Customer Service Representative Resume Templates and Examples (Downloadable)

  • Entry level
  • Midlevel
  • Senior level

Your customer service representative resume should show how you use your skills and experience to handle customer inquiries for an organization’s products or services. In this guide, we’ll provide strategies to write a resume that demonstrates your readiness to contribute to a customer-focused team.

Key takeaways:

  • Emphasize industry expertise: If you’ve had experience within the industry of your prospective job, highlight your knowledge of products and common customer concerns.
  • Measure your past contributions: Use numbers to quantify your customer service experience and bring value to job duties and accomplishments.
  • Incorporate keywords: Optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems (ATS) by including phrases and words from the job posting that match your own customer service abilities.

How To Write a Customer Service Representative Resume Example

First impressions are important during the hiring process, and a basic resume template is the best way to present your work history professionally. Ensure your customer service representative resume includes the following sections:

  • Contact information
  • Profile
  • Key skills
  • Professional experience
  • Education and certifications

1. Share your contact information

Make your contact information accessible to hiring managers by placing it prominently at the top of your resume. Include your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile. Ensure your information is accurate and up-to-date before submitting your application.

Example

Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn

2. Craft a solid profile with a summary of your customer service representative qualifications

As the first paragraph of your resume, the profile should immediately convey your unique value as a customer service representative. Include your job title, how long you’ve been in customer service, and any technical knowledge related to your industry. If you specialize in a particular sector, such as tech support, retail, or health care, mention that as well.

Your job revolves around interacting with people every day, so highlighting soft skills in your profile is a great move. These are often the most important skills in your toolkit and should be emphasized. That includes qualities like communication, multilingual abilities, empathy, leadership, patience, and resilience.

Senior-Level Profile Example

Seasoned customer service manager with over 10 years of experience in the pet industry. Team leader and Certified Pet Nutrition Coach. Coordinates with cross-functional teams to ensure the efficient operation of the store and online order fulfillment. Coaches customer service representatives to drive sales and increase loyalty program membership.

Entry-Level Profile Example

Bilingual customer service representative fluent in Spanish with over four years of experience working in customer-facing roles. Prioritizes customer satisfaction by effectively handling inquiries, managing detailed records, and providing comprehensive product knowledge. Maintains patience and composure under pressure in a fast-paced service environment.

3. Create a powerful list of your customer service representative experience

When describing your past positions, the goal is to highlight your ability to put the customer first, work well on a team, and achieve results. The experiences you choose to list here should be tailored to the unique position you’re applying for. Instead of describing generalized customer service responsibilities, consider what the employer is looking for.

For example, if you know the company uses customer relationship management (CRM) software and you’re familiar with it, mention your proficiency. Discuss times you’ve used it to track customer interactions or resolve complaints. This shows that you can utilize their technology to enhance the customer experience.

Senior-Level Professional Experience Example

Customer Service Manager, Happy Pets, Bridgeport, CT
April 2018 – present

  • Lead a team of more than 20 customer service representatives to provide high-quality service to pet parents and create a welcoming environment
  • Record key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and improve customer service
  • Handle approximately 10 escalated customer issues each week, navigating challenging situations with empathy and care
  • Coordinate cross-functional meetings to align the customer service department with distribution and inventory teams
  • Implement tailored follow-up strategies to increase customer retention by 10% in 2019

Entry-Level Professional Experience Example

Customer Service Representative, Seaside Plumbing and Heating, Fort Wayne, IN
August 2022 – present

  • Manage over 50 customer inquiries per day, providing product support and troubleshooting advice
  • Collaborate with technical team to update service guidelines around the most common customer heating and plumbing issues
  • Implement a new company-wide triage system to optimize and reduce call handling time by 30%
  • Maintain composure with customers facing product issues using de-escalation techniques
  • Support the sales team by generating an additional $15,000 in upsells in 2023

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Similar to how customer testimonials build trust in a product or service, using numbers to quantify your work history adds credibility to your job duties and accomplishments. Describing resolution times, call volumes, and customer satisfaction scores with metrics adds value to your resume. Hiring managers will appreciate this effort to measure your past contributions.

Do
  • “Manage over 50 customer inquiries per day, providing product support and troubleshooting advice.”
Don’t
  • “Handle numerous customer inquiries on a daily basis.”

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

If you plan to apply for more than one position during your job search, it’s best practice to adjust your resume for every company you apply to. This ensures you stand out as a great fit for the role and demonstrates your ability to meet the unique needs of the employer.

For instance, suppose a clothing retailer needs a customer service representative who excels in a fast-paced environment. Your resume should include evidence of your ability to process transactions, assist customers in-store, and pull items from inventory.

What if you don’t have experience?

You can still craft a compelling resume even without any prior customer service experience. Instead of emphasizing a long-standing history of work, focus on leveraging other aspects of your background, such as:

  • Transferable skills gained from volunteer work, sports teams, or school
  • Interpersonal abilities such as communication, conflict resolution, and leadership
  • Coursework in business administration or industry-specific certifications
  • Relevant work experience from other industries

4. Include education and certifications relevant to customer service

Academic requirements will vary depending on your role and industry. Regardless, start with your highest level of education and include any relevant coursework you’ve completed that emphasizes business, service, or industry knowledge.

If you have certifications in specific software or technology, include that as well. Or, maybe you’ve attended a workshop on leadership in pursuit of a senior-level role. Hiring managers should know that you’ve spent time outside of work on your professional development. Especially if you lack experience, certifications can help bolster your resume and show a willingness to learn.

Education

Template:

[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]

Example:

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Business Administration
Metro State University, Minneapolis, MN | September 2008 – June 2012

Certifications

Template:

[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]

Example:

Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft, 2020

5. List key skills and proficiencies for customer service representatives

As a customer service representative, you rely on a robust set of skills to serve your employer’s clients. The job posting should give you enough information to determine which customer service and technical skills should be prioritized. To make it through ATS software and on to the hiring manager, include those keywords and phrases throughout your customer service representative resume. Here are some skills you might come across during your job search:

Key Skills and Proficiencies
Active listening Chat support
Communication CRM software (HubSpot, Salesforce, Zendesk)
Data entry Emotional intelligence
Help desk Microsoft Office
Point-of-sale (POS) systems Positivity
Product demonstration Reporting and analytics
Sales techniques Teamwork
Tech support Typing

Resume writer’s tip: Use descriptive action verbs

As you construct your professional experience section, use action verbs to frame even the simplest of job duties as an accomplishment. Starting each bullet point with a verb allows you to concisely describe past responsibilities and achievements in customer service. This strategy will help to avoid redundant first-person phrases like, “I was responsible for…” The list below will assist you with writing your customer service representative resume:

Action Verbs
Assisted Coordinated
Delivered Escalated
Implemented Improved
Managed Navigated
Optimized Resolved
Responded Streamlined
Supported Trained
Updated  

How To Pick the Best Customer Service Representative Resume Template

The best resume template is easy to read and navigate. Look for a simple, well-organized design with plenty of white space for your writing. Don’t worry too much about selecting the most stylish, unique, or colorful template. Hiring managers are most interested in the content of your resume and how you can create a positive experience for their clientele.

Customer Service Representative Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

  • ENTRY-LEVEL
  • MID-CAREER
  • SENIOR-LEVEL

Elizabeth Jones
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn

Profile

Dedicated customer service representative with five years of experience in the insurance industry delivering top-tier service and support to clients. Consistently achieved a 95% or higher customer satisfaction rating through active solution-seeking and tailored insurance solutions. Proven track record of qualified service while navigating complex policies and regulations.

Key Skills

  • Claims processing
  • Communication
  • Empathy
  • Insurance proposals
  • Policy administration
  • Teamwork

Professional Experience

Customer Service Representative, Secure Coverage Solutions, Rochester, MN
June 2021 – present

  • Act as the primary point of contact for clients, responding to inquiries, policy changes, and claims promptly and professionally
  • Process an average of 50 policy endorsements per week with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and compliance with regulatory standards
  • Collaborate with underwriting department to assess risk factors and evaluate coverage
  • Provide tailored insurance solutions to clients, resulting in a 10% increase in policyholder retention
  • Conduct annual policy reviews, identify cross-selling opportunities, and successfully upsell additional insurance products, contributing to a 15% boost in annual revenue

Office Assistant, Horizon Insurance Group, Minneapolis, MN
March 2019 – May 2021

  • Processed over 200 insurance policies monthly for new and existing clients
  • Maintained an accuracy rate of 98% in documentation, policy issuance, and premium tracking
  • Led the implementation of a new CRM system to streamline client communication and data management
  • Reduced scheduling conflicts by 40% through effective schedule organization
  • Worked with claims department to expedite policy processing and resolve inquiries

Education

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Business Administration, September 2008 – June 2012
Metro State University, Minneapolis, MN

Certifications

  • Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR), National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, 2021
  • Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions: Customer Service Representative Resume Examples and Advice

How do you align your resume with a customer service representative job description?

As service-related job tasks continue to become automated, employment for customer service representatives is projected to decline over the next decade. This could lead to an increase in competition as the workforce continues to shrink. To stand out, your resume must be aligned with the needs of employers, and that begins with understanding what they need.

Start by studying the job description and identifying key skills and qualifications required for the role. For example, if the job ad mentions “excellent verbal communication,” highlight instances where you’ve used soft skills to resolve a customer inquiry. You could also describe a moment when you de-escalated a tense situation or received a positive review from a satisfied customer.

What is the best customer service representative resume format?

Combination resumes are a good choice for customer service representatives, from entry-level to managerial. This format emphasizes your skills front and center at the top of your resume. Hiring managers can easily identify your customer service abilities before moving on to a chronological work history that emphasizes the progression of your career.

Expert advice: include a cover letter with your resume

Include a cover letter to round out your application and increase your chances of landing an interview. Take this opportunity to explain why you’re the best fit for the company’s customer service team and give context to the lists of skills and experiences on your resume. This can help set you apart from other applicants and get you on to the next round of the hiring process.

Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.

Written by professional resume writers and loved by hiring managers

ResumeTemplates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.