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Have You Considered a Portfolio Career?

Finding a full-time salaried position that offers a chance for growth, learning, and advancement would probably be the number one wish of most job seekers. However, more and more people are taking on temporary contract work or multiple freelance projects – often simultaneously in different career areas — to gain experience and bring in income.

If nothing else, by wearing many career hats, you can help expand your portfolio and meet new connections in your industry while you continue to look for the right job. And, you can position yourself as a go-getter who used his or her unemployment period to seek new business ventures and develop new skills when you’re on job interviews.

The career advice portal, Careerealism.com called portfolio careers a top trend for 2014. “Many employers are laying off full-time staff and rehiring key talent in consulting roles. In fact, by 2020 more than 50% of employees will work on a project basis,” predicted the site.

In other words, if you’ve only been looking for full-time work and coming up short, there’s nothing wrong with seeking opportunities that are related to your skill set that could help you strengthen your personal brand while you continue your search. For instance, someone with a journalism background might teach a class or two as an adjunct professor while freelance writing and offering tutoring services on the side.

You might even find that you enjoy the flexibility that multiple, short-term projects allow, provided you can deal with the unsteady, and sometimes unpredictable income stream. If you do want to give this type of career path a whirl, or use it to discover where your true passions lie, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

Treat each project and client with the attention it requires.

If you take on too much or things that overlap, you could end up spreading yourself too thin, or have a conflict of interest situation on your hands.

Line things up.

Secure enough steady income so that you can stay afloat financially while you try your hand at different types of work.

Broadcast your goals.

Let your connections know that you’re available for part- or full-time employment if an opening should become available. Many independent contractors end up being offered a salaried position if they make a good impression with the company. If they like the way you work, you could go to the top of the hiring consideration list. But that will only happen if you make your availability and interest known.

Push Brand “You.”

Continue to market yourself, keep your resume and portfolio up to date, and actively seek jobs that match your qualifications.

Is a Call Center Job Right for You?

As the frontline voice to customers, call center representatives are an integral part of a company’s customer service team. Call center reps spend the majority of their day managing inbound and outbound customer calls, with the goal of meeting retention and sales quotas.

Sitting back and taking it easy is not an option when you work at a call center, since the phone is either ringing off the hook or you’re responsible for making a certain number of calls during your shift. If you excel in a fast-paced, high-energy atmosphere, consider applying for a job in a call center.

What skills do I need to become a call center representative?

It goes without saying that you need to have excellent phone skills to work at a call center. That encompasses a professional demeanor, empathic listening, and the ability to build a rapport with all kinds of people. You must be able to help people feel at ease, while demonstrating confidence that you can handle any questions or concerns they may have.

Call center jobs frequently require sales skills as well, as call center representatives must explain the company’s products and services and help customers maintain their current service and even upgrade or purchase new products. Multitasking is essential, because you’ll be navigating multiple data-entry systems and other relevant applications while you’re talking with customers.

Of course, working in a call center often means dealing with unhappy people. You must be able to resolve complaints and handle conflict in a positive, customer-focused manner. Problem solving is essential in the call center environment, where you need to empathize with customers while offering a solution to help them move forward. Remember – calls may be monitored for quality assurance, so you must always be at the top of your game.

How can I get a call center job?

Call center jobs are available in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, automotive, human resources, health care, financial services, insurance, utilities, and more.

Typically, a high school diploma or GED is the minimum education requirement for call center jobs. Bilingual candidates are especially in demand, particularly in markets where English is not the primary language. Most call centers require that candidates type at least 30 words per minute; some companies will give you a typing test as a condition of hiring. For many call centers, familiarity with Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, Excel) is a must.

Some call centers prefer to hire candidates who have previous call center or customer service experience, but call center workers do learn quite a bit on the job. Many companies provide initial training to familiarize new employees with the company’s products and services, as well as ongoing training to help workers stay up-to-date on product and service changes.

What can I expect from a call center job?

Call centers typically offer shift work, so it’s best to have an open schedule when you’re applying for a call center job. Tip: Nights and weekends are usually the busiest times at call centers, so being available to work those hours can lead to bigger commissions. Call center representatives typically receive hourly base pay as well as incentives for meeting and exceeding their quotas.

And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of call center representatives is projected to grow 38 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Call center jobs are here to stay!

If you have excellent interpersonal, customer service, and sales skills, and you have no problem spending hours on the phone, learn more about call center job openings near you.