Call Centre & Customer Service Jobs

Call centre jobs are becoming one of the most popular forms of employment in the UK. But it’s not just about sitting in an open plan office with hundreds of other people all day. Call centre jobs cover a wide variety of tasks, responsibilities and entry levels, and there are plenty of opportunities for advancement within a call centre environment.

What kind of job is it? Working in a call centre can be demanding. At the basic level, it can be repetitive, particularly if you are dealing with inbound calls all day. However, each call is different, so an aptitude for communications skills, good listening abilities and problem solving are important qualities in any call centre job applicant. The pressure can be quite high, especially as call centres demand a quick response to all inbound calls. So call centre jobs mean having to think on your feet, respond quickly and professionally to any situation and an ability to communicate well with a wide range of callers.

Call centre operators often work to a basic script supplied by the company for outbound sales calls, but an ability to respond to customers’ questions, queries and comments on an individual basis is a must. Call centre jobs are not designed for automatons – they know that their customers want to talk to real people, so you must have the ability to be both a good listener and a good communicator to do your job effectively.

What other positions are available? Call centre jobs range from outbound sales, operators, inbound service and junior executive positions right up to directorship level, senior managerial posts and team leaders. The more experience you have in call centre work, the higher the position you can achieve within the organisation, particularly if you have additional transferable skills such as team management or administrative skills.

While most people begin their call centre careers as operators, those showing an aptitude for customer services and relations can quickly move up through the ranks to become team leaders. Within some larger companies there is also the opportunity to take additional qualifications, train in new areas of management and advance your career rapidly.

What qualifications do I need? For most call centre jobs, a good knowledge of computers is a must. You will be working with telephony equipment and computers, so keyboard skills are essential. However, what call centres are really looking for are people who can communicate well, stay calm under pressure and work well within a team environment.

Call centre jobs can be stressful, so if you do not work well under pressure then it may not be the environment for you. But if you thrive in a high-pressure environment and enjoy talking to people all day, call centre jobs are ideal.

Where can I find a call centre job? All of the major utilities such as gas, water and electricity providers all have their own call centres, so these are often the best places to start looking for call centre jobs. Major companies and the financial sector also have call centre operations to ensure that they have a direct contact point for their customers, so if you have a background in finance, for example, a call centre job in the money markets may be a good place to look. Because they are often dealing with international customers, applicants with second languages are highly desirable.