To write a standout CV, it is important to know the best way to structure your writing, and there are some general tips and tricks to help you. However, it is good to know what to include in your CV for your specific vocation.
To start your CV, you’ll want to:
1. Start with a personal statement which will briefly outline your experience, skills, education and qualifications.
2. Follow with your work experience, listing previous roles in reverse chronological order.
3. Next, you will need to separate your education, qualifications, skills and work experience so that your CV is easy to read and important information can be found quickly.
4. Show your employer a little more about you by writing down some hobbies and interests.
How to Write a Personal Statement for a Call Centre Agent
To craft a strong personal statement, you will want to be concise with your information and omit any irrelevant skills or experience. Make your personal statement about 150 words long and talk about work experience that will help promote your skills to an employer so that they’ll want to read the rest of your CV.
Call Centre Agent Personal Statement Example
“When applying for this position I noticed that the skill set that I have gained over my experience as a [current/previous profession] aligns with the needs of your company. During my [number of years in past profession] I have learned strong communication skills when dealing with clients in person and over the phone. It has also improved my ability to multitask when making appointments and giving both scripted and unscripted information to customers.
I have learned to adapt my tone to match the clients, and my employer was always impressed with my ability to diffuse a difficult situation and find a suitable solution to keep customers satisfied with their treatment.
During my last three positions I have become skilled in computer literacy and adept at answering calls with confidence, I believe all of these skills are beneficial to the position you have offered.”
Ideal Work Experience for a Call Centre Agent CV
Ideally a potential Call Centre Agent will have experience with customer service roles and other call-related employment such as receptionist or secretarial work. These kinds of work will offer the skills necessary for a Call Centre Agent role; however, many Call Centre positions will offer full training to new employees.
Which Jobs to Include
When adding jobs to your CV you will want to select up to 6 jobs that you have had that offer relevant skills and experience. Jobs such as secretarial and receptionist roles will provide a lot of call-handling experience and computer literacy. Customer service will also provide communication skills, organisational skills and problem-solving.
Call Centre Agent CV Work Experience Example
Use bullet points to outline your work experience. Start by describing your job role, the company or organisation you worked for, and how long you were employed there. Use a new list of bullet points to outline relevant skills you performed in your role.
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Receptionist at [insert company name] from [start date] to [end date]
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I learned many skills in my role including proper phone etiquette and how to multitask when speaking to clients and finding appointments or information they have requested.
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My communication and active listening abilities have improved greatly within my role, and I received high performance reviews in these areas.
Key Skills & Qualifications for a Call Centre Agent CV
When speaking about your skills and qualifications, it is important to make sure they are relevant to the job you are applying for, including any achievements that might show advanced skills and any additional qualifications.
Important Skills for a Call Centre Agent
There are a number of important skills that a Call Centre Agent should have, including good communication skills which are essential for speaking over the phone, and patience for helping customers. Talk about any problem-solving skills you have gained, and your ability to multitask, these skills can come from previous employment or hobbies you have.
You can see a more detailed article about becoming a Call Centre Agent with our career advice.
Qualifications Needed to Be a Call Centre Agent
It’s useful to have some additional qualifications or certificates when going into a Call Centre Agent position, though they aren’t always necessary. It is advised to have at least GCSE level qualifications in both Maths and English, but there are also options such as apprenticeships and Contact Centre Operations certifications.
Mention your most relevant qualifications on your CV, these can also be less direct achievements such as apprenticeships in customer service.
Additional Content to Boost Your Call Centre Agent CV
To give the employer a sense of your personality outside of your employment history, it is encouraged to talk briefly about your hobbies and interests and provide any reference from previous employers.
Hobbies & Interests
Any hobbies and interests you mention should offer a skill set relevant to the job role. Include hobbies that require multi-tasking, time management, or patience. You can also mention group activities that provide leadership, team building and communication such as sports.
References
Any reference you provide should be from a higher-up member of staff who you were in good standing with. Make sure you have their permission to use their name on your CV, and double-check that their information is correct before including it.
A good reference would be a former employer or manager who you worked closely with.
How to Make a Call Centre Agent CV Stand Out
When trying to make your CV stand out, be honest with your information and mention any notable achievements from your work experience, especially if praise was given by one of your references.
Talk about how your skills will benefit the company you’re applying for, and express enthusiasm for the role that’s on offer. If this is a completely new job type for you, mention why you’re so interested in moving into this role and gaining new knowledge.
Making your CV unique will make it more desirable for employers and keep them engaged while reading.
Mistakes to Avoid
It is important to avoid cliche language and long, drawn out descriptions when writing a CV, which is a common mistake to make. An employer will ask for additional information during an interview, so short descriptions at the CV stage are more desirable.
Call Centre Agent CV Example
If you’re interested in writing a CV but you’re still unsure where to start, we also provide a CV template that is free to download and use. A template will help with layout and basic structure which takes away some of the initial pressure of writing a CV.
