How to Hire a Call Center Employee

Call center employees are constantly updating their computers or fielding calls. Many new hires are not ready for the reality of the nonstop pace of the job. Follow these steps to find employees who can meet the challenges of working in a call center.

Things You'll Need

• Potential employee's resume
• Interview
• Performance evaluations of successful employees

Instructions

1. Look at your successful employees. Determine what makes them successful. See if they have any traits in common that you can look for during your interviews with potential employees.

2. Hire people with call center experience. If they have been on the phones before, they know what to expect. Training will be easier as well.

3. Emphasize repeatedly during the interview process that the employee will be on the phone all day. Although you do not want to scare away people, you will be better off having them realize before they start whether they can perform such a rigorous job.

4. Pay attention to their communication skills. Remember they will be representing your company on the phone.

5. Ask whether they have some computer savvy. Call center employees generally update their system as they talk or immediately following the call. They must be comfortable working with a computer.

6. Ask about customer service experience. It is helpful in a call center environment.

7. Have them tell you about a time they handled a difficult customer. You want to hire employees who can handle contentious calls themselves.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the hours the person is willing to work. Call center hours are frequently varied and often include evenings and weekends.