TOP 10 CALL CENTER JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (Part I)

by admin on March 21, 2008

What employers really wanted to know from aspiring call center applicants

You may have checked a lot of reference materials in acing a call center job interview. At some point you may have memorized some of the answers just to make it up to the contract signing portion (of the application process). But do you really understand what they wanted to know from you as a prospective call center agent? Take time to check these common call center job interview questions and verify if you are really prepared to provide appropriate answers.

1. Tell me something about yourself

Common mistake: Saying your name, age and physical address to serve as an introduction

Call center applicant: Well, as I said a while ago, my name is [your name], [your age] and I live at [physical address].

If your name is printed on the resume that they are holding, it will be better not to say your name. Call center recruitment officers will be wise enough to glance on your resume once in a while to write their comments. Besides, they will remember your name as soon as they are convinced that you are ready to proceed to the next step (of your application process).

Same thing for the age and physical address, unless there will be issues that need to be checked immediately, better keep those details on paper.

Call center gal tip: Call center recruitment officers need to know more of your interests and how you can relate those in your future job in the call center. So concentrate your answers on those details instead.

2. What do your classmates/colleagues say about you

Common mistake: Giving details that might ruin you and your character in the process.

Call center applicant: “Well, my classmates say that I am pretty, easy to get along with, understanding etc…”

Call center applicant: “My colleagues say that I am talkative, friendly, a team player…”

Notice how we sometimes unconsciously tell our call center recruitment officers that they should consider other candidates instead. Even though they wanted you to feel comfortable and sound natural in your answers, they need more details that build your character up. They need more of your positive characteristics as a person well suited for a call center job.

Call center gal tip: Be honest and yet be careful of the details you will tell them. I want to stress on the importance of giving them more of your positive traits. If they asked you to expound on your answers, then be ready to give related answers.



3. Why do you want to work in this organization

Call center applicant: “I heard your organization pays call center agents well.”

Call center applicant: “Because my friend told me that it is easy to get a promotion here.”

Call center applicant: “This is one of the call centers that I know of which has sleeping quarters and it’s important because I live far from here.”

Common mistake: Not doing a company research prior to the interview

There are a lot of call center companies in the Philippines and I understand how tempting it is to send resumes to every call center companies that they see. Observe how applicants go crazy over submitting their resumés in job fairs, only to be clueless about those companies when called for an interview.

Call center gal tip:
Do your homework. Make a list of the companies you want to apply for a call center post. Use the internet to gather information. Most reputable call center companies have a website to provide you information that you can mention in the job interview. It’s better to tell that you got those information using credible sources instead. I am not saying that you can’t rely on what your friends tell you. Call center employers will appreciate it better if you checked on the resources that they made available like company websites and marketing collaterals.

4. What is your philosophy towards work?

Call center applicant: “Time is gold.”

Call center applicant: “My work philosophy is that you need to work hard for you to get a reward.”

Common mistake: Using a cliché as an answer

Clichés are overly familiar phrases. It may be tempting to use clichés in answering questions like this because it can easily fill in someone’s thoughts. But if this is your only answer and you cannot expound on this cliché then you might not land that call center job.

Call center gal tip: Frame your answers based on how you really work on something. If you really value time as part of your work philosophy, better be prepared with instances wherein you used time to your advantage. You can form better answers than by just using clichés as canned response.

This is just the first of the three-part series about top ten call center job interview questions. Feel free to send me your comments and suggestions by leaving a message here. Thank you for reading.

Please click on Call Center Job Interview Questions Part II and Call Center Job Interview Questions Part III to check the next set of top call center interview questions.

Till next post,

Related posts:

  1. A Call Center Job Interview Question “Why are you leaving your current company?” Anyone who has...
  2. Call Center Applicants in their 40's Call center applicant in his 40’s? Yes, we have applicants...
  3. Call Center Companies: Religious Tax Payers If you’re in the Philippines, you would understand how call...
  4. Pregnant Call Center Applicant's Issue Again The Concern I just approved a question from Cecile, a...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

{ 1 trackback }

Job Interview Questions And Answers. | 7Wins.eu
June 19, 2008 at 6:08 pm

{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }

Roland May 31, 2008 at 10:02 pm

thanks for some tips you’ve given to us…..

carmelo June 12, 2008 at 7:10 am

great tips, thanks a lot

jessie June 27, 2008 at 2:34 am

great it helps me a lot

Aamir September 12, 2008 at 6:40 pm

Gr8 Tips, it wud be helpful…

Billy Castillo October 3, 2008 at 10:06 pm

hahaha great idea.. thank you very much. wish me luck

admin November 21, 2008 at 9:23 am

Lizsiel, Julie, Roland, Carmelo, Jessie, Aamir, Billy Castillo, Michelle,

Thanks for the comment guys! You just made my day!

Feel free to come back and share your call center interview experience so that a lot more people who are just like you (call center applicants) will learn more from your experience. ;)

Good luck on your call center application!

Van November 23, 2008 at 9:54 am

:) Glad I found this. And I learned something from it. Thanks, this is great. Hope to read more. God bless.

Stephanie December 1, 2008 at 5:19 am

So, I work at an answering service called A Better Answer. We’re pretty good, win a lot a awards, make decent money. I got lucky, because I read over your tips, and I did some of those things! Lol. I guess my boss needed a new employee rather bad at the moment. I’ve learned at lot working there. Patience, real etiquette, and the strength not to hang up when someone is rude! Lol. :)

Nice read. Kudos.

-Stephanie

Ae-jay January 5, 2009 at 8:51 am

cool! tnx for this very informative work..it really help a lot..keep it up!

FERDIE GWAPO January 16, 2009 at 1:41 am

thank you very much for your benevolence. it really helped me. god bless you, wish me luck..

Hi Freddie,

You’re welcome. :) Please do come back for more tips on call center stuff. :)

Network Marketing January 20, 2009 at 4:27 pm

I really enjoyed your post. I will have to come back again to read some more of them.

FRANCIS January 21, 2009 at 12:16 am

This is what i am searching for. It really helps a lot most especially to me, great!

Akhil March 4, 2009 at 2:15 am

Great tips
Thank you very very much.

Joy March 20, 2009 at 10:33 am

As I’m browsing here, I’m very lucky to find this site. It’s really helpful for me especially the tips in answering interview questions for call center jobs. I really jot down some notes here for me to prepare in applying job in a call center.

Thanks a lot and more power!

Hope to post more tips…

ronnel March 24, 2009 at 12:16 pm

yes wish ko mkpasa na….

frank March 29, 2009 at 11:27 am

hi!!!!
good tips,please wish me luck by tommorrow

Mian March 30, 2009 at 11:58 pm

thanks callcenter gal for your helpful tips… great job!

——-

Hi Mian,

Glad to be of help. :)

kc April 12, 2009 at 7:02 am

thanx for the tips…it will help a lot for those who are interested to apply in call centers………..

chaji April 13, 2009 at 5:02 am

hope i can make it.Tommorow will be the assessment…..
wish me luck..

Ü May 27, 2009 at 2:25 pm

based on my experience’s’, the top 5 interview questions in call centers are:

tell me something bout yourself
why do you want to work here (company)
what is your greatest achievement
tell me something in the past where you had to make a major decision in your life and how did you handle it

so far, yan talaga yung FAQs when you are applying in call center.

jhoy June 5, 2009 at 12:23 pm

hi.
tnx
dami ko din nlaman tungkol dito
pero
nahihirapan tlaga ako kunn saan ba talaga ako dapat magsimula para mas matutunan ko ito ng mas madali……plz reply
tnx

aldrin June 5, 2009 at 5:12 pm

wow im very impressive..tnx good luck to me

Ren June 10, 2009 at 7:16 am

This tips would be a great reference. Tnx!

nemesis June 30, 2009 at 11:05 am

thanks alot

oliver July 10, 2009 at 4:25 am

Thanks…this is really helpful for the people who wants to apply at the call center..Thanks and Godbless…..sana mkapasa ako..

Graseph July 15, 2009 at 12:36 am

It’s a big help for us unemployed… thanks a lot! God Bless us all..

Laura July 29, 2009 at 8:03 pm

I don’t think I’d ever make any of these mistakes when being interviewed…but I have to admit I’d probably say something stupid when asked what my friends say about me. =) These are important tips to use when going to an assessment center. Sometimes instead of a Professional Employer Organization giving you assessment tests when you apply for a position, you get sent to an assessment center. I think that is a better way to go when hiring multiple people because you can see how the candidates work with others and also by themselves.

Gizelle Amor July 31, 2009 at 4:36 am

Have a great day!!!

this is great.i can use those tips when i applying in call center oneday..wow!!!accurate your knowledge in communication skills in english as well as gaining your initiative in comes of chatting..furthermore you can accelerate easily how you established relationship your client or customer through telephone calls or in personal..it will profit your dreaming job and doing revamped your chracteristics into the sensation of better ones..
totally awesome!!!.maybe in the world of bussiness to lead our career but also i considered most how we manage our journey if we forget someone..
HANDS ON YOUR POCKET!!!

AMOR(ITS JUST A BEGINNING IT NOT AN END OF THE WORLD)

carmelo August 6, 2009 at 12:58 pm

tnx i have learn

jhoriz August 9, 2009 at 1:17 am

Hi thanks for that info I am having a hardtime applying in call centers I usually pass all the examinations but never the interview haaaay thanks for your tips

petitemom September 11, 2009 at 2:17 am

hey thanks a lot!this is just what i’m looking for..god bless.

nerie September 16, 2009 at 5:38 am

taas ang kamay ko sa mga tips nyo…but the problem are really us d applicant coz during the interview pag naunahan kami ng kaba we forgot all the interview tips we get 2 your website, sana lang magbigay din kau ng best answers 4 all d question or sample answers so dt we can apply 4 our next interview;-)Lol…^_~

leen September 16, 2009 at 6:06 am

tnx 4 d tips
its really helpful..

ayah30 September 17, 2009 at 12:47 am

thank you..it helps me how to deal to the interviewer..
God Bless & More Power!

fits gerald October 12, 2009 at 11:19 am

thanks alot!!!!!! i learn how 2 use my words correcly… wish me luck!!!! GOD guide us….

Bea November 3, 2009 at 5:56 pm

your article is very informative and helpful especially to those who doesn’t have any call center experience like me… i believe i will land a CC job tom… ( i am scheduled for an interview)

VINCE November 5, 2009 at 1:35 am

Thanks god i have learn something here before i got to have my interview hoping that next time i brose there will be another enspirable answer!!! thank you very much god bless you!!!!

rex January 4, 2010 at 5:04 pm

Thanks guys..it feels great and build my confidence..

ALI January 6, 2010 at 8:50 pm

It is very informative!!! I think it will help me boost my career in the call center industry…..God bless!!!! and more Power!!!11

zaharia omal January 10, 2010 at 6:17 am

Hi po, tnx alot to help us how to get that work posible trough ur tips on how we entered.

j.d January 10, 2010 at 1:35 pm

it makes myself more confident and well ready to answer those typical interviews wen i want to apply in a call cnter company later on..thnks a lot..

Leave a Comment

Spam Protection by WP-SpamFree

Next post: TOP 10 CALL CENTER JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (Part II)