Customer Service Resume: Examples, Skills, and Writing Tips

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. And the last thing you want is to wait that long to get the job. Worried? Don’t be. You’re about to learn 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 and customer service skills on a resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for customer service to get any job you want.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.

Use this resume template

Sample Customer Service Resume—See more resume examples here.

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

• Customer Service Manager Resume
• Sales Representative Resume
• Sales Associate Resume
• Retail Resume
• Retail Sales Associate Resume
• Retail Manager Resume
• Store Manager Resume
• Technical Support Resume
• Call Center Supervisor Resume
• Call Center Resume
• Front Desk Receptionist Resume
• Help Desk Resume
• Hostess Resume
• Good Resume Example for Any Job (Free)

Customer Service Resume Example

Looking for a cover letter, too? See this guide: Customer Service Representative Cover Letter: Example & How to Write

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.

Traditionally, we suggest the reverse-chronological resume because:

• It highlights your experience and key achievements.
• It’s perfectly scannable and navigable.

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.

Here are a couple of things you should always have in the back of your mind when formatting a customer service resume:

• Embrace white space. It gives your resume a clean and well-organized look.
• Stick to a resume-friendly font. It looks professional, simple as that.
• Make sure your resume is ATS-friendly. Otherwise, your resume might never see the light of day.
• Write simple headings. They will help the recruiter find the information they’re looking for.

If you want to be 100% sure your resume keeps its shape on all devices and operating systems, save it as a PDF file.

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. 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 resume summary has to be smashing. Here’s how you write a great one:

1. Start off 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).

And—

6. Put numbers wherever you can becausenumbers speak louder than words.

Have 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 that you need a customer service resume objective, approach it this way:

• Start your customer service objective with strong character traits.
• 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:

Customer Service Resume Objective—Examples

These two resume headline 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.

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.

Create my resume now

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

3. Write About Your 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 work experience on a resume in a way that shows: you have it all.

Here’s the action plan:

1. Carefully look at the job ad for the position you’re applying for. Find resume keywords.

Let’s imagine it looks like this (for your convenience, the potential keywords are highlighted in yellow):

2.  Tailor your resume so that your customer service experience matches the job ad.

There’s a very good reason for this—98% of Fortune 500 Companies use the so-called Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software to streamline their recruitment processes. The ATS scans resumes for customer service for keywords from the original job posting. If the ATS can’t find the keywords, your resume won’t pass the scanning stage. 

Next, your resume will go to a recruiter. If they see you copy-pasted the phrases from the job listing and your work experience is unimpressive, they won't read your resume—and that’s the last thing you want.

So here’s how you tailor your customer service resume work experience section:

• Incorporate the keywords strategically.
• Make sure you use resume action words to highlight your customer service skills.
• 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.
• Promote 2–3 top accomplishments, and list them in the Key achievements subsection.

Here’s what a customer service resume work experience section could look like (for the job ad above):

Customer Service Resume Example—Job Description

That’s a job-winning example. 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 don’t have any work experience yet? Writing a customer service resume with no experience could seem like a daunting task. 

There’s only 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.
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.

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

4. Choose Customer Service Skills for Your Resume

How do you increase the recruiter’s CSAT score by 200%?

You show them you’ve got all the customer service skills they’re looking for. And then some more.

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

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

Customer Service Resume Example—Skills

Depending on the role, your customer service resume may benefit from breaking down the skills into categories, like so:

Customer Service Resume Skills

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
• Microsoft Office
• 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. 

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. Maximize Your Education Section

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

Add more points to your application by listing the highest degree of your education:

• Indicate the degree earned.
• Add the name of the institution.
• Mention the time frame with the graduation date.

If you’re applying for an entry-level position and don’t have much work experience, don’t just list the school name. Add information on the relevant coursework and extracurricular activities that can help you succeed in the role:

Entry-Level 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. 

Still unsure how to deal with the education section? Read our guide: How to Put Your Education on a Resume

6. 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. These can include:

• Your customer service certifications
• Proof of your language skills
• Awards and other prominent achievements

Put them in separate sections, like here:

Example of Customer Service Resume: Certifications

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

7. Attach a Customer Service Resume Cover Letter

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:

• Keep it brief and to the point (one page is enough).
• Provide some relevant insights your customer service resume didn’t have room for (or add a personal touch).

If you’re feeling a little short of ideas, our comprehensive guide on how to write a perfect cover letter in 8 simple steps will surely help you out.

In fact—

We’ve deconstructed the entire cover letter writing process into its component parts. Here’s a selection of guides that will show you:

• How to Address a Cover Letter
• How to Start a Cover Letter
• How to End a Cover Letter

And you’re all set!

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:

Create my cover letter now

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 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? We’d love to hear from you; leave your comment below!