One of the most common types of office jobs available for hourly employees is call center work. A call center’s main goal is to generate sales and troubleshoot various customer issues. Working in a call center can be stressful, especially if you work in a fast-paced, high-demand environment.
Outbound and inbound call center jobs are the two most common types. When at all possible, most employees prefer to work in an inbound call center. The calls are routed through the call center in this case. As a result, those who call are doing so of their own free will, which can make the first parts of the conversation go more smoothly. Outbound call centers are typically used to promote sales or other forms of marketing. The calls could be cold calls, which are much more difficult, or they could be generated through a lead.
The most common call center jobs will be in the area of sales in the majority of job hunt situations. This is common in a call center sales environment because there is so much turnover. It’s very easy to find entry-level sales-oriented call center jobs. In some cases, the work will be done on an hourly basis. Others will be paid on a base salary plus commission. A few of them may be 100% commission. Normally, this will be discussed during a job interview.
Because there are targets that must be met, sales may be a particularly challenging type of call center job. These goals will typically include not only the number of calls that should be made throughout the day, but also sales goals. Those who are capable of producing should be appropriately compensated. Top producers typically receive more hours, better bonuses, higher commissions, or even higher starting salaries.
Employment in a call center can be obtained directly from a company or through a job agency or temp agency. In some cases, the work offered will be limited to a part-time or temporary position. Depending on performance and business, the temporary job could lead to more permanent employment. Using a temp agency allows the business to determine which employees are the most desirable.
Traditionally, there are a lot of job opportunities in call centers. However, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of getting the job, or at the very least an interview. On the job application, make a note of any sales or customer service experience. Employers are more likely to be interested in candidates who have some experience in these fields. Previous experience working in a call center is also a big plus.