Customer Service Resume Tips
Whether you're a seasoned pro or entry-level, the US Department of Labor reports excellent job growth potential for customer service representatives To ensure you're considered for the best opportunities, pay your resume the same attention you do your customers. These tips can help, and be sure to check out our sample resume for a customer service manager.
Target Your Resume
"Resumes that are highly targeted to the career goal are much more effective than general resumes," says Judith Friedler, director of CareerPro International and a resume writer for 16 years. "The hiring manager should be able to glance at the resume and immediately know you're seeking a customer service-related position."
Kim Lockhart, an operations director for staffing agency Spherion, also recommends targeting your resume. "The more you can simplify it for the recruiter or hiring manager, the better your chances," she says. "You want your resume to be as specific to the position you are applying for as possible."
Friedler and Lockhart both suggest including a career summary to target your resume and also highlight credentials hiring managers find desirable. For example:
Dedicated customer service representative with five years of front-office experience within the banking industry. Known for ability to resolve a wide range of customer issues and elevate customer satisfaction levels. Reliable and trustworthy with an uncompromising commitment to providing optimal customer service.
Emphasize Results
You can take your resume to the next level by highlighting the outcomes of your work. According to Friedler, "Many customer service professionals don't realize they have accomplishments, such as contributing to response rates or improving customer satisfaction ratings.
Lockhart agrees. "It is important to create energy to really entice the recruiter to want to contact you for more information," she says. "For example, instead of saying 'handled incoming calls,' you might say 'handled over 200 calls daily for Fortune 500 insurance claims center.'" Lockhart urges customer service professionals to demonstrate those contributions that went beyond expectations.
Friedler recommends quantifying your results to make their importance clear. Here's a before-and-after comparison that shows the impact of providing measurable outcomes:
Before: Achieved a high customer satisfaction rating.
After: Achieved customer satisfaction rating of 98% within three months, exceeding company's stretch target of 90%.