How to hire a customer service specialist

How to hire a customer service specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step customer service specialist 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 specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new customer service specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a customer service specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a customer service specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A customer service specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, customer service specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of customer service specialists.

   Type of Customer Service Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Customer Service Specialist	Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.	$12-20
   Customer Representative	A customer service representative is a professional person who establishes communication between customers and the organization by answering questions, resolve complaints, and address emergency issues about the products and services he/she sells. He/She must possess an approachable personality, a passion for customer service, and work with his/her fellow workmates... Show more	$12-26
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Strong Customer Service
   • Cleanliness
   • Front End
   • Cash Management
   • Customer Transactions
   • Data Entry
   • Customer Complaints
   • Customer Calls
   • Sales Floor
   • Inbound Calls
   • Outbound Calls
   • Customer Loyalty
   • Customer Inquiries

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work with customers/companies over the phone and helps troubleshoot technology/service issues while maintaining customer satisfaction in a large call-center capacity.
   • Mentore the team members and QA team for timely releases.
   • Monitor reports, compile reviews, and participate in QA calibrations.
   • Oversee management of social networking presence on Facebook, various travel relate blogs and utilizing various social listening tools.
   • Provide exceptional customer service to customers regarding MetLife products
   • Create PowerPoint presentations for forecasting of inventory requirements and overall changes in customer order volume.

   More customer service specialist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, customer service specialists' average salary in mississippi is 34% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level customer service specialists 38% less than senior-level customer service specialists.
   • Certifications. A customer service specialist 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 specialist's salary.

   Average customer service specialist salary

   $15.98hourly

   $33,238 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level customer service specialist salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average customer service specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$39,336	$19
   2	California	$39,109	$19
   3	Washington	$36,587	$18
   4	New York	$36,549	$18
   5	Hawaii	$35,560	$17
   6	Oregon	$34,707	$17
   7	Minnesota	$34,574	$17
   8	Maryland	$33,375	$16
   9	Illinois	$32,954	$16
   10	Arizona	$32,581	$16
   11	Michigan	$32,147	$15
   12	Nebraska	$32,143	$15
   13	Nevada	$32,139	$15
   14	Maine	$32,075	$15
   15	Colorado	$31,991	$15
   16	North Carolina	$31,875	$15
   17	Wisconsin	$31,836	$15
   18	Indiana	$31,827	$15
   19	Pennsylvania	$31,771	$15
   20	Iowa	$31,260	$15

   Average customer service specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Dell	$46,071	$22.15
   2	King County	$45,063	$21.66
   3	City of Los Angeles	$44,629	$21.46
   4	City of Detroit	$44,173	$21.24	2
   5	Schlumberger	$42,890	$20.62	2
   6	Halliburton	$42,165	$20.27	7
   7	CBIZ	$42,080	$20.23	5
   8	Cisco	$42,039	$20.21	8
   9	Stanford University	$42,039	$20.21
   10	Nokia	$40,842	$19.64	4
   11	Ekso Bionics	$40,824	$19.63
   12	Arrow Electronics	$40,654	$19.55	7
   13	American Woodmark	$40,650	$19.54
   14	University of Colorado Boulder	$40,600	$19.52
   15	Medical University of South Carolina	$40,319	$19.38	1
   16	Salt Lake County	$40,280	$19.37
   17	Santander Bank	$39,976	$19.22	1
   18	D.R. Horton	$39,901	$19.18	7
   19	Nestlé	$39,807	$19.14	7
   20	MassMutual	$39,801	$19.14	2

4. Writing a customer service specialist job description

   A customer service specialist 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 specialist job description:

   Customer service specialist job description example

   DOING BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE, FOR PEOPLE.
   
   Teleperformance is a global leader in providing exceptional omnichannel customer experiences since 1978. Our impacts are far-reaching, spanning over 62 countries and interacting with over 38% of the world's population. This kind of growth wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of our people who continue to provide outstanding customer service in every opportunity. Here, your success is our success.
   
   Your Impact
   
   Our customer service representatives are a very important part of our family. You will be the eyes and ears for our team, fielding customer inquiries and finding innovative ways to respond. Working in a collaborative and engaging environment, you will have the chance to interact with people from all walks of life and no two days will be the same. As you continue to grow and challenge yourself, you will discover your potential can take you anywhere you want to go. Responsibilities: Your Responsibilities
   Handle and carefully respond to all customer inquiries Provide excellent customer service through active listening Work with confidential customer information and treat it sensitively Aim to resolve issues on the first call by being proactive Appropriately communicate with customers Qualifications: What We're Looking for
   Outstanding communication, listening and analytical skills Customer service and/or sales experience preferred Candidate must display strong organizational and problem solving skills The individual must be able to prioritize tasks and work well under pressure while remaining focused Must have a desire to learn general knowledge about the securities industry including the basic principles of equity, option and mutual fund transactions Candidate must be client service oriented and have general knowledge of Windows based
   computer systems Ability to adhere to attendance policies and work within a structured schedule which includes a variety of shifts College degree preferred but not required 6 months customer service experience minimum Over 18 years of age Ability to type 25 wpm Comfort with desktop computer system
   
   What We Prefer
   6 months Call Center experience Logical problem-solving skills Availability to work various shifts Ability to use Windows operating systems Organization and work prioritization skills
   
   Being One of Our People
   
   It is our mission to always provide an environment for our employees that promotes happiness from the inside out. When you work with us, you are valued and inspired to learn, to teach, and to grow. We want you to come to work motivated to and proud to be on our team. That's why we continually invest in creating outstanding work experiences and endless development opportunities. We want you to be and feel at your best, always.
   
   Teleperformance is an Equal Opportunity Employer

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find customer service specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any customer service specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level customer service specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting customer service specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 specialist

   Once you've selected the best customer service specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new customer service specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 specialist?