What Is a Call Center Job?

Call centers have rapidly become one of the most popular sources of employment in our nation. Companies that use them are able to offer a large number of jobs, stable employment, excellent training, competitive pay and opportunities for advancement. Customer-focused job seekers will greatly benefit from learning about and seeking employment in call center environments.

What Is a Call Center?

Call centers are customer service or sales environments that conduct business via telephone rather than face to face.

How Do Call Centers Operate?

Call centers can choose to accept inbound calls, make outbound calls or a combination of both. When a call comes into a call center, it is placed in a queue until one of the center's employees is available to answer the call. The employee will service the caller's need via telephone and will typically document the nature of the call and action taken in a database that can be accessed during future contacts. Large companies, such as banks, telephone sales operations and insurance companies are likely to have call centers. Most call centers train their representatives to specialize in either sales or service.

Qualifications

The qualifications needed for call center jobs can vary, but most positions are entry-level jobs requiring only a high school diploma. Some industries, such as finance or insurance, may require applicants to hold or obtain proper licenses or other credentials. Advanced positions may require applicants to hold a two- or four-year degree in a field related to the job.

Features

Call center employees usually sit in small- to medium-sized cubicles with a telephone auto-dialer and computer terminal. When a call is received, the employee will service the customer's need over the phone and may be required to document the customer's profile in the company's database. The number of calls taken per hour can vary, but busy call centers require their employees to accept a nonstop stream of phone calls during working hours. Call center employees can be employed part time, full time and may work overtime.

Advancement Opportunities

Advancement opportunities are plentiful in call center environments. Experienced employees are often promoted to positions as team leaders, supervisors and even department managers. It is not uncommon for call center employees to advance to the executive level. The opportunities for rapid advancement that exist in call center environments can make these jobs desirable among those searching for ways to gain employment in large companies.