My son and I were eating dinner at a restaurant soon to be out of business (too bad, the pizza is great!). Our waitress had not found another job and I asked if she’d consider the career transition from wait staff to customer service rep.

Her response, “I’m not qualified to do that”.  I asked, “Do you solve customer problems, provide service with a smile, work in a fast paced environment, have excellent listening skills, serve multiple tables in a short window of time, use a computer system, show up to work on time and not call in sick often”?

 
Her response, “Yes, I do all of those things and am pretty good at them”. “Well then,” I said, “Sounds like you’re qualified to train to become a customer service representative”.

Here’s how to build a resume to help you career transition from working as a restaurant server to a call center/customer service job.

Sample Resume

Step One: List your contact information. 

Joan Smith
1234 Mockingbird Circle
Anytown, USA 54321
(555) 555-1212
joansmith@unknown.com

Step Two: List an objective. Your goal is to catch the hiring manager’s eye and stand out from the stack of resumes the pile.

Objective: Waitress voted employee of the month with over two years of experience looking to use my background in listening to customer needs while providing service with a smile in a fast paced environment into a full-time customer service position with XYZ Company.

In this objective,  you’re stating your current occupation (waitress), citing a personal, work-related accomplishment (voted employee of the month) focusing on you can benefit the company (experience) and how some of your current skills relate to experience that a customer service representative needs (listening skills, providing service with a smile, working in a fast pace environment).

Step Three: List a summary of qualifications. This is your marketing pitch that lets you further showcase your skills and experience not mentioned in, or tied to your objective.

Summary of Qualifications:

• Remain calm and work well under demanding conditions
• Reliable – worked two years for same employer without missing a day of work
• 100% accuracy rate; consistently served customer the meal ordered, to specification
• Promptly greeted patrons and provided timely attention throughout the dining experience
• Able to think on my feet to quickly resolve customer complaints
• Used computerized  system to enter meal orders, beverages

In this summary of qualifications, we convey that as a waitress, she has experience working in a fast paced environment, is on time for work and did not have excessive work absences, has excellent listening and time management skills, can solve problems and is comfortable using computerized tools.

Step Four: List a summary of accomplishments. This shows that you’re a motivated person. 

Accomplishments:

• Voted ‘Employee of the Month’, July, 2015, April 2014
• Sold $30,000 of food and beverages to customers during 2014 (note; the restaurant manager should be able to provide you with a record of your sales)

Step Five: List your experience. If you have gaps in employment, briefly mention the circumstance.

Server, Pizza Restaurant, Anytown, WI August 2013 to Present
Responsibilities: Greet guests and make them feel comfortable, learn menu items and be able to describe them appropriately to guests, accurately take beverage and food orders, deliver beverages and food in a timely manner, check-in with guests to ensure that everything is going well, clear dirty dishes from table, refill beverages throughout the meal, deliver guest’s bill and thank them for dining at the restaurant, work with other servers and be a team player.

Step Six: List your education.

Education:
Graduate, West High School, Madison, WI, June, 2013

Are you an experienced waitress or waiter looking to change careers? Build a new resume following this format and email it to the ABR location nearest you.

 

Demand drives profit.  Cost-containment drives profit.  Efficient processes drive profit.

But can supplemental staff drive profits? Absolutely.

On the flip side, the cost associated with the revolving door of high supplemental staff turnover can put a dent in your bottom line. By deploying the right staffing strategy, you can greatly enhance your ability to control costs, improve productivity and manage risk.

Need proof?  Consider the following case study of a business that partnered with ABR to reduce call center turnover and improve the recruiting, hiring and retention process of supplemental staff.

 

 

The Client:  Home Warranty Call Center

The Challenge:  Recruiting, hiring and retention of supplemental call center staff.

The Solution:  Partner with ABR to develop and implement a custom staffing solution that included:

• Creating a recruiting, orientation and retention program to meet current and on-going staffing needs;
• Implementing co-operative recruiting efforts across all media outlets, holding co-operative job fairs and developing targeted social media recruiting ads on Facebook;
• Developing a quality measurement system to establish key performance indicators including the number of supplemental staff hired, number of hours worked, average length of assignment and assignment end reasons
• Holding quarterly meetings with the home warranty call center HR staff to review quality measurement system performance standards and set standards for the next quarter.

The Bottom Line: Supplemental staff turnover was reduced by 16%; the average length of assignment time was increased to 61 days.

The home warranty VP of Operations sums up the staffing bottom line best:

“I truly appreciate the care and attention that ABR Employment Services has provided since we formed the business relationship. They have taken the time to learn our business and understand our staffing needs which helps get the right person in the right time. Several employees that ABR have placed with our organization have been converted to full time and in many cases have been promoted which shows ABR understands what we need. If there is ever a staffing question or issue, ABR makes it right, right away, never looking for an excuse. ABR provides detailed reports and valuable business intelligence and are always looking for creative ways to help our business. ABR is a pleasure to work with.”

ABR Employment Services Can Help Drive Your Profits

As Wisconsin’s only staffing firm to have received the Best of Staffing award for client and talent service quality in 2015, ABR specializes in customizing staffing plans that will enhance your company’s profitability.  Contact us today to learn how.

Thank you for Voting ABR Manitowoc a Best of Staffing Company!

 

ABR is the only staffing company in Wisconsin to have received the Best of Staffing award for service quality.

 

Flexibility.  Extra income.  Work experience. An avenue to direct employment. 

The reasons people choose to work for a staffing agency like ABR are as diverse as the job assignments they select.

But whether you are seeking a bridge to full-time employment or looking to earn some extra cash, here are several things you can do to make the most of your ABR job assignment:

 

1. Dress the part.  You will fit in, perform, and feel better if you’re dressed appropriately for the type of work you’re doing.
2. Act as if the job is permanent.  Give your best effort on each assignment – you never know where it might lead.  If an employer is impressed with your performance, he can work with your staffing service to offer you direct employment.
3. Learn all you can.  Each assignment provides fresh opportunities to learn.  From practical job skills to industry-specific knowledge, capitalize on every chance to gain valuable skills and experience.
4. Test the waters.  If your career path is uncertain, temporary work affords you the ability to try out different jobs, at different companies, in varied industries.  Find out where you fit by accepting diverse assignments.
5. Network.  A temporary assignment puts you in a unique networking position.  While at work, you have the opportunity to interact and develop relationships with business colleagues whom you might not otherwise meet.  Leverage this “inside track” access by sharing your career interests and goals with managers you encounter on the job.
6. Communicate.  If you enjoyed an assignment and would like to work for the employer again once it’s over, say so.  Your staffing consultant can find out if there are other opportunities for work in a different area of the company.  And if the assignment was not right for you, consider why.  Try to understand why the job or the employer didn’t meet your needs, so you can choose an assignment that’s a better fit the next time.

We want to help you get the most from your experience as an ABR Employment Services employee! Contact any ABR Representative to learn more about working for ABR and how to apply.