What is a call center specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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A call center specialist is responsible for providing information, troubleshooting issues and resolving complaints while maintaining a positive attitude via phone, email or chat. They need to have excellent communication skills, be able to multitask, and work well under pressure. They must also be knowledgeable about the products offered by their company and be able to use various software systems. A call center specialist's main goal is to ensure customer satisfaction by providing high-quality service.

ScoreCall Center SpecialistUS Average
Salary
2.6

Avg. Salary $33,289

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.9

Growth Rate -4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.67%

Asian 6.39%

Black or African American 12.15%

Hispanic or Latino 19.16%

Unknown 5.17%

White 56.45%

Gender

female 69.28%

male 30.72%

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 Specialist?

Pros

  • Ability to help customers and make a positive impact on their day

  • Often offer comprehensive benefits packages

  • Paid training and ongoing support

  • Flexible work schedules

  • Opportunity to develop communication and problem-solving skills

Cons

  • High-pressure environment with strict performance metrics

  • Monotonous work that can become repetitive

  • May be required to handle a high volume of calls or tasks at once

  • Difficult customers can take a toll on mental health and well-being

  • Low starting pay in some call centers can be a disadvantage

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Call Center Specialist career paths

Key steps to become a call center specialist

  1. Explore call center specialist education requirements

    Most common call center specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    40.1 %

    Associate

    23.5 %

    High School Diploma

    20.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific call center specialist skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Strong Customer Service42.22%
    Patients10.11%
    Customer Service5.50%
    Phone Calls4.91%
    Outbound Calls3.78%
  3. Complete relevant call center specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New call center specialists 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 specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real call center specialist resumes.
  4. Research call center specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage Facebook and patient communication programs.
    • Transmit patient information per HIPAA regulations.
    • Handle escalate calls and use available technology to efficiently troubleshoot customer problems and help resolve their concerns.
    • Fast pace call center, taking calls from technicians to troubleshoot installation of home security and home automation systems.
  5. Prepare your call center specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your call center specialist 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 specialist 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 Specialist Resume templates

    Build a professional Call Center Specialist 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 Specialist resume.
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    Call Center Specialist Resume
    Call Center Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for call center specialist jobs

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

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

How Did You Land Your First Call Center Specialist Job

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Are you a Call Center Specialist?

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Average call center specialist salary

The average Call Center Specialist salary in the United States is $33,289 per year or $16 per hour. Call center specialist salaries range between $25,000 and $43,000 per year.

Average Call Center Specialist Salary
$33,289 Yearly
$16.00 hourly

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How do call center specialists rate their job?

-/5

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Call Center Specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2024
Pros

remote job, more schedule flexibility

Cons

very low salary, no career growth, very stressful and not rewarding


profile
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


profile
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.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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