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How to hire an international customer service representative

International customer service representative hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring international customer service representatives in the United States:

  • There are currently 14,080 international customer service representatives in the US, as well as 185,293 job openings.
  • International customer service representatives are in the highest demand in Philadelphia, PA, with 5 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire an international customer service representative is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new international customer service representative to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an international customer service representative, step by step

To hire an international customer service representative, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a international customer service representative:

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

What does an international customer service representative do?

An international customer service representative usually communicates with an international client. Their work is to take calls and answer queries about a particular product or service. They promote keep track of shipments to ensure that they will be delivered on time. They act as a liaison between a particular company and its client. This position requires someone who is customer-oriented and has organizational and management skills.

Learn more about the specifics of what an international customer service representative does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The international 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?

    An international customer service representative's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, international customer service representatives 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.

    Here's a comparison of international customer service representative salaries for various roles:

    Type of International Customer Service RepresentativeDescriptionHourly rate
    International Customer Service RepresentativeCustomer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.$11-19
    Customer AdvisorA customer advisor is responsible for assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns regarding the company's goods and services. Customer advisors also coordinate with the sales and marketing team to sell services by reaching out to potential and existing clients to increase revenue resources and profits... Show more$9-24
    Customer Service AdvisorA customer service advisor is responsible for providing the best customer service by responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns regarding the goods and services offered by the organization. Customer service advisors assist customers with their needs by recommending product selection, offering new products and services, and informing the customers of promotional offers to generate revenues and increase profitability... Show more$12-18
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Logistics
    • Order Entry
    • Customer Orders
    • International Customer Service
    • Customer Inquiries
    • Forwarders
    • Purchase Orders
    • Inbound Calls
    • International Orders
    • Customer Accounts
    • Customer Complaints
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Customer Support
    • International Shipments
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage international and industrial pest control equipment sales using AS400 ordering system for company.
    • Work with the RMA team to create credit memos for damage good's or any claims from the core customers.
    • Partner with logistics, quality control, manufacturing, and purchasing departments to ensure product availability.
    • Process return material requests and authorizations (RMA).
    • Handle all overseas and national logistics, inventory analysis, shipping documents and inside/outside direct customer sales for their textile division.
    • Demonstrate superb organizational and multitasking abilities
    More international customer service representative duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the international customer service representative job description is a good way to get more applicants. An international customer service representative salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for an international customer service representative in Alabama may be lower than in Minnesota, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level international customer service representative. Additionally, an international customer service representative with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average international customer service representative salary

    $15.27hourly

    $31,752 yearly

    Entry-level international customer service representative salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 25, 2025

    Average international customer service representative salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Minnesota$38,622$19
    2Massachusetts$38,021$18
    3California$34,921$17
    4Arizona$32,518$16
    5Illinois$32,468$16
    6Wisconsin$32,355$16
    7Montana$32,207$15
    8Utah$31,192$15
    9Colorado$30,361$15
    10Ohio$30,034$14
    11Tennessee$28,007$13
    12Virginia$27,667$13
    13Texas$27,448$13
    14North Carolina$27,194$13
    15Maine$27,004$13
    16Indiana$26,866$13
    17Oklahoma$26,624$13
    18Nevada$24,699$12
    19Florida$24,414$12

    Average international customer service representative salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Valent BioSciences$38,700$18.61
    2Thermo Fisher Scientific$38,678$18.6019
    3Valent U.S.A$38,539$18.53
    4The Wonderful Company$37,218$17.892
    5Baxter International$37,086$17.831
    6Seneca Foods$35,937$17.281
    7Pentair$35,837$17.231
    8EMD Millipore$35,627$17.13
    9TRAX International$34,343$16.51
    10Fifth Third Bank$34,168$16.43137
    11Patterson Companies$33,730$16.2215
    12AmerisourceBergen$32,970$15.85
    13Contour Aviation$32,612$15.682
    14Bloomin' Brands$32,480$15.62
    15Area Temps$32,058$15.416
    16Cricut$31,944$15.363
    17Avient$31,703$15.24
    18Ajilon Consulting$31,649$15.22
    19Welbilt$31,649$15.22
    20CETECOM$31,569$15.18
  4. Writing an international customer service representative job description

    A job description for an international customer service representative role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an international customer service representative job description:

    International customer service representative job description example

    This job is a great fit for someone who is customer obsessed and loves to solve problems.

    A day in the life...

    + Assist customers with a variety of transactions through a seamless and friendly experience

    + Demonstrate expertise in all technologies used in the store environment

    + Inspire trust, teamwork and positive team relationships

    + Defuse customer situations and provide resolution in a timely and effective manner

    + Ensure the security and privacy of customer information through education, compliance and resolution of issues

    + Motivate and inspire others to adopt initiatives such as our Nordstrom Rewards program

    + The hours and schedule for this position will vary by week depending on business needs

    You own this if you have...

    + The ability to effectively build relationships with your customers, peers and leadership

    + Proficiency in multiple operating systems such as MS Windows, iOS and Android

    + Clear, effective communication with strong interpersonal skills

    + The ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast paced environment

    + Accountability, initiative and a high level of ownership

    + The ability to work a flexible schedule based on department needs

    We've got you covered...

    Our employees are our most important asset and that's reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:

    + Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away

    + Life Insurance and Disability

    + Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources

    A few more important points...

    The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.

    Nordstrom will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.

    Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at www.nordstrom.com .

    © 2022 Nordstrom, Inc

    Current Nordstrom employees: To apply, log into Workday, click the Careers button and then click Find Jobs.
  5. Post your job

    To find the right international 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 international customer service representatives they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit international 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 international customer service representative job on Zippia to find and recruit international customer service representative candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit international customer service representatives, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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 international customer service representative

    Once you've decided on a perfect international 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.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new international customer service representative. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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 an international customer service representative?

Before you start to hire international customer service representatives, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire international customer service representatives pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $31,752 per year for an international customer service representative, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for international customer service representatives in the US typically range between $11 and $19 an hour.

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