So You Want to Work in a Call Center?

Getting a job in a call center begins with a great cover letter and resume. You have to include a cover letter. Omitting it is like showing up for the pool party without a swimsuit; people won't know what you're trying to accomplish. First you must research the company to which you are applying so you can begin your cover letter with an explanation of why you want to work for them. This means that you highlight what you know about their involvement in the community and their history. Kiss the company's behind. Then take stock of your own best qualities and brag, brag, brag about them.

At the top of your resume, state your clear objective for applying. Make it one concise sentence. Order your resume so that your greatest accomplishments are close to the top. For example, if you have an education but little experience, put your education details above the other sections. Finish your resume by adding some personal details such as hobbies; your personality is important to a call center recruiter. She will remember the chick who started her own Eleanor Roosevelt stamp collecting fan club before she considers the guy who considers watching TV with his buddies a hobby. Also, don't forget your references! Your cousin Carlos doesn't count here so make sure you have the number of a former boss who remembers that you always stocked the coke cooler without being asked while smiling at the customer who went on and on about competitive dog breeding.

When you are called for an interview be sure to be on time and dressed in business casual attire. Don't wear a t-shirt that says "there's no excuse for me" (yes, I've seen this done.) The first thing you'll probably be asked to do is take a pre-employment test. Don't start freaking out now; if you're reading this it means you know how to use a computer and follow simple directions and that's what they're testing. Relax; all you have to do is sit at a computer wearing headphones and type in what you hear.

Now that you aced the test you'll sit down with a recruiter and talk. She will give you plenty of time to answer the questions so if you need to you can skip one and go back to it. Popular questions include what you liked least about your last job. Be positive; tell her what you liked most about it and then an area in which you would have liked to be able to grow in that former position. Another common question is why you want to work there. Don't say "because I need money." Research the position and tell her what you can do for the company and what it can do for you. She may ask you about a time you didn't agree with your former employer's policy and what you did about it. You can do an Internet search for common job interview questions and do a little role playing with your roommate or significant other before the interview. Doesn't that sound hot?

You may have to take a long personality test. Many large corporations are depending on these psychological tests as a vital part of the interview process. Don't lie and say "I never lie" when they ask you if you're always truthful. You didn't tell your best friend that her new haircut made her look like a truck driver; nobody is truthful all the time. The company looks for someone who can follow orders but complete tasks while working independently. Keep your answers away from the extreme ends of the spectrum.

Now you've been offered the job. Congratulations. You'll have to go through several weeks of paid training, most likely in a classroom. You will become emotionally attached to your classmates. This is important because they will be your support system in dealing with a large number of negative phone calls. You will have to take open book/open note tests to see if you've retained the knowledge. Most of the curriculum revolves around learning the computer systems. You learn the bulk of the job after you start taking calls. The training department will be happy to work with poor test scores if you are showing good "soft," or customer service, skills and you show up for work. Absences will not be tolerated during this time. About half of your class will not make it through the training due to absences or because they've realized they don't really want to work in a call center.

Now is the time to ask yourself: do I really want to work in a call center? Are you resilient? Can you deal with a man screaming at you for an hour because he refused to sign for delivery of his package last week and now he needs it? Will you be kept awake at night because, due to company policy, there was nothing you personally could do for a sobbing elderly woman whose insurance was canceled due to a computer glitch? Are you an actor? Can you pretend to be apologetic when all you want is a beer in which to drown this caller? Do you mind extremely repetitive work? Can you sound to each caller as if they are the first call you've taken today?

Also, do you want to talk to some fascinating people and hear amazing stories? Do you want to learn to keep your composure in any situation any future job will throw at you? Do you like games and contests, bonuses and performance based pay? Do you want to make lasting friendships while building a great resume, getting benefits, tuition assistance, 401k and the best pay of any unskilled hourly job?

If the answer to some or most of these questions is yes, start getting your resume together. You'll make some lasting friendships and have every opportunity to advance at work in a variety of positions. You'll get balloons and candy from the girl who records and listens to your calls; quality control will be listening at the most unexpected times so make each call an Oscar-worthy performance. Most of all, you'll be a part of one of the most frustratingly exciting workplaces in the service industry at which anyone with a GED and a nice voice has a shot. Can you say that about your current job?