Customer service is a job role many people take on either during or after school. Nonetheless, getting a great customer service position requires a good resume; there is a lot of competition for the best roles! Here’s what you need to know about writing an effective customer service resume.
Whether you have many years of experience or you are looking for your very first job, a customer service resume should show that you are a friendly, adaptable person who can work under stress. Customer service is a fast-paced, changeable industry that requires strong communication skills and empathy, as well as good problem-solving and time management skills. Many of the most important skills for a customer service job are soft skills, but there are many technical and hard skills that can be important depending on what specific industry you work in. For example, customer service assistants that deal with computers may need to have good Microsoft Office and Excel skills.
If you want to have the best possible chance of getting a new job, then your professional resume should be tailored to each job application that you send. This means ensuring that you showcase the most relevant experience for each job. Here’s what you should consider when tailoring your basic resume:
When you start a new job search, you should refresh or revamp your resume to ensure that it showcases your most relevant skills and experience. Before you consider what information to include, however, think about your resume format. There are three main resume formats to choose from: chronological, functional, and combination. A chronological resume prioritizes work experience, a functional resume focuses on skills, and a combination resume balances the two.
Whichever resume format you choose, your customer service resume should include:
The header should be placed at the top of your resume and contain your full name, phone number, and other relevant contact information. You can also include professional portfolio links like your LinkedIn profile. This will be useful if you are applying for a managerial role.
Your resume should have either a summary or an objective statement, but not both! A resume summary should be a sum-up of the key skills and experience that make you right for a role. As such, it is best for those with lots of professional experience. By contrast, a resume objective statement should be a statement of your goals and intentions. This makes it better for those with little customer service experience.
Your resume skills section should contain between 8 and 12 relevant skills no matter what kind of job you are applying for. The right skills will help your resume to pass through applicant tracking systems and rank well. Examples of the most relevant skills for a customer service specialist or customer service manager resume include:
A resume work history section should include up to ten years of experience and be presented in a reverse-chronological format. Customer service professionals with lots of experience should prioritize this section. When listing a role, include the job title, the company you worked for, and your main achievements in the role to catch a recruiter’s attention. Here is an example of a job title on a customer service representative’s resume:
“Customer Support Specialist – [XYZ] – January 2010 to October 2013
As a customer support specialist, I have processed new customer accounts, answered customer inquiries, and addressed customer complaints. In July of 2012, I managed a serious complaint file regarding employee misconduct and found a solution that created a customer retention rate of 60%.”
List your most advanced academic achievements, especially any studies that relate to your technical skills. Do not include your high school GPA unless you have no other qualifications to list.
You can also create additional sections for information like professional certifications. Just be sure that the information proves your skill set or adds value to your resume. You can make the resume writing process easier by using the ResumeNerd resume builder to create an editable basic resume.
You should list only the skills which are directly relevant to the job description. For example, while knowledge of basic health and safety regulations may be useful in most roles, it will not be as directly relevant to an entry-level customer service job in a supermarket. It might be directly useful for a job in a warehouse, however.
Yes. Even the perfect resume needs a supporting cover letter. A great cover letter will help your resume to rank well in applicant tracking systems and give you an opportunity to provide the recruiter with extra information.
Yes. Entry-level customer service roles are open to those with little or no experience. Recruiters for these roles often care more about your attitude and skills, so put your best foot forward and focus on the skills you already have, as well as what you aim to achieve, rather than your lack of work experience.
