By
Sangeeta Bhatnagar
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Date Published: February 17, 2025 - Last Updated February 18, 2025
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Comments
Over the years, as a recruiter for various top-tiered companies, I have found many skills, traits and behaviors that hiring managers should look for. Regardless of the type of contact center agent or level within the center, these behaviors and traits are required:
Coachable: Regardless of hard skill set, only bring on those individuals that are coachable. They need to be able to take feedback and act on it in a positive manner without being negative or defensive. I always ask the candidate to share a time when they were coached on a skill or behavior and to share what it was and how did they improve or modify that skill/behavior.
During the interview process, I informally give some feedback and see how they take it. Many candidates are well-trained in “interview speak,” so I like to test them with a real example of feedback.
Empathetic: We hear this all the time as a buzzword. Look for examples where the individual showed a genuine desire to help others. Search for candidates that have a history of going above and beyond to make things better for others. Please note, do not get stuck in looking for just contact center experience. Empathy and kindness can come from any work history and is totally transferable.
Adaptable: Since rules, processes, technology and expectations can change quickly in a contact center, we need to bring in individuals that can adapt to rapid change without being flustered, frustrated or fixated on the way things used to be. Agents and everyone supporting them has to have the mindset of adapting to change and adopting AI without fear of change. AI adoption and navigating through change is a key trait that you should look for.
Listening: Since every call is different, listening is required to understand the challenge. If you hire people that are more interested in speaking and sharing their already established ideas, there will be a lack of problem solving, poor customer experience and for employees — a poor employee experience. Listening to others is a basic sign of respect to ensure that we always have respect in the workplace.
Problem Solving: When looking for talent to hire, it is important to find people that can solve problems and work in somewhat abstract situations. Since AI can handle the very simple, basic calls and transactions, the agents we have working must be able to successfully handle the more complex calls, chats, emails, etc.
Although there are many skills to look for, I shared just a few of the critical skills that we need in the current marketplace AND to ensure that our organizations are future ready. If you need additional information, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]