Could Call Center Work Be Your Dream Job

Could Call Center Work Be Your Dream JobAll right, lets be realistic. No one has ever waltzed into their high school guidance counselors office and announced, starry-eyed, I cant wait to go to work in a call centerAnd now, in the spirit of continuing to be realistic, lets accept that call centers are often where the jobs are. Right now, youre saying, But all those jobs have been outsourced overseasWrong. In the 1990s, many call center jobs were sent to places like India and the Philippines. But in the mid-2000s, the trend began to reverse, and now its estimated that by 2022, call center employment in the United States will grow by a staggering 38%.Now lets talk about the stigma. You probably think that call center jobs dont pay muchand to a certain extent thats true. But when you consider that jobs in retailing start at $8 and top out at about $14 per hour, while call center jobs actually start at anywhere between $11 and $15 per hour, if what youre qualified for is an entry-level po sition, youre far better off in a call center.Lets take the comparison between call centers and retailing a little further. A retail store manager can expect to make around $42,600 annually. A call center supervisor is paid a little over $50,000, and a call center manager nearly $78,000. Thats a huge difference.What about the customers, you ask? Well, heres the thing in almost any occupation, youre going to have to deal with irate customers. Where would you rather have them? Across the counter from you, or in another stateseparated from you by miles and miles of phone line?A call center position also provides you with incredible opportunities for personal growth. At every level in a call center, whether its as a phone agent or a supervisor, youll have an opportunity to hone skills that will help you in other occupations. Youll learn problem-solving techniques, refine your communication skills, and even learn complex tasks like interpreting billing statements and offering various ty pes of technical support. Today, because customers can do so much for themselves online, call center workers are called upon to provide support for more complex issues. Far from being just a voice on the phone, youre a highly trained professional with skills that you can take practically anywhere.So, if youre out of work, why not give the call center a whirl? Most of them promote from within, and the possibilities for advancement are significant. You could very well go from wearing a headset to running an entire departmentor even the whole centerin just a few years. Its worth considering.Lets network Connect with me on LinkedIn here.