How to hire a customer service representative

How to hire a customer service representative, step by step

Here's a step-by-step customer service representative hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a customer service representative job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new customer service representative
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a customer service representative do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The customer service representative hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect customer service representative also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents customer service representative salaries for various positions.

   Type of Customer Service Representative	Description	Hourly rate
   Customer Service Representative	Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.	$12-19
   Customer Agent	A customer agent provides friendly service to external and internal customers. Customer agents talk to customers on behalf of businesses and companies... Show more	$12-18
   Client Representative	Client Representatives are professionals who work on behalf of their clients. They coordinate with external parties with which their clients are involved... Show more	$13-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • POS
   • Data Entry
   • Sales Floor
   • Customer Service
   • Home Health
   • Cash Handling
   • Math
   • Patients
   • Outbound Calls
   • CSR
   • Basic Math
   • Product Knowledge
   • Customer Care

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and plan escalations; assure HIPPA guidelines are followed for confidentially and privacy.
   • Maintain cleanliness and safety and assist patients as necessary.
   • Operate POS system and maintain exceptional and consistent customer service.
   • Exercise proofreading and basic math skills to maintain quality control over documents process
   • Work in customer service department entering information into customer relationship management (CRM).
   • Develop highly empathetic client relationships and earn reputation for exceeding good customer service rep goals.

   More customer service representative duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your customer service representative job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A customer service representative can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, customer service representatives' average salary in mississippi is 30% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level customer service representatives 39% less than senior-level customer service representatives.
   • Certifications. A customer service representative with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a customer service representative's salary.

   Average customer service representative salary

   $15.51hourly

   $32,260 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level customer service representative salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average customer service representative salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$38,086	$18
   2	California	$37,285	$18
   3	Massachusetts	$36,703	$18
   4	Minnesota	$35,794	$17
   5	New York	$35,130	$17
   6	Oregon	$34,688	$17
   7	Wisconsin	$33,615	$16
   8	Illinois	$33,509	$16
   9	Maine	$33,211	$16
   10	Colorado	$33,111	$16
   11	Arizona	$33,008	$16
   12	Iowa	$32,660	$16
   13	Maryland	$32,391	$16
   14	Pennsylvania	$31,793	$15
   15	Michigan	$31,730	$15
   16	Indiana	$31,409	$15
   17	Missouri	$31,383	$15
   18	Kansas	$31,356	$15
   19	Ohio	$31,290	$15
   20	Nevada	$31,164	$15

   Average customer service representative salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Oracle	$41,458	$19.93	114
   2	University of California-Berkeley	$41,251	$19.83
   3	CoBank	$40,717	$19.58	13
   4	Uline	$40,610	$19.52	13
   5	University of California	$40,248	$19.35	30
   6	Home Bancshares Inc.	$40,050	$19.25
   7	National Grid plc	$39,504	$18.99	7
   8	Steel Dynamics	$39,425	$18.95	6
   9	Qep	$39,107	$18.80
   10	Community West Bank	$38,742	$18.63
   11	SoCalGas	$38,679	$18.60
   12	Conviva	$38,547	$18.53
   13	Kemper	$38,400	$18.46	6
   14	PepsiCo	$38,365	$18.44	5
   15	Martin Marietta	$38,354	$18.44	1
   16	FLIR Systems	$38,309	$18.42
   17	WeatherTech	$38,294	$18.41	4
   18	Sentry	$38,272	$18.40	16
   19	The Travelers Companies	$38,250	$18.39
   20	Federated Insurance	$38,170	$18.35	3

4. Writing a customer service representative job description

   A customer service representative job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a customer service representative job description:

   Customer service representative job description example

   On-Site Coordinators work at a client site helping the client manage their uniform program. This is a customer service position that includes but is not limited to the following tasks: - Conducting daily distribution of uniforms directly to client's employees and into lockers- Assisting employees with uniform exchanges when needed- Garment and personal protective equipment sorting- Frequent changing of floor mats throughout the facility- Assisting client's employees with placing sales orders for branded clothing items- Ensuring garment room is clean and organized Employees need to be able to lift, push, pull and carry up to 25 pounds.
   Essential Functions:
   
   All positions in the plant require the following:
   
   + Perform the assigned tasks in a proficient manner. This includes attaining a minimum of 100% of the production standard for tasks for which production standards have been established.
   
   + Maintain high quality standards on all work performed. Inspect all materials for damage or excessive wear and properly report the findings to the appropriate responsible person for resolution.
   
   + Maintain a clean and hazard free work area. Immediately report all broken or malfunctioning equipment or safety hazards to the appropriate person for corrective action.
   
   + Follow all company and work rules. Must be able to work effectively in a team environment.
   
   + Support an environment of continuous improvement by making suggestions and implementing where possible.
   
   + Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the activities enumerated above.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
   
   Connect With Us!
   
   Not ready to apply? Connect with us for general consideration.
   
   Interested in this opportunity?
   
   ARAMARK is an EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION employer - Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran
   
   Aramark will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance ordinance.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right customer service representative for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with customer service representatives they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit customer service representatives who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your customer service representative job on Zippia to find and recruit customer service representative candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with customer service representative candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new customer service representative

   Once you've decided on a perfect customer service representative candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new customer service representative. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a customer service representative?