Escape the Call Center: How CSRs Can Transition to HR or Recruiting

My wife Lauren (they/them) used to work virtually for a nonprofit call center and it was a struggle managing back-to-back calls with minimal breaks and dealing with the emotional toll of helping people in need. It was tough on their mental health, and eventually, we made the shared decision to have them leave that role and support our family in other ways. 
I often think about how many Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are out there, wishing there was an opportunity for them to transition to a different job, one that offered more schedule flexibility and autonomy, and was less mentally taxing.
That's why it's important to me to share that Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) have many transferable skills that can help them transition into other fields, like HR or recruiting. 🤝 If you're a CSR, you already have excellent communication skills, relationship management, and problem-solving abilities. These are all skills that can be easily applied to recruiting.

When it comes to writing your resume, be sure to highlight these skills, using examples from your customer service experience that demonstrate how you've used these skills to achieve results. And don't be afraid to use action verbs like "communicated," "resolved," "built," "identified," and "managed" to emphasize your skills and accomplishments. By doing so, you'll have a higher likelihood of getting past the resume review stage of the application process.

One great thing about recruiting is that it offers more schedule flexibility and autonomy. This can be a huge relief for those who are used to the rigid schedules of a call center or other customer service job. Plus, recruiting can be less mentally taxing because you're not dealing with emotionally charged customer interactions all day long.

So, if you're a CSR looking to make a change, take this as a sign! You already have many transferable skills that can help you transition into HR or recruiting. And with a little bit of effort in highlighting these skills on your resume, you'll be on your way to a more fulfilling and mentally rewarding career. Good luck! 🍀