A business can't exist without its customers. It's a simple fact that happy customers are far more likely to become repeat customers. Studies show it's five times cheaper to retain customers than it is to find new ones. So, businesses must have a great customer service team who can keep people happy. And, if this sounds like a career that you'd like to be a part of, we're here to help with our guide to creating the perfect customer service advisor CV.
what customer service skills should you show on a CV
There are a few important skills to include on a customer service resume. The main three are:
- Communication
- Problem solving
- Practical thinking
The key one to highlight on a customer service skills CV is the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with someone. It could be over the phone, face to face or via email. Either way, your ability to solve problems, think practically and provide relevant solutions will be highly cherished by employers. Candidates with these skills should aim to reference previous positions where they have put them to use in their customer service advisor CV.
what details must a customer service advisor CV include
Your CV must be a simple, professionally laid out document. There are many templates available to download for free on the internet to help you with this. Your CV should be kept to two sides of A4 as a maximum – but preferably one. It's a good idea to be as concise as you can too. A 2012 survey found that employers view the average CV for just six seconds.
So, there isn't long to make an impact. And that means you'll need to get straight to the point. A customer service advisor's CV should start with personal details – including your date of birth and how to contact you. It should then lead into a two-sentence biography that explains who you are and why you're applying for this type of work.
A bullet point list of relevant work experience can then be provided.
Here are our recruiters' top customer service skills CV writing tips:
qualifications and career highlights
After your personal introduction, list your qualifications and career highlights – as well as details of two referees. It's also worth including any awards, achievements, hobbies or volunteer/charity work that reflects well on you as a rounded and successful individual.
Don't be afraid to link your previous experience with the position you're interested in as part of a customer service resume. Maybe you worked as a waiter, for example, but are now applying for a customer service role at a small IT company? You should reference that past work as relevant experience. It may show your ability to successfully interact with – and please – customers.
make it personalised
Customer service advisor CVs should always be tailored to the specific role you're applying for. It's not meant to be a general document that you can use for any application.
With that in mind, it may be a helpful idea to highlight other skills – depending on the position in question. You may have experience in sales, for example. Or maybe you're able to offer detailed specialist knowledge of a technical subject. This would be a massive benefit if you were applying for a role such as an IT customer service advisor.
Don't forget – you should also put as much effort into crafting a high-quality covering letter as you do with your customer service skills CV. Spend a bit of time thinking about the things that employers are likely to be looking out for too. That way, you'll have the best chance of success.
what should a customer service advisor CV show
A good customer service advisor CV will highlight your capabilities in keeping people happy with a business – no matter what sector that is. Here are some of the best skills and experience that you can demonstrate on a customer service resume:
- Making an impact: Don't be uncertain or too modest in your CV. Talk about what'll make you ideal for the role – and do so from the start of your personal statement. It means you'll get the recruiter's focus right away and make them want to read more.
- Relevant experience: What did you learn in previous roles that could be applied to great effect in this one? Just out of college or university? Can you use the knowledge you've gained to show how you would approach the position?
- Interpersonal skills: Your customer service skills CV needs to show a potential new employer that you're brilliant with people. You'll be the point of contact for customers with questions, concerns or problems – and you'll need to help them.
- Problem solving: If a customer is unhappy, what can you do to make the situation a positive one? Sometimes it's your reaction to different problems and challenges that do much to keep a customer loyal.
where to find a customer service skills CV template
Don't know where to start when bringing your customer service advisor CV up to scratch? Not a problem – you can download our free template and land that job with confidence. It can be used for graduate and non-graduate roles – whatever customer service position you're hoping to get.
