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Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Final Interview

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A one-on-one interview with the manager or in front of a panel

A call center final interview is nerve-wracking, gut-wrenching and can make you lose your focus in just a blink of an eye. Applicants who aren’t fully prepared usually fail the final interview so you better make sure you’re 101% ready.

Focusing on the Interviewer

Listening and nodding your head isn’t enough to guarantee you the call center position you’re aiming for. You have to listen carefully and absorb the questions being thrown at you so you can compose the best possible answers in your head and be able to answer the interviewer without stuttering.

Preparing Yourself

If this is your first time applying for job in a call center company, then you have loads of things you need to be prepared of. You may have gotten through the initial interview and written exams smoothly but the final interview will determine the results.

You may find some of the questions in the final interview that you have already encountered in the initial interview, do not be troubled, it’s a test! Call center final interviews measures your behavior and attitude, this means you have to be on your best behavior when answering and make sure your answers on your initial interview matches your answers on your final interview.

Common Questions in a Call Center Job Application Final Interview:

  1. What do you consider as your strengths and weaknesses?
  2. How do you deal with stress?
  3. How does your attendance describe you?
  4. Do you know what the call center industry is all about?
  5. Can you work on weekends/Shifting schedules/Do overtime work/Graveyard shifts?

Tip: Research more on the background of the call center company you will be applying at and how the call center industry runs.

Some Crucial Scenarios and Questions in a Call Center Job Application Final Interview:

  1. Role-play: Sell an item or a service to the interviewer.
  2. Role-play: Handle an escalated call from an unhappy customer.
  3. What sets you apart from all the other candidates? Support your answer.
  4. What have you done to promote great customer service? Can you give me a sample?
  5. What types of coworker/supervisor do you like and the types you dislike? Are there some types of coworker/supervisor you do not like to work with? Tell me why?

Tip: It is better to back up your answers with examples based on your experience than just answering the interviewer with a yes or no.

If the interviewer shows lack of modesty or professionalism in front of you during the interview, do not falter, sit straight and smile. Sometimes interviewers use this strategy to lower your guard down when they’re about to throw you a difficult or awkward question. It is their way of testing how you mind operates under pressure.

Applying for a job in a call center company in the Philippines is a tedious task because the recruitment process usually takes one day with ten or more hours processing time. Some applicants waste their own time by being unprepared or by answering the interviewer with unrelated things and fillers (the “uhms” and “ahhs”).

The best way to ace your application in any call center recruitment process is being well prepared. Some may lack some necessary skills to pass the skills test, but skills can be acquired through trainings and seminars, while rotten attitudes and questionable behaviors could take years to adjust. That’s why many call center companies in the Philippines encourage inexperienced and undergraduate candidates to apply to them. They want to provide employment to entry level jobseekers that are willing to learn and improve themselves, and in return, they provide the call center company strength and growth.

Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Versant and Computer Based Tests

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Versant and Computer Based Tests are the easiest and widely used Call Center Interview materials today in the Philippines.

Versant

Versant, the spoken language test! It’s easy because all you have to do is read a specific sentence in a reading material that the interviewer asks you to read. The key part here is your verbal English.

Being able to speak in English isn’t enough to qualify you to be a Call Center Agent, you must keep in mind that there are other areas of your talent that the interviewer is examining while you speak; your diction, grammar and pronunciation.

Ever heard someone pronounce “forever” as “poreber,” or “perfect” as “ferpect”?

The exchanging of “p” and “f” or “v” and “b” is one of the most common pronunciation errors some Filipino call center agents do. Not being a 100% American is not a good excuse to tell your interviewer, so forget about it. Call centers in the Philippines pride themselves with fluent-speaking agents, some even speak with a British accent to perfection.

How about your “th” pronunciation, have you heard them lately? The English pronunciation of “the” is not “da,” you will have to place a bit of your tongue under you upper teeth to produce the correct sound, the mixture of “T” and “H”. Try speaking this sentence and see for yourself it sounded right: “Der are two virds trying to ply. Dey want to ply sout por da winter.”

Another thing, the “s.” Some people pronounce the “s” by placing their tongue under their upper teeth producing an “s” sound with an excess of wind blowing in between their teeth and tongue. While some people argue that is caused by extreme baby talk during their younger years, others claim that it’s due to their short tongue. These myths do not make a good excuse either. If you want to be a successful call center agent, you must work hard on your weaknesses.

Computer Based Tests

This test is usually given to Customer Service Representatives handling data entry tasks and Technical Support Representatives, whether for a chat-based account or email support. The computer based test is simply a web navigation and research exam. The examiner will test to see how familiar you are with basic web applications, website navigation and how fast you can research on a given topic. Call Center Agents usually have their cheat sheets, a piece of paper with call handling guides, FAQs and multiple answers to choose from. So when an impromptu question, topic and unexpectedly weird scenarios come their way, they must research online for the solution as quickly as possible so they can get back to their customers the soonest they can.

It’s actually easy to get yourself familiarized with basic web applications!

  • Google is a search engine, so is Yahoo and Bing, they’re the three biggest search engines on the web.
  • FB and Twitter are social networking sites, while YouTube is a podcasting site.
  • WikiPedia and WikiTravel are wiki sites where you can easily search for the information or look up for descriptions or information.
  • Instagram is a photo sharing site and Tumblr is a free blog!
  • Firefox is a web browser, as well as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Opera.

Tip: Get yourself familiarized now with other areas of the web that you’re not sure of or web applications you haven’t tried yet. It will be easier for you to ace the computer based call center test!

Next part >> “Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Final Interview”. Continue reading?

Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Phone Simulation Test

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The phone test that will weigh your call handling skills.

This job application test can be applied to all types of accounts in a call center. It’s upon the recruitment department if they will include it in all their open accounts. If a phone simulation test is part of the recruitment process of the call center position you’re applying for, it will be given to all applicants whether experienced or not.

Tip: While waiting in line for your phone simulation test, think of possible scenarios and questions that might be hurled at you during the simulation. Think of a good answer, two good answers if you can so you’ll have an option.

In a phone simulation, the interviewer will rate you based on your answers, the way you talk to costumers, how swiftly you answer unexpected questions and how you handle the pressure. In this test, your “uhms” and “ahhs” are also graded, so better think twice before you let an “uhm” or “ahh” slip through your lips.

Note: The “uhms” and “ahhs” are called Fillers. It’s not actually forbidden to say these words; you just have to limit the usage. Too much filler doesn’t make a good sentence, it dilutes the quality of the information you’re providing the customer, plus it’s really annoying for customers to here too much “uhms” and “ahhs.”

Sample Scenario for a Call Center Phone Simulation:
A customer calls to report a defective product he purchased, you will be told to listen to a 5 minute recorded call and provide assistance to the customer as a Customer Care Agent – The key point here is to provide the best solution to the customer, not just any solution you can think of.

Remember this one; a 2-minute call duration can’t out rank a 5-minute call duration if the customer handling done in the 5-minute call is way better than the 2-minute call. A quick turn over of calls is not always the best solution.

There are few call center companies in the Philippines that lets you listen to a 5-minute recorded call with multiple answers provided for you to choose from. All the answers are good solutions but you have to be able to select the best one to be able to qualify.

Next part >> “Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Versant and Computer Based Tests”. Continue reading?

Call Center Job Interview Key Points: The Written Test

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The written test will determine your capabilities to handle the call center position you’re applying for. Take note that some written tests are about proper call handling, they may look easy to answer but the goal here to provide the BEST possible answer.

The most common written test in a call center job application is the Cognitive Test, a.k.a. the IQ Test. This consists of a bunch of questions that will weigh your mental process which allow you to perform basic day-today tasks.

Note: An IQ Tests is a way of determining how well your mind works in performing various tasks. It measures a person’s intelligence and determine in which category of intelligence a person belongs to. If you’ve only gone through Elementary grade, you’ll still have a chance to pass a call center job interview as long as you’re able to handle basic day-to-day tasks.

An IQ Test is generally given to any applicant; it’s not just in call center companies but in other companies as well. Passing your call center job interviews and written tests requires that your thinking should either be average or above average, anything below will not qualify you for the position you’re applying for.

Sample Questions in a General IQ Test:
1. (Analogy) What number best completes the analogy 8:4 as 10:__
– The answer is 5, because 4 is half of 8
2. (Classification) Which word does not belong? apple, marmalade, orange, cherry, grape
– The answer is marmalade, because it’s a preserve made from a fruit, a jelly-like sandwich filling.
3. (Logical) Book is to Reading as Fork is to:____________
– The answer is Eating.

A Cognitive Test in call center companies in the Philippines usually has time limits. While some companies give you one hour to complete your Cognitive Test, others will have you crunch in a 30-minute or less time limit because they want to examine how well your mind and behavior performs under pressure.

Tip: If you encounter a hard question on your Cognitive Test, skip it and move to the next one. You can always go back to that hard part after you’ve covered all the questions. Save time, answer more!

The tedious call center recruitment process where you wait in line for your next interview may wore you out and bore you tremendously, but you have to prepare yourself each time the interviewer calls your name because you’ll never know whether your next test is oral or written. Yawning in front of the interviewer is not a very enticing scene and may convey several meanings that the interviewer might find offensive.

Next part >> “Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Phone Simulation”. Continue reading?

Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Initial Interview

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Questions You Should Be Able To Answer the Right Way

The initial interview is always the hardest part to get through in a call center job application. The interviewer doesn’t only test your skills, they also test your behavior.

Among several call center companies in Metro Manila, there are those that have the same job interview strategies, initial interview questions, written tests and even the manner of presenting the exams; the one-on-one or a group interview first, account-specific exams, a phone simulation and then the final one-on-one interview with the manager or in front of a panel.

In a call center job application interview, there can be several answers to just one question and one single answer to several questions. So if you’re applying for a position in a call center company, you have to make sure you answer the interviewer the right way.

The Initial Interview

Though it’s boring for some and repetitive to others who have already applied to other call center companies, this part of the job interview is crucial in determining whether you’re skills are enough or not for the positions they are offering.

Considered as the most difficult part of a call center job interview, the initial interview basically tests your skills so the interviewer can determine in which account your skills will suit the best.

How to answer in an initial interview? Answer all of the questions with honesty, sell yourself (your skills), and answer in straight English. Honesty will be your best stepping stone when you enter the call center industry, because when you lie about yourself and your skills, your team leader or supervisor can easily detect that during training period and they will drop you out without remorse.

Note: Team Leaders, Supervisors and Managers are well trained in reading the behaviors of their staff as well as the applicants. So lying is not a very good idea.

Sample Questions on Initial Interviews:

  1. Tell me something that’s not written in your resume.
  2. Why did you leave your last position, or why are you leaving your current position?
  3. Why should we hire you?
  4. How do you see yourself 5 or 10 years from now?
  5. How would your last boss and colleagues describe you?

Carefully study the sample questions above, these are just common job interview questions that many call center companies use today, but do not take them lightly. What the interviewer is looking for in your answers is your ability to speak in straight English, proper diction and grammar, your spontaneity, body language and the manner of how you answer each question.

Next part >> “Call Center Job Interview Key Points: Written Tests”. Continue reading?