Post job

What is a call agent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

Call agents work for call centers answering incoming calls or making outbound calls for various purposes. They might offer a service or product, respond to inquiries, provide information, or help resolve problems and settle complaints. They work in a calls service team and respond to a team leader.

You might assist customers in purchasing products, placing and delivering their orders. You might provide technical assistance or troubleshooting for services or provide information on products. Whatever the task, you will be representing the company with your actions and the quality of your service, so being polite, efficient, and professional is a must at all times.

You won't need specialized education to take on this role, as a high school diploma is sufficient. Experience with customer service is a plus, and some companies look for multilingual agents. Other than that, you will receive training to carry out specific tasks and learn how to use the customer management software.

ScoreCall AgentUS Average
Salary
2.2

Avg. Salary $28,192

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 6.69%

Black or African American 11.59%

Hispanic or Latino 20.37%

Unknown 5.34%

White 55.29%

Gender

female 66.55%

male 33.45%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.5

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Call agent career paths

Key steps to become a call agent

  1. Explore call agent education requirements

    Most common call agent degrees

    High School Diploma

    37.8 %

    Bachelor's

    24.9 %

    Associate

    19.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific call agent skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service30.91%
    Inbound Calls19.87%
    Telephone Calls11.68%
    Credit Card4.24%
    Outbound Customer Calls3.35%
  3. Complete relevant call agent training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New call agents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a call agent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real call agent resumes.
  4. Research call agent duties and responsibilities

    • Perform a variety of tasks including preparing PowerPoint presentations and spreadsheets, drafting e-mails or letters, organizing meeting/business luncheons.
    • Request any additional information need to determine program eligibility, while following all HIPPA laws and regulations.
  5. Prepare your call agent resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your call agent resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a call agent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable call agent resume templates

    Build a professional call agent resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your call agent resume.
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
    Call Agent Resume
  6. Apply for call agent jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a call agent job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first call agent job

Zippi

Are you a call agent?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average call agent salary

The average call agent salary in the United States is $28,192 per year or $14 per hour. Call agent salaries range between $22,000 and $35,000 per year.

Average call agent salary
$28,192 Yearly
$13.55 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do call agents rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Call agent reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2022
Cons

Sometimes I had to finish up job tasks that were assigned to others that were not completed.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Getting to know the people and the you work.with

Cons

Being required to answer a minimum number of calls a day. This pushes the idea that the caller is a number and as such, it is more difficult to personalize the call the the person calling in


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Caring to the customer issues is what I do like first and the other thing it is a job that show determination level on the duty.


Working as a call agent? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse office and administrative jobs