Call Center Interview Questions

Tell Me About Yourself

At this stage in my career, I would say that the no. 1 call center interview question that rarely miss an interview is to say something about yourself.  Simple as it is, but I would caution you to take time to think about the answer to this Interview Question as this will set the tone for the rest of the interview.

So how would you respond?

The interviewer is not interested to know about your family details or personal background. That you have to realize.  What he is interested in are your achievements and the milestones in your career.  Period.

You cannot go wrong with this call center interview question, and here's how you should prepare.

Focus. Think about your strength and how it could be important to the call center position (experiences, traits, skills, etc).  What would you want  the interviewer to know about you. List them down. Yes, list them down. It will help your mind to remember your best answers.

Prepare a script. You can start by talking about your past experiences that brought success even to the most menial task

" I have been in the call center industry for the past two years.  My most recent experience was to handle incoming calls for technical support in the Internet service industry.  I have enjoyed the job and the challenges that goes with it because of the opportunity to connect with people. I have performed significantly well which has resulted to good customer satisfaction rate."

Next, talk about your strengths and abilities:

" My real strength is  my relentless need to satisfy any standard  set.  I pride myself on my reputation for being there, when and where I am expected to be."

End your response with the statement about your current situation:

"I am now looking for a company that values people: their employees, their clients, and their client's customers. A call center where I can join a strong team."

Practice. Your script should keep you in track, but don't memorize it. You should sound natural and conversational.

This is just one among the list of Call Center Interview Questions that I believe you should be prepared for. Check out How To Beat Tough Questions On a Call Center Job Interview to learn more. Cheers!

Related articles

• Why Can't I Stay Long in One Call Center? (callcentersphil.blogspot.com)

BEATING TOUGH QUESTIONS ON A CALL CENTER JOB INTERVIEW

If you have been following my blog here (Personal Journey), you know that I was a bummer for 11 years before I decided to apply for a call center job, and I got the job right away on my first application. I don't think I'm smarter than anybody else is. What I believe though, that convinced those HR guys to take me in, is my honesty to admit my lack of knowledge on some points and my eagerness to learn, plus my perseverance and confidence on what I believe I can do. And just like what I mentioned on my "Interview Tips for Call Centre Job," you need not exaggerate on your qualifications or pretend that you know something or someone when you don't. Skills will be taught in any call centre.

Having been on this industry for quite sometime, I have compiled a list of Interview Questions that are most often asked by those call center HR personnel, and what they actually want to find out from asking those interview questions.

Why are you applying for this position?

Never ever never ever mention your financial motive like "because I need money or I'm looking for greener pasture" and don't say "I need experience." On the interviewer's point of view, it meant you are just going to use the company as a stepping ground before moving on to bigger things. Uh-oh, call centers biggest headache is attrition rate. They invest on training people, and therefore they need a long term team player.

TIP: Check on the call centre's background first and be sure to know the nature of the job that you are applying for, and explain how this job opportunity and the company will fit in with how you want to develop your skills and abilities. Mention your past experience (in school or at work), and be able to correlate them .

EX: "I have learned that this company is (mention the company's strength), and I have always wanted to work on that kind of settings. (name of the job position) will help me develop my skills in (abilities and talent).

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Aww, it's so tempting to answer this with your personal plans like have a family, kids and be in the US, Canada, etc. But please, this is a make or break question. What they really want to find out is if you have focus and direction, and how you can be of value to the call centre.

TIP: Be sure that you prepare a well-thought-of career path before going to the interview.

What do you expect out if this job?

When they asked me with this question, I was spellbound, I just want to walk out of the room. I dared asked him to give me a few seconds to think about it. And after collecting my thoughts, I answered it with the best way I can. Although there's nothing wrong admitting that you need sometime to think about it, being prepared for this question will put you in a better position. Since this is job-related, you can only get a thumbs-up by letting your interviewer know that you understand the nature of the job and the pressure it entails. Explain why you would like to learn those responsibilities, and be challenged by the pressures.

TIP: Get an idea of the job responsibilities.

What can you do for us, that someone else can't?

This is now your chance to sell yourself by emphasizing your unique ability/skill. Recall your past experiences when your solution was able to solve a problem that nobody ever thought of.

TIP: Think of your character traits, experiences, and positive attitude that makes you up as a person. Use them to sell yourself. But please, don't fill the room with hot-air.

Now the bombshell, Why should we hire you?

Correct answer: "Because I will be an asset to your company."

TIP: Before answering, convince yourself first with those words.

If you are looking for a career in call centers, consider looking at these great tips from an insider:

• Enhance Your Communication Skills
• Enhance Your Technical Skills for Technical Support Job
• Job Descriptions
• The Right Answer to The Interview Question: Tell Me About Yourself

Related articles

• Ten tall tales told on résumés (cnn.com)
• On Becoming a Home-Based Call Center Agent (callcentersphil.blogspot.com)
• My Summer at an Indian Call Center (motherjones.com)
• Why Can't I Stay Long in One Call Center? (callcentersphil.blogspot.com)

24/7 CUSTOMER

24/7 Customer is the first BPO company that provides integrated customer life cycle management services designed to deliver a seamless customer experience across the entire lifecycle. It was founded on April 2000 with only 100 seats in India. By June 2005, 24/7 Customer launched its delivery center in Manila, Philippines.

24/7 Customer's clients list include FTSE 500 and Global 1000 companies which includes:

Banking & Financial Services

Top 3 US bank

Pioneer in the prepaid financial products and services category

Global financial services company based in the UK

Fortune 500 financial services company based in the US

Insurance

Global Top 5 insurance company

Part of the global top 10 insurance group in the UK

Largest provider of property & casualty insurance provider in US

Technology

Global leader in storage devices

Leading provider of merchant processing services for merchants and financial institutions

Global Top 3 ATM company

Global leader for Business Performance Management solutions

Top 3 Internet company

Leading provider of digital media and web development software

Global leader in online security solutions

Leading business integration and process management software company

Leader in voice-to-screen messaging

Fast growing email application vendor in the US

Telecom

Top 3 satellite and cable company in the US

Top 3 Australian telecom company

Top 3 UK Telecom Company

Retail & Services

Top 5 online retail company in the US

Leading retailer of diamonds and jewelry in the US

One of the world's largest logistics companies

Leading utility services provider in the UK

One of the fastest growing online retail companies in the US

Leading catalog retailer in the US

Leading market research agency

Portable storage solutions provider

Leading media and entertainment company

What 24/7 Customer offer to their employees

24/7 Customer give their employees a dynamic environment that propels their employees forward. They give out incentive schemes, gift coupons, travel vouchers, certificates of appreciation, management education, and personal development opportunities.

They boast of the fact that:

• More than 50% of our agents grow faster than their peers in the industry
• More than 80% of junior and middle management positions are filled by promoting existing employees
• High-performing 24/7ites have been featured on global channels such as Discovery, NDTV India and BBC

24/7 Customer is located at:

MANILA

8/F, Insular Life Building

6781 Ayala Avenue

Makati city 1226

Philippines.

Tel: +632 792-4777

MJ Plaza Building

#106 Valero Street, Salcedo Village,

Makati City

Philippines.

Tel: +632 792-4900