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15 customer service resume examples and writing tips for 2024

Land your dream job with a perfectly crafted customer service resume.

By Peter Neels, Senior Director, Customer Experience

Last updated January 22, 2024

The gist:

  • Do: Use an objective statement and lean into your soft skills.
  • Do: Use performance metrics to demonstrate your potential.
  • Do: Address prerequisite skills.
  • Don’t: Reference irrelevant job experience.
  • Don’t: Disclose sensitive information.

As the face of an organization, customer service is a critical component of any business. With customer expectations constantly evolving, the role of customer service professionals has become increasingly complex, requiring a unique set of skills, knowledge, and expertise. Crafting a strong resume is essential to securing job opportunities and advancing in the field.

Whether you’re an entry-level customer service representative or a seasoned director, this guide will provide actionable tips and insights to help you craft a winning resume that showcases your value as a customer service professional.

Here’s a look at what’s in store:

Customer service resume examples

Specialized roles require specialized resumes. Take a look at these customer service resume samples and templates that have everything you need to stand out to a recruiter, from formatting to keywords.

Entry-level customer service resume example

An entry-level customer service resume should showcase the applicant's education and volunteer experience.

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Getting a job when you have little to no experience can be a challenge. The key to making your resume stand out is to leverage the experience you do have and present it in a way that will convince hiring managers that you’ll be successful in the position.

Leverage experience by pulling from your education. Having a degree in any field indicates to a manager that you can meet deadlines and remain dedicated to difficult projects. Use past internships or school project experiences to demonstrate that employers can trust you with professional responsibilities. Even volunteer positions can lend credence to any abilities you claim.

  • Do: Use an objective statement and lean into your soft skills.
  • Don’t: Leave excess white space. Instead, fill it with relevant successful projects.
  • Takeaway: Showcase your education and volunteer experience as if they were professional jobs (just don’t misrepresent them).

Customer service representative resume example

A customer service resume should add context to any performance claims.

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Include performance metrics in your resume to add supporting evidence for your achievements. Hiring managers can use this data to determine how you fit into their organizational goals.

In the resume example above, the rep says they “engage with 80 clients per day,” which sounds more impressive than simply saying they “handle a high volume of calls.” The specific number makes their experience more concrete.

  • Do: Use performance metrics to demonstrate your potential.
  • Don’t: Make vague references to your performance.
  • Takeaway: Give your performance proper context.

Customer support resume example

A customer support resume should use the applicant’s experience to justify why they’re capable for the new position.

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Customer support positions tend to focus more on solving customer issues than answering general queries that customer service teams get. If you’re moving to a support position in a new field, convince the company that your skills will translate.

In the example above, the applicant calls out how many clients they handle and their typical workload. If you have difficulty fitting your qualifications onto one page, you can use your customer service cover letter to add more context to some of the claims you made on the resume.

  • Do: List your technical skills.
  • Don’t: Expect hiring managers to connect the dots between your experience and potential.
  • Takeaway: Use your experience to justify why you’re prepared to take on the challenges of the new position.

Customer service manager resume example

A customer service manager resume should use the applicant’s experience to support why they can handle the challenges of the new position.

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If you’re seeking a leadership role, you need to show the hiring manager your leadership experience, just as this applicant does. The candidate focuses on their accomplishments as a customer service manager, using two of those successes as evidence of their claimed strengths.

In the experience section, they call out their success leading projects, collaborating with other departments, and training team members—all key areas of customer service management. They also attach a performance metric to many of their claims.

  • Do: Focus on your achievements as a team leader.
  • Don’t: Reference irrelevant job experience.
  • Takeaway: You don’t need to be a manager to land a manager position, but you should address your leadership skills and successes.

Customer service supervisor resume example

A customer service supervisor resume should explain the applicant’s ability to tap into employee potential and create change.

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Customer service supervisors oversee department operations and manage personnel. Like a customer service manager, a supervisor’s resume needs to position themself as a strong leader who can motivate their department to achieve business goals.

This applicant states how many representatives they trained and mentored. They recognize that their success is measured by their team’s performance, so their resume focuses on how they influenced that success.

  • Do: Explain how your leadership improved team performance.
  • Don’t: Focus on day-to-day tasks.
  • Takeaway: Set yourself up as the person who knows how to tap into employees’ potential and facilitate change.

Director of customer service resume example

A director of customer service resume should present the applicant as a veteran team member that can be depended on.

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A director of customer service oversees department operations, ensuring that customers have a great experience and that the team meets its goals. Identify how you contributed to the company’s profitability by performing big-picture tasks like creating budgets and allocating resources. The resume above notes how the applicant developed the training modules used to onboard new associates.

Being in a senior position, you’ll also need to convey your ability to communicate with your direct reports and other senior leaders. Hiring managers expect you to take an active role in conflict resolution and add to the employee experience, not hinder it.

  • Do: Relate how your education and experience contribute to department performance.
  • Don’t: Present yourself as a hands-off figurehead.
  • Takeaway: Position yourself as the veteran team member everyone can depend on to find solutions to even the most complicated issues.

Receptionist resume example

A receptionist resume should present information in an organized way that’s easy to scan.

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Receptionists field customer inquiries and perform administrative tasks for the office. A receptionist’s resume should reflect their success at juggling hard and soft skills.

This applicant has all of their need-to-know information clearly organized so a reviewer can quickly find what they need to make a decision. Skills, education, and certificates address some key qualifiers for the receptionist position. The resume also shows how an applicant can include information that doesn’t fit into a specialized section by mentioning the software they use within their work experience.

  • Do: Address prerequisite skills.
  • Don’t: Add clutter to sections that might detract from more pertinent details.
  • Takeaway: Help reviewers find the information they’re looking for through proper organization.

Healthcare customer service rep resume example

A healthcare customer service resume should show the applicant is familiar with industry-specific information and best practices.

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Healthcare is a highly specialized industry, and customer service representatives must adapt to its distinct needs. This resume example makes it clear the applicant knows their expectations and how to carry out their duties.

They mention how they understand HIPAA privacy requirements and co-pays. Violating HIPAA or insurance standards can have grave repercussions for the hospital and the patients, so a reviewer will want to know that the applicant takes it seriously.

  • Do: Address industry-specific criteria, like HIPAA compliance.
  • Don’t: Disclose sensitive information.
  • Takeaway: Show you’re qualified for hospital customer service by adhering to industry best practices.

Call center representative resume example

A call center representative resume should prioritize what the reviewers are looking for.

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Tailor your resume for each job posting. For example, if the company wants a customer service rep fluent in Spanish, put that information near the top. You can take a similar approach crafting a call center resume for different industries, like e-commerce and finance.

You don’t need to check every box or have a long list of professional accomplishments—focus on the most important call center skills that connect back to the job description, like how this applicant mentions their strong problem-solving and communication skills. Explain your work experience in detail, and highlight your transferable skills. This will help a potential employer see how your experience and skills might translate to a new job.

  • Do: Put the necessary skills near the top of the section.
  • Don’t: Force in every accomplishment. Instead, stick to what’s relevant.
  • Takeaway: Stay on topic and prioritize what the resume reviewers are looking for.

Call center supervisor resume example

A call center supervisor resume should exhibit the applicant’s know-how for developing personnel and improving performance.

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This resume successfully positions the applicant as the leader of their department by naming specific key performance indicators (KPIs) the reviewers can compare to their company priorities. The applicant identifies the size of their team and that they took an active role in improving its performance.

The resume also uses action verbs like “developed,” “maintained,” and “answered” to showcase their accomplishments. And the skills section highlights additional traits they apply in their position as a supervisor.

  • Do: Incorporate customer service best practices.
  • Don’t: Reference out-of-date experience.
  • Takeaway: Use your experience to exhibit your know-how to develop call center personnel and improve department performance.

Hospitality resume example

A hospitality resume should take into account how long a reviewer will spend on it, making information easy to identify.

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Hiring managers are busy and may only have a few seconds to scan your resume before deciding whether it’s worth a closer look. So, you want to ensure your relevant skills and experience stand out. The above applicant effectively uses the available space to present the essentials in a clean way.

Applicants for supervisory roles, like the one above, should have their hotel customer service resume highlight their leadership experience and dedication to customer satisfaction.

  • Do: Give the resume a clean appearance.
  • Don’t: Make it difficult to scan.
  • Takeaway: Consider how much time hiring managers will realistically spend on your resume.

Cashier resume example

A cashier resume should describe the applicant’s career progression and responsibilities.

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When you’re looking to take the next step in your career, your resume should demonstrate growth and professional development. In this resume sample, the applicant’s progression from cashier to head cashier illustrates their initiative and ability to take on increased responsibility.

Use performance metrics to quantify your achievements. Including concrete numbers—such as “increased restaurant staff efficiency by 30 percent”—shows your capabilities to a potential employer.

  • Do: Describe your career progression and increased responsibilities.
  • Don’t: Speak in general terms.
  • Takeaway: Help hiring managers compare your past performance to the position you’re applying to.

Retail sales associate resume example

A retail sales associate resume should describe how the applicant contributes to customer and employee experiences.

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The ability to turn new customers into repeat customers is an important skill in retail, and the resume above shows the applicant accomplished it in their previous roles. Displaying customer-oriented support should immediately catch the hiring manager’s eye.

Another way to grab a hiring manager’s attention is to highlight ways you’ve helped other employers increase sales or save money (as the applicant does in the resume sample above)—especially if you have metrics to back up your claims.

  • Do: Describe how you increased sales through building relationships.
  • Don’t: Present yourself as too independent or self-serving.
  • Takeaway: Tell hiring managers how you contribute to customer and employee experiences.

Retail manager resume example

A retail manager resume should share the applicant’s skills and personality traits they’ll bring to the position.

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This resume lists sought-after skills for retail managers and expresses how they might act on the job. Phrases like “team leadership” and “strategic selling” paint the picture of a driven individual, while “merchandising” and “scheduling” present them as someone aware of the many factors that influence performance.

The applicant uses the summary section to describe their approach to leading personnel. This can pique a reviewer’s curiosity and push them to seek an interview. Just be sure to keep it professional the way the applicant did here.

  • Do: Share your philosophy on managing employees and interacting with customers.
  • Don’t: Stray far from the subject with personal interests.
  • Takeaway: Sharing your skills and personality should shed light on how you’ll act as a manager and coworker.

Technical support resume example

A technical support resume should call out the applicant’s technical proficiencies.

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Technical support agents must strike a delicate balance between possessing the hard skills necessary to resolve customer issues and the soft skills to make it a positive experience. The above example showcases the applicant’s expertise in maintaining technical systems while making it known that customer relationships remain a priority. (The applicant boasts a 100 percent success rate.)

It’s also important to include the software applications you used. Potential employers want to know you can hit the ground running without intense technical training. Even if the employer uses a different system, you’ll exhibit the technical aptitude necessary to succeed.

  • Do: Identify technical proficiencies.
  • Don’t: Forget about the customer.
  • Takeaway: Let hiring managers know you recognize satisfying the customer is an important KPI.

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7 tips for writing a professional customer service resume

It’s tempting to include every one of your past jobs and all your skills in your customer service resume, but it’s not needed. It might even do more harm than good. For instance, if you have to use a tiny font to fit everything onto one page, no one will want to read it. Follow these resume best practices to increase your chances of making the first cut (and eventually landing an interview).

Customer service skills to include on your resume

Beyond the basics, your resume should also show a hiring manager that you have the interpersonal skills needed to deliver an excellent customer experience.

A customer service resume should call out your customer centricity, communication skills, problem-solving skills, and hard and soft skills.

Here are some important customer service skills, qualities, and experiences employers want to see in a support agent or manager:

  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Self-management
  • Troubleshooting
  • Professional development

Customer centricity

Building great customer relationships is key to a company’s success, and customer service representatives are largely responsible for achieving it. Customer centricity is all about putting the customer at the center of everything you do.

Hiring managers are looking for agents who are driven to help others and want to deliver good customer service. Ensure you include examples of when you went above and beyond for a customer or a colleague.

Apart from the job post, conduct research on the company’s website to learn how they focus on the customer. Many companies have a page dedicated to their values, or they might profile customer success stories on their blog. Use what you find to frame your examples to show them you’re on the same page and working toward the same goals.

Excellent communication skills

A good customer service experience doesn’t just entail answering questions. It also requires the ability to communicate effectively so a customer feels heard. Show hiring managers that you can connect with customers by highlighting these valuable skills:

  • Listening: Active listening helps you identify the root of a customer’s concerns so you can address them correctly.
  • Multichannel communication: Phone and video calls are one thing, but talking to customers through email and text can be tricky because it’s often hard to decipher the tone.
  • Empathy: The ability to step into another person’s shoes is critical to building customer rapport, anticipating customer needs, and delivering a superior experience.
  • Tone: Use the right tone to connect with customers and promote constructive dialogues.

These communication skills can go a long way in turning a negative experience into a positive one, and are key for cultivating customer loyalty—as well as earning a customer service job.

Problem-solving skills

The modern customer service job is dynamic and requires agents to be willing and able to find solutions to unique problems. Managers should set their agents up for success by providing them with the proper customer service training and resources to carry out their duties, but this will only go so far.

Applicants need to display their resourcefulness and ability to resolve complex issues while keeping their composure. Conveying out-of-the-box thinking preemptively addresses your commitment to breaking bad customer service practices, like having customers transferred multiple times to address a single issue.

A mix of hard skills and soft skills

Customer service agents must exhibit several skills, but hitting every mark can be challenging. Use the job post to identify which skills a company considers must-haves.

While these skills will vary between industries and employers, there are some common threads you can focus on to avoid having to perform extensive rewrites for each application.

Employers look for customer service hard skills, such as working with:

Soft skills are less tangible but more easily transferable. Employers look for soft skills like:

  • Collaborating with colleagues
  • Multitasking
  • Being detail-oriented
  • Curiosity
  • Adaptability
  • Self-motivation

Don’t forget to highlight your career progression and education

Though not a skill per se, your work experience is one of the most important things to include in your professional resume. Start with the most recent position and work backward, ensuring you list any customer-facing roles you’ve held.

If you haven’t worked in customer support specifically, think about what you did in other roles that demonstrate your abilities. Note any promotions you received, not just your current title, to demonstrate your upward mobility.

Round out your professional development by listing degrees and certifications you’ve acquired. It signals to hiring managers that you’re committed to ongoing self-improvement and not content with maintaining the status quo.

Take time to craft your resume

Creating a customer service resume that stands out takes time and effort, but it’s an important part of your journey to success. Bring your experiences to life with tangible metrics, engaging bullet points, and the right keywords to land a customer service interview.

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