Not only is customer service is one of the fastest growing
work-at-home jobs, but it also has one of the brightest outlooks.
Companies looking to save money are setting up home-based
employees to help with order taking and support services in
record numbers. These companies range in size and scope including
airlines, mail order businesses, and technology companies.
The advantage to customer service jobs is that they don't
necessarily require experience. That doesn't mean that they
don't require skills or equipment. It also doesn't mean you can
simply sign up and answer phone calls. But you don't need an
advanced degree or years of corporate experience to get hired in
customer service.
The hours in a customer service job can vary. Some will require
full-time work during regular work hours. Most offer part-time
hours and some need people to work late shifts and/or weekends.
Many will allow a flexible schedule, but most will want its
agents to have a set schedule.
The pay can vary as well. Some pay as little as $8 an hour while
some pay more. If you have experience in customer service work
you're likely to get paid more. Further, few companies will
provide benefits and in fact most will categorize you as an
independent contractor. This has some advantages as an
independent contractor is able to deduct work-related expenses
such as a new phone headset as well as portions of your home
expenses for having a home office.
To get a customer service job, you're going to need to meet some
requirements:
While some customer service jobs require some previous
experience, most simply require a pleasant voice and a calm
temperament (customer service also means handling complaints).
You'll likely need a second phone line and/or high-speed
internet access. Satellite may or may not be accepted. Dial-up is
almost always not considered.
A headset for your phone is highly recommended.
A quiet place to work. Customer service work may not be ideal
if you have small children or noisy pets unless you can make
arrangements for them.
Some require on-site training while others can train you vie
phone and Internet.
Quality application or resume is needed to set yourself apart
from other applicants. You can do this by doing background
research on the company and industry, and include the information
you gather in your resume. If the company is a national flower
delivery chain and you used to work in a floral shop, mention it
in your application and use the same terms that flower people
use.
Customer service jobs can be found on the major job search
engines and many telecommuting job databases. But like any other
work-at-home job, you need to do your due diligence to weed out
the scams. Any company that asks you for money to get hired is a
scam. The only exception is that some customer service companies
will pass on the expense of a background check to the potential
hire. However, they don't usually ask for this unless you've
made it through the initial screening and are being considered
for hire.
Customer service work from home is expanding making it a great
option for pursuing a home-based job. But before you start
submitting your application, make sure you meet the requirements
and have a quality resume that will get you the job.
Leslie Truex has been helping people find work-at-home jobs since
1998. She is the owner of Work-At-Home Success and author of The
Work-At-Home Success Bible. You can learn more about finding
work-at-home jobs online including a list of over 300 companies
that frequently hire at: http://www.jobsonlinetoolkit.com.
