Sample Customer Service Resumes

Many people would like to secure a customer service job, but they are unsure how to put together their customer service resumes.

You need to write a stellar resume to pair off with an engaging cover letter to impress hiring managers.

Get ideas for your customer service resume and cover letter and apply the writing tips featured here. You may also check out our resume builder if you want to speed up the resume writing process.

Additional Information About Customer Service Resumes

Based on a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 3 million jobs were held by customer service representatives in 2019, with the top employers coming from the following sectors:

With 14% in Retail trade, 12% in Insurance carriers and related activities, 11% in Business Support Services, 7% in wholesale trade and finally 6% in professional scientific, and technical services.

Customer service representatives earn an average of $14.56 an hour, with those at an entry-level position getting paid an average hourly rate of $12.87 (Payscale).

On the other hand, the average annual income of customer service managers is $58,000. Those with less than one year of experience as managers are earning around $48,000 yearly (Payscale)

Example of a Resume

We will show you various sections and customer service resume examples to enable you to make an excellent resume.

The example below shows what a typical customer service representative’s resume contains.

How To Make a Customer Service Resume

Hiring managers would want to see a customer service resume pleasing to the eyes yet packed with information that will convince them that you are the right fit for the customer service job.

It should highlight the following information about you:

The Layout of the Resume for Customer Service

A hiring manager would quickly scan several resumes on their desk and would most likely be drawn to a customer service resume that looks uncluttered and professional.

Leave enough white space on your resume.

Use appropriate fonts and font sizes.

Some career experts say that the choice of fonts may seem trivial, but it does have an impact on hiring managers.

And remember:

Do not use font size lower than 10 pts that would be hard to read.

Do not use distracting font types.

The Structure of the Customer Service Resume

Reverse Chronological Order Format

You will benefit from a reverse chronological order format if you are a seasoned customer service professional seeking another customer service job.

It highlights your vertical career progression, showing hiring managers your wealth of customer service experience.

Functional Format

This format is best when you would like to highlight your professional skills more than your work history.

You may also use this if you have employment gaps or want to make a career shift.

Hybrid or Combination Format

The combination is suitable for established customer service professionals who would like to bank on their expertise and developed skillset in customer service.

You may also use it when you intend a change in your career path, and you have acquired enough transferable skills.

Start with the Header of the Customer Service Resume

Writing the header is like attaching your business card to your customer service resume.

Your name should stand out and must easily catch the hiring manager’s attention.

Your email address and mobile number are the two other “must-have” personal data in your header.

Your email address is more important than your mailing address because it is becoming a standard tool for business communication; it delivers messages conveniently and quickly.

A mobile phone makes you more accessible than a landline, making sense to include the mobile number than the landline number.

You may include your personal website or blog, but only when they are relevant to the job you are applying for.

If you intend to use your LinkedIn profile, make sure you update it before you use it.

Example of a Good Header for a Customer Service Resume

Here is an example of a good header for a customer service resume

The applicant’s name is visible in the example, and the essential personal data are present and neatly laid out.

Example Of a Bad Header for a Customer Service Resume

Do not use the example below in a customer service representative resume

Lindsay’s name may be in all caps, but the font size used is the same as the rest of the header. Her job title is left-aligned, probably to keep the attention to Lindsay’s name, but it only makes the header look cluttered. The email address she used is not appropriate.

Is a Photo Required in the Resumes for Customer Service?

For most professions, you do not need to include a photo. In fact to avoid discrimination, most employers won’t accept an application with a photo to show they are not discriminating.

Choosing Your Title for a Customer Service Resume

The customer service resume title is not a requirement but including one in the header sets you apart from the other applicants.

The resume title is an abridged elevator pitch that tells the hiring manager the quality of professional experience you have had if you have an extensive background in customer service.

If you lack the work history, the customer service resume title should summarize your relevant skills.

If we refer to the customer service resume example above, a sample resume title could read:

Professional Summary for a Customer Service Resume

If you are an experienced job seeker, you may use either two formats of a professional summary – the professional profile and the resume summary. Both options summarize your accomplishments throughout your work history, highlighting qualifications that match the job listing.

The professional summary may be written in either paragraph form or bullets, as shown in the examples below. Ideally, it should contain your career objective.

Job seekers who have no relevant experience to highlight or are applying for an entry-level position may use a resume objective instead. It gives you the opportunity to highlight any achievements and show your potential and enthusiasm for the role.

Take a look at the examples below – one is a correct way of writing a customer service resume objective, and the other shows you what not to write in a resume objective

Use a resume professional summary when you have sufficient work experience.

Use a resume objective when you have no relevant work experience or applying for an entry-level job.

Both resume summary and resume objective should highlight your relevant skills and achievements.

Work Experience in the Customer Service Resume

This section is the most vital part of your customer service resume if you are a job seeker with sufficient on-the-job experience. A comprehensive, logical, and impressive outline of your work history will help you secure your dream job.

Describe Your Professional Experiences on Your Customer Service Resume

In presenting your work history, you begin with your most recent job or; your current job if you are still employed.

For each job, create a sub-heading that consists of your job title, the company you worked for, and the covered period. You do not need to specify the dates; the month and year will suffice.

Summarize your duties and responsibilities for each job using three to five bullet points, which must contain at least one significant achievement.

Start each bullet point that pertains to duty or responsibility with a practical action verb.

Those who lack experience may highlight their internship, roles in school organizations and activities, or volunteer work instead. Although these are unpaid experiences, they demonstrate qualities that will make the hiring manager notice your resume.

Example of professional experiences for customer service resume of a beginner/junior

Example of Work Experience for Customer Service Resume for a Senior

The following is a work experience section you can use on a customer service manager resume.

Education in the Customer Service Resume

Job seekers who do not have the professional experience to back them up must highlight this section by using the functional format, while those who have an extensive work history can keep this section brief.

Should you start with education or work experience in a Customer Service Resume?

If you have sufficient work experience, put work experience at the top; otherwise, start with education.

But what if your experience is not that much? Put ahead whatever you think will have a better chance of obtaining your dream job for you.

How To Properly List Your Education in the Customer Service Resume

The education section should contain the following information:

Example of the Education Section of a Customer Service Resume

Below is the education section of a customer service resume example for a senior. An example for a beginner follows.

Skills to Put in the Customer Service Resume

Besides your work history and academic background, the hiring manager would be interested in what skills you are going to put in your customer service resume skills section.

You may have multiple skills but focus only on those that are relevant.

Check the description to identify the relevant skills you need to include in your resume.

What are the Main Skills Sought for a Customer Service Resume?

Customer service skills are categorized into technical skills and soft skills.

Technical skills are mostly industry-specific skills, while soft skills have a lot to do with behavior.

Indicate a good mix of technical and soft skills in your resume.

Empathy, basic product knowledge, stress management, teamwork, written and verbal communication skills are fundamental skills for both junior and senior job seekers.

What Skills for a Junior Customer Service Resume

In addition, a beginner can benefit from the following skills:

Technical Skills:

Soft Skills:

What Skills for a Qualified Senior Customer Service Resume

A qualified senior customer service professional should have the following skills and those specified for juniors:

Technical Skills

Soft Skills

Write the Ideal Resume Hook for Customer Service Workers

Books have blurbs, and newspapers have headlines to “hook” readers into buying them. Likewise, you can hook hiring managers into reading your resume with a resume hook or tagline.

Taglines are placed at the top of your resume.

These are brief statements aiming to give the hiring manager a bird’s eye view of what to expect in your resume.

Example of a Tagline for a Junior Employee

Here is what a beginner can use as a tagline

Sample Tagline for a Senior Level Employee

If you are well-versed in customer service, you might get an idea from this

Additional Headings for Your Customer Service Resume

Your qualifications do not depend on work history, education, and skills alone. Add the following headings as appropriate.

Computer Skills and Certifications in a Customer Service Resume

Computer training and attending relevant short courses show your interest and determination to be good at your chosen field.

Interests in a Customer Service Resume

Your hobbies and interest may have nothing to do with the job, but it will tell the hiring manager if you will fit in with the team.

Languages in a Customer Service Resume

Speaking a second language brings you an advantage, especially if you intend to join a company dealing with different nationalities.

Summary: Key Points for Writing a Perfect Customer Service Resume

Keep in mind the following when writing your customer service resume:

Write a Cover Letter That Goes With Your Customer Service Resume

The cover letter is a preview of your resume, so it must trigger the hiring manager’s interest.

The opening paragraph should be a brief greeting to the hiring manager, followed by a mention of your top 2 to 3 achievements.

In the next paragraph, explain in two to three sentences why you are the best candidate for the job, and on the last paragraph, state briefly what the next step would be – expect a call from them or make a follow-up.

You should be sure to thank the hiring manager for their time and for considering you for the position.

Frequently Asked Questions for a Customer Service Resume

What skills should I put on my customer service resume?

Customer service skills involve interaction and communication with others, helping them identify their needs, solving problems for them, resolving complaints, and understanding their behavior. Working in the customer service space requires several behavioral skills, such as positivity and patience.

Different industries apply different customer service principles and applications. Aside from the essential customer service skills, it will help if you study the position’s job description to determine the skills they require.

How do you describe customer service on a resume?

Use some of the above skills listed that highlight your ability. Empathy, listening and communication are huge skills required to be successful with your customer service resume.

How do I make my customer service resume stand out?

Let your resume be noticed by writing a resume for their ideal candidate. It will depend on the company you would like to join. Although all companies aim for customer satisfaction, some companies require their customer service employees to do some selling. In contrast, some others expect them to do more technical stuff like data analytics. Find out what the company needs.

Then describe your accomplishments more than your daily task. Use numbers to highlight your achievements so the employer gets a more concrete picture of what you can deliver.

Stick to bits of information that are relevant to the job. You can also use our templates which are ideal for you to use for you customer service resume template.

How Do I Describe My Customer Service Skills?

You may describe your customer service skills based on your ability to assess a customer situation, ask the right questions, listen actively, and resolve the problem.