There are hundreds of high-paying customer support work-from-home opportunities available online at any given time. Many employers are willing to hire from the Philippines. They will want to make sure that the applicant has the skills they need. They may also look for those with a can-do attitude and a team-player personality.
But the question is, what skills are employers looking for from their remote workers?
It depends on the nature of the business and the specific needs of the employer.
Almost all types of companies will need customer support representatives at some point in their journey. Some of them may look for customer support reps who can do the job at home.
Smaller companies do not have the luxury of providing training. They may instead hire reps who are already experienced in the job. These types of companies are looking for professionals with the following skills:
English Proficiency (At least C1 Advanced or Band 7.5-8 in IELTS)
Employers from English-speaking countries look for applicants with professional-level English-speaking skills. They will not ask you to take English proficiency tests. Instead, they will assess you based on your interview performance. Big companies may use automated English assessment tools like Versant.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills
Most customer support jobs require the applicants to understand the problem of the caller and to provide solutions. This requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The interviewer will probably test this through mock calls with sample scenarios.
The Ability to Work under Pressure
I personally do not enjoy working in high-stress situations. In some types of jobs, stress just comes with the territory. In customer support, stress usually comes from the sheer volume of incoming calls. Your ability to perform your tasks under pressure will help you thrive. This may be assessed through situational questions during the interview.
Basic Troubleshooting Skills
As a work-from-home employee, it helps if you are always ready to deal with technical problems. Hardware and software maintenance is part of the remote worker’s daily tasks. If your phone is not working, it’s your responsibility to diagnose the problem and not pass all issues to the IT guys.
If I expect to use the phone when working remotely, I always log in early to check if it is functioning as expected. This way, if there are problems, I will be able to troubleshoot before my shift starts.
Experience in the Industry of the Employer
Employers are likely to hire you if you already have at least one year of experience in their industry. Some companies accept general customer service experience. Others also consider hiring applicants with no experience. To look for these types of jobs, make sure to check the “Entry Level” when filtering the job list.
The Ability to Learn Fast
Most companies will ask you to learn about their product and services fast. You will have a week or two to understand the processes of the company. Sometimes, you will have to do this on your own, without training. You should be ready for that if you applied to a small company or a startup.
These are just some of the skills needed to become a remote customer-support professional. Employers may specify more qualification requirements in the job listings. Make sure to read them thoroughly before applying. Also, adjust your resume and highlight the skills that the employers are looking for.
If you have all the skills above, you may be perfect for some of the remote customer support jobs here.
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