How Can You Carve Out a Career in Customer Service?

Finding a Job You Love in Customer Service

Customer service jobs often get a bad rap due to viral videos and memes of customer service reps dealing with unruly customers. However, these events aren’t as common as you might think, and customer service jobs are usually highly rewarding roles.

You are the liaison between an organization and its customers. Responsibilities can vary from role to role, and some require more specialized knowledge than others. In this article, we examine how to make certain that you land in a job you love.

Is a Customer Service Career Right for You?

Before you pursue a career in customer service, you should be sure that it is the right path for you. For you to enjoy this role, there are some traits that are beneficial to have:

  • Be a great listener: You will spend a lot of time listening to the customer (including their complaints).
  • A people person: Most of your time will involve communicating with customers. Being a people person and a good communicator is essential for the role.
  • Flexibility: There is rarely a set schedule for a customer service job. You may work full time, part-time, seasonally, or even nights. Being able to adapt to changing schedules is a necessary part of the role.
  • Patience: Unhappy customers can become rude, and you may have to deal with the brunt of a customer’s aggression. You may also need to answer the same question time and again. Patience is definitely a virtue in a customer service role.

How to Find a Customer Service Career You Love

Most of us spend eight hours a day, five days a week, at our jobs. That’s a big chunk of our lives. You need to enjoy this time. You don’t want your job to become a bore and a chore.

Therefore, make your job more than a monthly paycheck. Build a career you love. Here are some tips for finding a career you love in customer service:

·      Be Self-Aware

When looking for a customer service job, you need to start with assessing who you are and what you most desire from a career. Caring for your happiness is essential, and understanding what you want from a job is the only way to ensure that you find one you love.

Take some time to do some self-reflecting. If you have been unhappy in your current job for some time, you may have forgotten what it was you wanted out of a customer service career. It is important to work this out before you start your job search.

·      Look for a Mentor

Having someone on your team to help guide you can make your journey to building a career you love much simpler. Find a mentor who can help you push your career forward and achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

·      Build Your Network

A great network could be the key to finding great customer service job opportunities. Some estimates suggest that up to 70% of jobs in the US are found through networking. Most executives and hiring managers know that referrals are a great recruitment source and will rely heavily on their networks and the staffing agencies they work with to fill their customer service roles.

·      Gain the Skills You Need

Think about your dream customer service job. What does the role involve, and what skills do you need to complete it? Keep upskilling throughout your career. Learning new skills will open new opportunities and help you take steps on your journey to getting that dream job.

To Sum Up

The journey to building a customer service career you love starts with a single step. Start by following the tips above. You’ll learn about yourself and identify the elements in a role that will make you happiest in your work.

To gain access to a huge network of recruiters in customer service, and to receive personal career advice, contact Lakeshore Talent today.