How can I be a good call center agent?

You can be a good call center agent by having very good communication skills and the ability to empathize with the customer. There are several other additional attributes that contribute to being a good call center agent.

How do I train myself to be a call center agent?

There are steps that one can take to better train themselves for the job of call center agent. Although many issues arise as a result of specific customer issues, an agent can work to improve their customer interaction.

Is being a call center agent hard?

Yes, being a call center agent is hard because of the stress associated with meeting performance goals and other company practices. One factor making the job of a call center agent difficult can be outdated technology. Agents are tasked with carefully listening to customer issues while attempting to navigate mismatched tech.

What is the qualification for a call center job?

There are no specific educational requirements to work in a call center, but there are skills related to one's personality and familiarity with technology that help make call center agents successful.

How To Become A Call Center Agent: What It Is and Career Path

What is a call center agent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A call center agent handles inbound or outbound customer calls, emails, and chats. They work in a call center environment to provide customer support, resolve issues, answer questions, and process orders. Call center agents use computer systems to access customer information and communicate. They use communication skills, patience, and the ability to multitask. Call center agents may work in healthcare, finance, and retail. They aim to provide superior customer service while maintaining a positive attitude.

ScoreCall Center AgentUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $31,180

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.9

Growth Rate -4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 5.87%

Black or African American 12.05%

Hispanic or Latino 20.96%

Unknown 5.41%

White 54.98%

Gender

female 69.22%

male 30.78%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress Level

5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.6

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.5

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Call Center Agent?

Pros

Opportunities for career advancement
Potential for bonuses and incentives
Opportunity to work from home
Health insurance benefits
Competitive salary

Cons

Monotonous and repetitive work
High turnover rate due to burnout
Low job security due to automation and outsourcing
Negative stigma associated with call center jobs
Shift work can be disruptive to personal life

Key steps to become a call center agent

Explore call center agent education requirements

Most common call center agent degrees

High School Diploma

35.0 %

Bachelor's

26.3 %

Associate

21.2 %

Start to develop specific call center agent skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	20.43%
Strong Customer Service	15.21%
Data Entry	8.89%
Telephone Calls	6.98%
Inbound Phone Calls	5.08%

Complete relevant call center agent training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New call center agents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a call center agent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real call center agent resumes.

Research call center agent duties and responsibilities

Submit bills for reimbursement to private insurers Medicaid and Medicare.
Provide excellent customer service by helping customer troubleshoot technical needs for Internet services.
Assist customers with any technical issues experience with website and escalate any issues to management appropriately.
Maintain personal computer and troubleshoot computer software problems.

Prepare your call center agent resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your call center agent resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a call center agent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Call Center Agent Resume templates

Build a professional Call Center Agent resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Call Center Agent resume.

Apply for call center agent jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a call center agent job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do call center agents rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Call Center Agent reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022

Pros

Getting to know the people and the you work.with

Cons

Being required to answer a minimum number of calls a day. This pushes the idea that the caller is a number and as such, it is more difficult to personalize the call the the person calling in

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020

Pros

Caring to the customer issues is what I do like first and the other thing it is a job that show determination level on the duty.

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020

Pros

I enjoy helping to be the glue to hold people together as friends. I enjoy talking on the phone . I enjoy learning new things about people.

What is a call center agent and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a Call Center Agent?

Call Center Agent career paths

Key steps to become a call center agent

Explore call center agent education requirements

Most common call center agent degrees

Start to develop specific call center agent skills

Complete relevant call center agent training and internships

Research call center agent duties and responsibilities

Prepare your call center agent resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Call Center Agent Resume templates

Apply for call center agent jobs

How Did You Land Your First Call Center Agent Job

Average call center agent salary

How do call center agents rate their job?

Call Center Agent reviews

Call Center Agent FAQs

How can I be a good call center agent?

How do I train myself to be a call center agent?

Is being a call center agent hard?

What is the qualification for a call center job?

Search for call center agent jobs

Call Center Agent jobs by state