Cultivating a career in the call-centre industry

Cape Town - Despite trying economic conditions and a gloomy forecast for the job market in the short term, there are some industries which still offer enormous opportunities for school leavers and candidates with some tertiary education, says Nritika Singh, chief executive of Isilumko Staffing and Activate, a national activations and recruitment company.

“Call centres form part of a growing industry locally and globally. Johannesburg and Cape Town remain popular hubs for the industry, with heavy recruitment expected to continue in 2016,” she says. “Entry level salaries of between R4 500 and R9 500 a month are extremely favourable for positions that don’t require a high level of skill. This excludes benefits such as medical aid, pension/provident fund or housing schemes.

“Call centres have shaken off the previous negative connotations and are quick to provide good career guidance and ample opportunities for advancement.”

The skills required to join the call centre industry at entry level include a Grade 12 pass with no particular emphasis on choice of subjects. However, communication skills and a good grasp of language – especially English – are important attributes. Computer literacy is also a major advantage.

In addition to entry level agents or consultants the different positions in call centres include team leaders, supervisors, call centre managers, trainers and quality assessors. At entry level, there are opportunities in telemarketing, customer service, help desk and collections. All these fields require personnel with different personality traits, says Singh.

“Working in a call centre environment provides excellent career development opportunities for more prestigious positions. You can advance quite rapidly if you show promise and display certain skills.

“There is a shortage of management skills particularly among black candidates, and internal appointments are common. In some large financial institutions with call centres, all new employees undergo call centre training as part of an induction process. There has been no change in the industries employing the highest number of agents, with telecommunications, retail and financial services being the largest employer sectors.”

* Visit www.isilumko.com/staffing for more information.

CAPE TIMES