Getting hired in a call center has multiple stages.
American companies are hiring Filipinos to represent their company.
You typically send your resume to a recruiter and fill out an online form.
Requires: Resume.
For walk-in applications, you go to a company and apply.
Many call center companies have a one day process and can complete the recruitment screening process on the spot.
Requires: Printed Resume, ID, Pen, and Notebook.
Some companies will require you to input your information into their computer instead of filling out a paper application form.
You may also encounter a basic English test, a Business English test, a basic math test, a basic computer knowledge test, and a typing test.
Some companies use Versant or Berlitz to test your listening skills and check your pronunciation through a recording program on the computer.
Requires: Basic computer knowledge, typing speed 25-35 words per minute.
You will be asked to talk about yourself and your professional experience.
You will be asked about your career story, goals, and plans.
Most common questions are:
Pro Tip: You need to practice telling stories about what happened to you instead of copying other people’s interview answers.
Group interviews can happen in the initial phase and in the final stage.
The questions in the group interview are generally the same.
Sometimes, the group interview is one applicant, multiple interviewers.
Sometimes it’s one interviewer and multiple applicants.
Sometimes it’s multiple applicants and multiple interviewers.
If you can handle one interviewer, you can manage multiple interviewers.
I like group interviews because the success and failure of all the other applicants give me an idea of what to say and what NOT to say during the interview.
I observe everybody’s answer, and I pay attention to who passes and fails.
This helps me avoid making big mistakes because I know more about precisely what NOT to do during the interview.
Sometimes, you have basic English tests that are multiple-choice, fill in the blanks, and enumeration.
You are also given essays where you’re asked to provide step by step instructions for a customer service situation, or you are asked to tell a story.
During call simulation, you are going to role-play.
The interviewer will be the customer, and you will be the customer service or sales representative.
For customer service and tech support, the task will involve greeting the customer and assisting them with their problem.
For sales, the task will involve selling a product or service over the phone.
Please familiarize yourself with the different call flows that we posted here on the site.
The interviewer for the final interview can be the HR Head, Business Owner, or hiring manager, depending on the size of the company.
The final interview usually identifies “job fit” to make sure you are a match for the job.
It is also common for the person doing the final interview to verify the notes written during the initial interview.
They may ask about your education, experience, and why you left your previous company.
They will likely verify your skills, ask you to answer the same questions again.
In many cases, the final interviewer asks the same but rephrased versions of the questions.
If you pass the final interview, you will be scheduled for a job offer.
The job offer may be scheduled the same day or the next day.
You’re going to get and sign an employment contract.
Some companies offer basic training.
Some companies call this pre-hire basic training.
They will give you English lessons.
They will teach you about American culture.
They will teach you about the basics of customer service and phone etiquette.
This training is usually paid.
Some companies offer this training before the official job offer.
Do not be late or absent during basic training, or you will get eliminated.
Do not get attached to anyone you meet in training.
This is the more specific training that you get when you get hired.
You get taught the details of your Account.
If this is the first time you’re hearing the word Account, a call center account means the company that your call center company is servicing.
When you answer a call, you don’t say…
Thank you for calling Concentrix, Teleperformance, Sitel, or whatever call center name.
You will end up saying…
Thank you for calling AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, or Sprint.
These accounts are the companies that outsource the work to your local call center.
During your product training, you will learn more about your Account, the process that you are handling, as well as the skills and the tools needed.
During my time with Comcast, product training lasted for a month.
After a month, we proceeded to OJT.
Product training is facilitated by a trainer.
It is crucial to never be late and absent during training.
Out of our batch of 30 trainees, six people got eliminated because they were absent during training.
Don’t lend money to any of your co-trainees.
During OJT, I’m still a trainee.
I’m being assisted by the trainer and my future Team Leader.
From my experience, the trainer will stay with us for a week.
Eventually, the team leader will take over in assisting us.
You must always arrive early during OJT.
You want to ask as many questions as you can to your trainer and team leader.
If you are knowledgeable about the Account, you can slowly minimize your mistakes and eventually do the job well.
Out of our batch of 30 trainees, only ten people passed OJT.
READ: What happened to my 30 co-trainees.
If you stay with the company for six months or more, you get regularized.
So companies want to know if you have plans to stay with them long term.
Our of our batch of 30 trainees, only five people, got regularized.
READ: How I was almost terminated.
Thank you for reading this far and thanks for your attention.
I am praying for your success. God bless!
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