Call center employment is one of the most common types of office positions available for hourly employees. The main goal of a call center is to produce sales and troubleshoot various customer issues. Call center employment can be very stressful and is usually in a fast-paced, high-demand environment.
There are two basic forms of call center employment, outbound and inbound. Most employees prefer to work in an inbound call center whenever possible. In this case, the calls come into the call center. Therefore, those who are calling are doing so of their own volition, which can make the initial parts of the conversation easier. Outbound call centers usually focus on sales or some other form of marketing promotion. The calls may be cold calls, which are significantly more difficult, or may be generated through some type of lead.
For most job hunt situations, the most common call center jobs will be in the area of sales. This is common simply because there is so much turnover in a call center sales environment. Entry-level call center employment focusing on sales is very easy to obtain. In some cases, the jobs will be hourly. Others will be base pay along with commission. A few may be 100-percent commission. This will normally be discussed during a job interview.
Sales may be a particularly difficult type of call center employment simply because there are targets that will need to be met. These targets will usually not only include the number of calls that should be made during the day, but also sales targets. Those who are able to produce should be rewarded accordingly. Top producers usually get more hours, better bonuses, higher commissions or even higher base salaries.
Call center employment can either be obtained directly through working with a company or through a job agency or temp agency. In some cases, the type of work offered will be nothing more than a part-time job or temp job. The temporary job, depending on performance and business, could lead to more permanent employment. Using a temp agency helps the company see which workers are the most desirable.
Traditionally, call center employment opportunities are numerous. However, there are certain things that can increase your chances of landing the job, or at least getting an interview. This includes noting any sales or customer service experience on the job application. Those who have some background in these areas are likely to be more attractive to an employer. Another big plus is previous experience in a call center environment.