Customer service is not dead, yet

I've started, and hit pause, on the draft of this article several times. The first time I started writing this was in 2021, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than two years later, I've come back to it -- and here's why.

Too many career changers are discounting the skills they've gained from service-oriented jobs. As a career coach, I see this happen all the time. And as someone who used to work in retail, I can empathize with why this happens.

When I ask coaching clients why they are choosing to remove service-oriented roles from their resume, the responses often fall into one of three buckets:

1. "The skills from my service job(s) aren't relevant."
2. "My candidacy won't be considered as competitively as others who have more knowledge-based experience than I do."
3. "I am embarrassed that I have xyz credential and work in a customer-service oriented role."

Despite the rapid speed by which technology is transforming the knowledge-based workforce, the truth is that customer service is not dead, yet. And it's people that have experience in service-based roles that can ensure it stays alive and well.

I share this perspective from my career story that includes both working in and hiring candidates for service-oriented roles.

So, the next time you find yourself second guessing your customer service experience, consider this:

• Employers want to hire people who know how to build relationships
• Employers want to hire people who are reliable and dependable
• Employers want to hire people who can navigate working with stakeholders
• Employers want to hire people who can work in fast-paced environments
• Employers want to hire people who can think creatively and be scrappy
• Employers want to hire people who can negotiate well and make a sale
• Employers want to hire people who know how to network and build community

The benefits of transferrable skills built through service-oriented roles extend far beyond these examples. Whether you're in the process of navigating a career pivot or are thinking of making one soon, remember that the transferrable skills gained from your past are an important piece of the job search equation.

If you need help thinking about how to weave together your previous roles and tell your story in a compelling way, I'd be honored to connect. Please reach out and let's find some time to chat.