Customer Service Resume Examples & Skills for 2024

You may have the acumen of a seasoned pro and the patience of a chopping block, but if your customer service resume offers no evidence of your skills… 

…guess what the recruiter’s response time is going to be? Yup, infinity. Worried? Don’t be. I'm about to teach you how to make a kick-ass customer service resume that will make your phone ring like crazy.

This guide will show you:

• Customer service resume examples better than 9 out of 10 others.
• How to write a customer service resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put achievements on a customer service representative resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a customer service rep to get any job you want.

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Looking for other retail and customer service resume examples? We’ve got you covered:

• Customer Service Manager Resume
• Customer Service Associate Resume
• Sales Representative Resume
• Sales Associate Resume
• Retail Resume
• Retail Sales Associate Resume
• Retail Manager Resume
• Relationship Manager Resume
• Call Center Supervisor Resume
• Good Resume Example for Any Job (Free)

Customer Service Resume Example

Now that’s one of the best customer service resume examples I’ve seen in a long time. And here’s how to write a customer service resume step-by-step:

1. Find the Best Customer Service Resume Format

You have 7 seconds to get their attention. Because that’s how little time the recruiter will spend scanning your customer service resume, according to our HR statistics report.

Want to make a great impression? Choose the right format to bring out your best:

• Divide your resume into sections and categories. Boost the readability of your document, by sticking to this outline:
• Header (including your name, position, and contact information)
• Summary Statement or Career Objective (depending on your experience)
• Experience Section
• Education Section
• Useful Skills
• Additional Sections (certifications you received, languages you speak, interests you have, publications with your name on it etc.)

• Choose the right font for your resume. Times New Roman, Arial, and Helvetica are only some great options.
• Make sure your resume is ATS-friendly. Currently, 98% of Fortune 500 Companies use the so-called Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software to streamline their recruitment processes. It’s extremely important to do that right.
• Write simple headings. They will help the recruiter find the information they’re looking for.
• Embrace white space. It gives your resume a clean and well-organized look. Set line spacing of 1.15 and standard resume margins to an inch on each side. That’s yet another way of making your document more readable. 

• Save your resume as a PDF file to be 100% sure your application keeps its shape on all devices and operating systems

• Name your resume correctly. Include your name and the position you’re after. Add “resume” so that your recruiter won’t confuse it with your cover letter.

Done with the formatting? You’re ready to write the first section of your customer service resume.

Still fuzzy about the best format? Here’s a resume writing guide that will clear things up: Best Resume Format: Which to Choose?

2. Write About Relevant Experience on a Customer Service Resume

Imagine you had a new KPI: end the recruitment process today for the other 249 candidates who’ve applied. That is, eliminate them from the race by describing your customer service job description on a resume in a way that shows: you have it all.

Here’s the action plan for writing a sample customer service resume:

• Carefully look at the job ad for your application. Find resume keywords.
• Stick to the reverse chronological format. That’s the best way to highlight your most recent activities in which your recruiters are the most interested. However, if you’re aiming for a career-changer resume, you might want to take a peek at what the functional resume format looks like and whether it’s a better fit for your customer service resume.
• Tailor your resume to the job description. That way, you’ll show your future employer that you’re interested in working for this specific company and not just any other company on the market.
• Present your professional achievements, not responsibilities. The difference? Achievements show how well you’re able to carry out your responsibilities. They’re your responsibilities proven with numbers.
• Add up to six bullet points under each job. That breaks your accomplishments down in detail.
• Promote 2–3 top accomplishments, and list them in the Key Achievements subsection.
• Replace clichés with action verbs. That’s how your resume can stand out more among your competitors’ resumes.
• Quantify as much as possible, because your recruiter will focus on results. 

Here’s what a customer service job description for a resume could look like: 

Customer Service Resume Example—Job Description

That’s a job-winning customer service resume example. Plenty of action words and many relevant achievements, all quantifiable. But writing a customer service job description may also go terribly wrong: 

The difference is obvious. 

One particular case presents a challenge: What if you want to write an entry-level customer service resume? Hard to highlight your achievements. However, writing a customer service resume with no experience is still very much doable. 

Let me teach you one rule: never leave the experience section empty. But how? Try this strategy: 

1. Think of your previous experiences that qualify as work: internships, apprenticeships, volunteering, etc. Some transferable skills are surely ready to use on your customer service resume sample!

2. Remember the practical knowledge you’ve acquired. Perhaps you have experience in data entry? Maybe you're familiar with Zendesk? Make a list.

3. Focus on transferable and soft skills. Almost all entry-level customer service jobs require great communication and interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, etc. 

Take some time to brainstorm, then pick the items that best fit the job description. If you need additional advice, here’s our step-by-step guide on writing a resume with no work experience.

And for now, let’s see a good example of what a no-experience customer service resume can look like in terms of achievements. 

Entry-Level Customer Service Resume Sample—Job Description

Wow! If that’s not an impressive entry-level customer service resume example, then what is? 

Do you still have questions about how you can show off your relevant experience? Here’s a guide that will help you: Work History & Experience on a Resume

3. Maximize Your Education Section on Your Customer Service Resume

If your experience is nothing short of monumental, you’ll probably get the job, even if you forget to include the education section whatsoever. But should you risk it? I advise not to. 

Before you start putting in all your high school achievements, think about how far back a resume should go: 

• List your highest degree of education if you already have a lot of customer service experience.
• List more details regarding your education, such as relevant coursework, academic achievements, and extracurricular activities, if you don’t have impressive experience.

Let’s see how to shine with your education section.

Here’s how to impress your recruiters with a great education section on your resume for customer service:

• Indicate the degree earned. Include the school name and the time frame with the graduation date
• Include your major and minors. That will give more details to your resume.
• Put all the student honors, relevant coursework, GPA, and other extracurricular activities to your resume.

Okay, now let me show you some examples.

Customer Service Resume Example—Education

You could still add credits if you didn’t finish your college degree. Just add a line: “Obtained 90 credits toward a BA in Psychology.” Haven't started college? Put your high school degree on your customer service representative resume. 

We’ve got our experience and education covered. Now let’s move on to customer service resume skills.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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4. Choose Customer Service Skills for Your Resume

How do you increase the recruiter’s CSAT score by 200%? You show them all the customer service resume skills examples they’re looking for. And then some more.

Good news: if you’ve done your job description correctly, you’ve already included many relevant customer service skills. Now you have to reinforce that with a solid skills section.

Here’s how to include skills in your customer service resume:

• View the job ad and look for the skills section. 
• Create a master list of all your skills to identify better what future employer needs most.
• Read your experience and education section and see if you’ve got some achievements that can easily be mirrored by your skills.
• Select hard and soft skills most suitable for the job you’re after.
• Pick up to 10 ones you’re excellent at. This way, you’ll not fall victim to the so-called presenter’s paradox, i.e., dilute the value of crucial skills by adding too many. 

Listing your skills in a separate section on your customer service representative resume will give them more prominence. But don’t go overboard!

So what are some great skills for a resume for a customer service representative? Depending on the role, your customer service representative resume may benefit from breaking down the skills into categories, like so:

Customer Service Resume—Skills Examples

Soft skills: 

• Detail-oriented
• Customer experience improvement 
• Positive attitude
• Bilingual customer support
• Time management
• Interpersonal skills
• Complaint resolution
• Communication skills
• Patience
• Problem-solving skills
• Cross-selling / Up-selling
• Service-based selling / Telesales
• Building customer loyalty 

Hard skills:

• Dixa
• ERP
• Freshdesk
• Jira Service Desk
• MS Excel Skills
• Microsoft Office Skills
• MS PowerPoint
• MS Word
• MyTalk
• Product Knowledge
• Salesforce
• Talkdesk
• Zendesk

Keep in mind that we’ve added many just to give you ideas—you should pick just the most relevant ones. 

Okay, now let’s take a look at what it can look like on a resume:

Customer Service Skills (Resume Example)

Still got some impressive things you want to impress your recruiter with? Definitely! Let’s see how to do it right!

Still wondering about the best skills for your customer service representative resume? Here’s a guide that you need: 99 Essential Skills for a Resume

5. Make Good Use of Additional Sections

And one more thing: don’t forget to list some extra credentials that can prove essential to your job. Here are some additional sections you might add to your business analyst resume to boost your chances of landing an interview:

• Certifications and licenses related to customer service can easily prove you’ve got the necessary skills and knowledge.
• Publications on a resume show you’re not only a pro but an authority figure for other people in your industry.
• Conferences you spoke at show you’re an authority. Conferences you attended show you want to keep learning new things.
• Languages on a resume are more than welcome for any customer service representative, as they allow you to communicate interculturally.
• Volunteering experience proves you're a great culture fit.

Put them in separate sections, like here:

Sample Customer Service Resume: Certifications

For more ideas on utilizing these sections, read our guide: Advance the Additional Information on Your Resume

6. Create Your Best Customer Service Resume Summary or Objective 

Your opening statement is like the first ticket on a given day—it sets the tone. The customer service summary for a resume has to be smashing. Here’s how you write a great one:

1. Start with your strongest traits.

2. Show how much experience you have.

3. Say why you want to join the company.

4. Mention what you can offer.

5. Include your biggest achievement(s).

6. Put numbers wherever you can, because numbers speak louder than words.

Take a look at this set of examples: 

Customer Service Resume Summary—Examples

The difference between these two resume summary examples is striking! While the first one follows the surefire formula from above, the other one… just doesn’t say much. 

By the way, if you’re an entry-level candidate without a lot of experience, note the difference:

• A resume summary is a brief overview of your existing relevant professional experience and key achievements. It’s perfect for candidates with a background in customer service.
• A resume objective highlights your transferable skills and career goals, explaining why you’re a potentially good fit. An opening statement of this kind works best for candidates with limited work experience.

So, if you’ve decided you need a customer service resume objective, approach it this way:

• Start your customer service objective with a great word to describe yourself.
• Briefly summarize your education and academic achievements (like a high GPA.)
• Refer to the employer by name, and specify how you can help and what you can offer.
• Mention previous work or volunteering experience, internships, etc.

Here’s how to do it:

Objective on a Resume for Customer Service—Examples

These two resume examples for customer service differ substantially. The first candidate markets themselves like a pro. The wrong example reads like a generic description copy-pasted from a random website. Not to mention, it’s all about taking, not giving.

Pro Tip: Great news! There’s a simple formula to use when you’re writing a resume summary or a resume introduction. It goes like this: Adjective + Job Title + Years of Experience + Achievements + Skills + What You Want to Do for the Employer 

7. Attach a Cover Letter to Your Customer Service Resume

Does the idea of writing a cover letter feel like working with a rotary dial phone and an abacus? Outdated much? 

It shouldn’t, as cover letters still matter. A well-written cover letter: 

• Proves your communication skills and dedication to get the job.
• Gives you a chance for you to fill in all the blank spots on your customer service representative resume (e.g., career gaps).

To nail your customer service cover letter, make sure to:

• Format your cover letter properly, so it’s consistent with your resume.
• Address your cover letter by using the recruiter’s name.
• Begin your cover letter strong and try to grab readers’ attention from the top. Just like you do on the call with your customer!
• Keep it shorter than 400 words, to keep the ideal length of your cover letter.
• End your cover letter with a great accomplishment and offer a precise date and time for an interview.

You’ve got your resume AND your cover letter ready. You’re all set. The only thing to do now is to get ready for an interview.

If you’re feeling a little short of ideas, this comprehensive guide will surely help you out: How to Write a Perfect Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Writing a customer service resume is something more than dumping all your skills into a good-looking resume template. To make a job-winning customer service representative resume:

1. Choose an elegant format for your customer service resume.

2. Start with a snappy resume objective or summary.

3. Create a compelling job description.

4. Attach a customer service resume cover letter to show your prospective employer what you’ve got to offer.

And—

Good luck with your interview!

Are you writing a call center customer service resume? Or perhaps you’re a seasoned CS professional eager to help the rookies out? I’d love to hear from you! Leave your comment below and I'll get back to you!

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