If you’ve ever worked a customer service job, you may not realize it, but you’ve developed a set of skills that will make you more valuable to every employer in the future. Customer service relies on what is known as “soft skills,” focusing on handling people rather than performing specific tasks. Here are three reasons why these skills transfer to all other types of jobs.
Communication
Communication is the key to modern industry. Whether you’re working as part of a team or simply meeting with your boss, you have to know how to listen carefully, summarize the important points, and clearly put across your own message. Customer service teaches you to communicate with people who are experiencing a full range of emotions, from joy to fury, making you a valuable part of any team.
Patience
Customer service also teaches you patience. Your ability to remain professional even in trying times can make you a real asset in high-pressure workplaces. You already know how to take a deep breath, deescalate situations, and keep your cool no matter what’s going on around you.
Resourcefulness
Customer service professionals serve as the face of their company. They may not make the decisions, but they’re responsible for implementing them – and dealing with the fallout. When working with the public, you have no real idea what might come your way at any moment, so you learn to think on your feet. This level of resourcefulness is highly valued in most modern companies, as agility and responsiveness are keys to success. Businesses want employees who know how to roll with the punches and figure out what to do on the fly.
In many ways, customer service is its own unique segment of the workforce. But if you’ve ever been in the trenches in a customer service job, be sure to mention it during your interview for any position. The things you learned from that experience are highly transferable soft skills that can help you land the job of your dreams.
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