in Business Management Brooklyn College September 2011 - August 2015
Honors and Awards Received Graduated with Honors, with a GPA of 3.6
Skills Strong customer service skills Product knowledge Excellent interpersonal skills Excellent communication skills Conflict resolution
Many people would like to secure a customer service job, but they are unsure how to put together their customer service resumes.
You need to write a stellar resume to pair off with an engaging cover letter to impress hiring managers.
Get ideas for your customer service resume and cover letter and apply the writing tips featured here. You may also check out our resume builder if you want to speed up the resume writing process.
Based on a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 3 million jobs were held by customer service representatives in 2019, with the top employers coming from the following sectors:
With 14% in Retail trade, 12% in Insurance carriers and related activities, 11% in Business Support Services, 7% in wholesale trade and finally 6% in professional scientific, and technical services.
Customer service representatives earn an average of $14.56 an hour, with those at an entry-level position getting paid an average hourly rate of $12.87 (Payscale).
On the other hand, the average annual income of customer service managers is $58,000. Those with less than one year of experience as managers are earning around $48,000 yearly (Payscale)
Example of a Resume
We will show you various sections and customer service resume examples to enable you to make an excellent resume.
The example below shows what a typical customer service representative’s resume contains.
How To Make a Customer Service Resume
Hiring managers would want to see a customer service resume pleasing to the eyes yet packed with information that will convince them that you are the right fit for the customer service job.
It should highlight the following information about you:
Work History
Education
Professional Skills
Honors, Awards, Membership to relevant organizations
Make sure you personalize your customer service resume to the job specification to make you appear the ideal candidate for the job.
The Layout of the Resume for Customer Service
A hiring manager would quickly scan several resumes on their desk and would most likely be drawn to a customer service resume that looks uncluttered and professional.
Leave enough white space on your resume.
Use a one-inch margin on all sides, or at the most, entry-level a half-inch margin.
Use bullet points to outline your qualifications for a customer service position.
Use a line break in between sections of your customer service resume.
Use minimal colors in your resume.
Use appropriate fonts and font sizes.
Some career experts say that the choice of fonts may seem trivial, but it does have an impact on hiring managers.
Resumes and cover letters should be written in the same font.
Use different font sizes for your name, headings, and bullet points
Go for the following standard, easy-to-read font types like Arial, or Times New Roman, Calibri.
And remember:
Do not use font size lower than 10 pts that would be hard to read.
Do not use distracting font types.
Readability - that should be your cue if you did the layout of your customer service resume properly.
The Structure of the Customer Service Resume
Your resume format will depend on how much work experience you have as a customer service professional.
Reverse Chronological Order Format
You will benefit from a reverse chronological order format if you are a seasoned customer service professional seeking another customer service job.
It highlights your vertical career progression, showing hiring managers your wealth of customer service experience.
Avoid the Reverse Chronological Format if your work history is acquired from another field and you are changing careers. Also, if you have a significant employment gap you do not want your hiring manager to focus on.
Functional Format
This format is best when you would like to highlight your professional skills more than your work history.
You may also use this if you have employment gaps or want to make a career shift.
Do not use Functional Format if your work history is the most impressive section of your customer service resume.
Hybrid or Combination Format
The combination is suitable for established customer service professionals who would like to bank on their expertise and developed skillset in customer service.
You may also use it when you intend a change in your career path, and you have acquired enough transferable skills.
Start with the Header of the Customer Service Resume
Writing the header is like attaching your business card to your customer service resume.
Your name should stand out and must easily catch the hiring manager’s attention.
Your email address and mobile number are the two other “must-have” personal data in your header.
Your email address is more important than your mailing address because it is becoming a standard tool for business communication; it delivers messages conveniently and quickly.
Use an appropriate, professional email address.
Do not use a casual-sounding email address like topazcharm@yahoo.com or something similar. Keep it professional with just your name.
A mobile phone makes you more accessible than a landline, making sense to include the mobile number than the landline number.
Be sure to have a voicemail ready when searching for jobs so you don’t miss a phone call.
You may include your personal website or blog, but only when they are relevant to the job you are applying for.
If you intend to use your LinkedIn profile, make sure you update it before you use it.
Example of a Good Header for a Customer Service Resume
Here is an example of a good header for a customer service resume
Lindsay’s name may be in all caps, but the font size used is the same as the rest of the header. Her job title is left-aligned, probably to keep the attention to Lindsay’s name, but it only makes the header look cluttered. The email address she used is not appropriate.
Is a Photo Required in the Resumes for Customer Service?
For most professions, you do not need to include a photo. In fact to avoid discrimination, most employers won’t accept an application with a photo to show they are not discriminating.
Choosing Your Title for a Customer Service Resume
The customer service resume title is not a requirement but including one in the header sets you apart from the other applicants.
The resume title is an abridged elevator pitch that tells the hiring manager the quality of professional experience you have had if you have an extensive background in customer service.
If you lack the work history, the customer service resume title should summarize your relevant skills.
Be brief but significant and match words with the job listing if possible.
If we refer to the customer service resume example above, a sample resume title could read:
HALL OF FAMER FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Professional Summary for a Customer Service Resume
If you are an experienced job seeker, you may use either two formats of a professional summary - the professional profile and the resume summary. Both options summarize your accomplishments throughout your work history, highlighting qualifications that match the job listing.
The professional summary may be written in either paragraph form or bullets, as shown in the examples below. Ideally, it should contain your career objective.
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Self-motivated customer service representative with 4+ years of experience. Excellent communication and analytical skills that allow for prompt and accurate identification and resolution of customer needs and concerns. Maintains a positive and friendly attitude that can pacify irate clients. Aiming to contribute knowledge and skills to a tech company to enable career progression
INCORRECT
Customer service representative with 4+ years of experience in handling customer inquiries and complaints. Meets performance standards set by management. Seeking a better position in customer service.
Another professional profile form for inexperienced customer service professionals is the resume objective.
Job seekers who have no relevant experience to highlight or are applying for an entry-level position may use a resume objective instead. It gives you the opportunity to highlight any achievements and show your potential and enthusiasm for the role.
Take a look at the examples below - one is a correct way of writing a customer service resume objective, and the other shows you what not to write in a resume objective
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Graduate trainee completed 80 hours of on-the-job training with an outstanding rating in one of the top universal banks. Successfully led the College of Business Administration’s fund-raising activity, which collected about $10,000. Looking to secure a customer service representative job at SET Investments.
INCORRECT
Secure any customer-oriented job at SET Investments to apply what I learned in my Business Administration course. Reliable, hardworking, and trustworthy
Use a resume professional summary when you have sufficient work experience.
Use a resume objective when you have no relevant work experience or applying for an entry-level job.
Both resume summary and resume objective should highlight your relevant skills and achievements.
Work Experience in the Customer Service Resume
This section is the most vital part of your customer service resume if you are a job seeker with sufficient on-the-job experience. A comprehensive, logical, and impressive outline of your work history will help you secure your dream job.
Describe Your Professional Experiences on Your Customer Service Resume
In presenting your work history, you begin with your most recent job or; your current job if you are still employed.
For each job, create a sub-heading that consists of your job title, the company you worked for, and the covered period. You do not need to specify the dates; the month and year will suffice.
Summarize your duties and responsibilities for each job using three to five bullet points, which must contain at least one significant achievement.
Start each bullet point that pertains to duty or responsibility with a practical action verb.
Those who lack experience may highlight their internship, roles in school organizations and activities, or volunteer work instead. Although these are unpaid experiences, they demonstrate qualities that will make the hiring manager notice your resume.
Example of professional experiences for customer service resume of a beginner/junior
Volunteer
The New Children’s Museum
San Diego, California
January 2020-April 2020
Handled inquiries regarding facilities, rates, and tour schedules
Managed the schedule of group/guided tours of the museum
Created a web-based reservation system for group tours
Organized activities for group tours
Assisted in monitoring the safety of children during their stay in the museum
Library Aide (Internship)
San Diego Central Library
San Diego, California
September 2019 to December 2019
Assisted library-goers in sourcing materials for their research
Cataloged new books and other learning materials using MS Excel
Assisted in the automation of relevant processes to shift into an integrated library system
Example of Work Experience for Customer Service Resume for a Senior
The following is a work experience section you can use on a customer service manager resume.
Customer Service Supervisor
AB Automotives
October 2018 - present
Manage 12 full-time on-site and 20 remote, part-time customer service agents through various communication platforms
Maintain 100% customer call-back within three days from auto purchase
Achieve an overall customer satisfaction rating of 97. 4 % as of the end of May 2021
Collaborate with other departments to ensure achievement of a 24-hour response time to customer concerns
Continuously provide coaching and mentoring to team members
Customer Service Representative
CD Telecoms, Inc.
May 2017 - September 2018
Member of a six-member “Elite CSR” group who got above 95% customer satisfaction rating for six consecutive months and frequently requested by clients
Identified customer needs through effective questioning techniques and strong listening skills.
Reduced the number of complaints by 3% through proactive strategies and constant monitoring of customer
Customize your work experience to reflect keywords found in the job listing
Education in the Customer Service Resume
Job seekers who do not have the professional experience to back them up must highlight this section by using the functional format, while those who have an extensive work history can keep this section brief.
Should you start with education or work experience in a Customer Service Resume?
If you have sufficient work experience, put work experience at the top; otherwise, start with education.
But what if your experience is not that much? Put ahead whatever you think will have a better chance of obtaining your dream job for you.
How To Properly List Your Education in the Customer Service Resume
The education section should contain the following information:
The degree acquired, or
The name of the university or college you attended
The school’s location
Date attended
If you have a college education, do not include your high school education in your resume.
Example of the Education Section of a Customer Service Resume
Below is the education section of a customer service resume example for a senior. An example for a beginner follows.
Associate of Arts in Communication Studies
New York Career Institute
New York, New York City
November 2017- June 2019
GPA 3.7
High School Diploma
Townsend Harris High School
New York, New York
November 2015 - June 2019
Skills to Put in the Customer Service Resume
Besides your work history and academic background, the hiring manager would be interested in what skills you are going to put in your customer service resume skills section.
You may have multiple skills but focus only on those that are relevant.
Check the description to identify the relevant skills you need to include in your resume.
What are the Main Skills Sought for a Customer Service Resume?
Customer service skills are categorized into technical skills and soft skills.
Technical skills are mostly industry-specific skills, while soft skills have a lot to do with behavior.
Indicate a good mix of technical and soft skills in your resume.
Empathy, basic product knowledge, stress management, teamwork, written and verbal communication skills are fundamental skills for both junior and senior job seekers.
What Skills for a Junior Customer Service Resume
In addition, a beginner can benefit from the following skills:
Technical Skills:
Operating systems such as MS Word ad Excel
Data management
Digital Skills, e.g., social media, internet
Soft Skills:
Interpersonal Skills
Patience
Time Management
What Skills for a Qualified Senior Customer Service Resume
A qualified senior customer service professional should have the following skills and those specified for juniors:
Technical Skills
Problem-solving and decision-making
Upselling
Data Analysis
Soft Skills
Adaptability
Conflict Resolution
Emotional Intelligence
Align the skills in your resume with the requirements found in the job description.
Write the Ideal Resume Hook for Customer Service Workers
Books have blurbs, and newspapers have headlines to “hook” readers into buying them. Likewise, you can hook hiring managers into reading your resume with a resume hook or tagline.
Taglines are placed at the top of your resume.
These are brief statements aiming to give the hiring manager a bird’s eye view of what to expect in your resume.
Mention your job title, and do not exceed more than around ten words.
Example of a Tagline for a Junior Employee
Here is what a beginner can use as a tagline
Customer Service Rep - delighting customers - responsive and attentive
Sample Tagline for a Senior Level Employee
If you are well-versed in customer service, you might get an idea from this
Customer Service Manager - anticipating customers’ needs - analytical and level-headed
Additional Headings for Your Customer Service Resume
Your qualifications do not depend on work history, education, and skills alone. Add the following headings as appropriate.
Computer Skills and Certifications in a Customer Service Resume
Computer training and attending relevant short courses show your interest and determination to be good at your chosen field.
Interests in a Customer Service Resume
Your hobbies and interest may have nothing to do with the job, but it will tell the hiring manager if you will fit in with the team.
Languages in a Customer Service Resume
Speaking a second language brings you an advantage, especially if you intend to join a company dealing with different nationalities.
Summary: Key Points for Writing a Perfect Customer Service Resume
Keep in mind the following when writing your customer service resume:
Consider the readability of your resume.
Select a format that is appropriate to your work experience or lack of it using formats such as reverse chronological or functional
Quantify and highlight your achievements.
Identify a good mix of your technical and soft skills.
Include your interests, certifications, and other languages spoken.
Write a Cover Letter That Goes With Your Customer Service Resume
The cover letter is a preview of your resume, so it must trigger the hiring manager’s interest.
The opening paragraph should be a brief greeting to the hiring manager, followed by a mention of your top 2 to 3 achievements.
In the next paragraph, explain in two to three sentences why you are the best candidate for the job, and on the last paragraph, state briefly what the next step would be - expect a call from them or make a follow-up.
You should be sure to thank the hiring manager for their time and for considering you for the position.
Frequently Asked Questions for a Customer Service Resume
What skills should I put on my customer service resume?
Customer service skills involve interaction and communication with others, helping them identify their needs, solving problems for them, resolving complaints, and understanding their behavior. Working in the customer service space requires several behavioral skills, such as positivity and patience.
Different industries apply different customer service principles and applications. Aside from the essential customer service skills, it will help if you study the position’s job description to determine the skills they require.
How do you describe customer service on a resume?
Use some of the above skills listed that highlight your ability. Empathy, listening and communication are huge skills required to be successful with your customer service resume.
How do I make my customer service resume stand out?
Let your resume be noticed by writing a resume for their ideal candidate. It will depend on the company you would like to join. Although all companies aim for customer satisfaction, some companies require their customer service employees to do some selling. In contrast, some others expect them to do more technical stuff like data analytics. Find out what the company needs.
Then describe your accomplishments more than your daily task. Use numbers to highlight your achievements so the employer gets a more concrete picture of what you can deliver.
Stick to bits of information that are relevant to the job. You can also use our templates which are ideal for you to use for you customer service resume template.
How Do I Describe My Customer Service Skills?
You may describe your customer service skills based on your ability to assess a customer situation, ask the right questions, listen actively, and resolve the problem.
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