Exploring a career in administration or customer service is an excellent decision if you are looking for a career with limitless possibilities. Professionals who embark on a new career in these roles develop highly sought-after skills. They also have endless opportunities because almost all industries need individuals to fill a role in these capacities. These 15 reasons will convince you that it is time for a change, and your next career move should be in administration and customer service.
1. Variety of Industries
A variety of industries need administration and customer service professionals. This gives you plentiful opportunities to gain experience across different industries for a broader professional portfolio. Everything from healthcare to retail, finance, hospitality, restaurant, and technology industries. Even law firms need people who have administrative and customer service skills. Because the skills are transferable, lateral moves are possible. If you find that one industry isn’t appealing, you can make a change to a different industry.
2. Interpersonal Skills Development
Working administration and customer service leans heavily on interacting with others. These roles require professionals to develop strong interpersonal skills through verbal and written communication. They also need to communicate with a variety of individuals, from customers to coworkers to executives and suppliers. It’s important to maintain professionalism while effectively communicating information. Having problem-solving skills is also essential. This ensures the company continues to operate and maintain productivity. Conflict solution is also a valuable gain skill. At some point, professionals working in customer service will face an unhappy, upset, or even angry customer. Having the skills to de-escalate the situation is highly valued, as it helps the company retain a customer.
3. Job Stability
Because administration and customer service roles are an integral part of businesses, there is an increased level of job stability. While other departments may downsize or get eliminated entirely, companies will always need administrative individuals. They will also need people who can provide high-quality customer service. Without happy customers, a business won’t be able to continue. Without someone maintaining core business operations, the business cannot continue.
Should a company fail, administrative and customer service employees have the greatest ability to find a new position. These positions are not highly specialized. A professional can look within their current industry to another company or switch industries. Their highly marketable skillset makes it possible to maintain employment, giving them personal job stability despite instability in a company or industry.
4. Entry-Level Opportunities
Many industries require you to work your way up from entry-level positions to middle management, then upper management, and finally, executive level. Working in an administrative role or customer service is a perfect entry-level position to get your foot in the door. You typically won’t need a lot of experience or training to get hired as an entry-level employee in a customer service or administrative role. Neither of these jobs requires extensive formal education. This makes them accessible for individuals looking to start a professional career or make a change from their current career.
These are also ideal roles for recent graduates looking to get their foot in the door of their desired industry. They may have the required education for a different role but not the working experience. New graduates can get hired at their desired company and learn the business while working. They can then apply for a different position within the company that is closer aligned with their higher education after several months or a year. Companies are more likely to hire from within, giving graduates an edge over the competition.
5. Career Advancement
The potential for career advancement is great when working in an administrative or customer service role. Because these positions can be obtained at entry level, there is plenty of room for growth within the company, industry, or elsewhere. If an employee decides to stay within the department, administrative and customer service roles allow for growth in the manager, supervisor, or department leader roles. As an employee gains experience and skill, they can demonstrate their ability to lead others.
There is also potential for career advancement outside of the administrative and customer service departments. Both of these roles routinely communicate and work with individuals in other departments throughout the company. Because of this, there are plenty of opportunities to network. This makes it possible to move laterally within a company to different departments.
6. Transferable Skills
Working in administrative and customer service roles can give you a range of transferable skills to other career roles. Some of the basics include time management, organization, attention to detail, and interpersonal skills. These basic professional skills are required to excel in any position. However, not all professionals have them. Starting your career in an administrative or customer service role gives you the opportunity to develop and perfect these skills. You can then take these core skills with you as you progress in your career. Even in higher-level positions and other departments, these skills will provide a solid foundation to grow.
7. Direct Impact on Customer Satisfaction
As a customer service professional, you are often the face or voice of the company. You have a direct and immediate impact on the customer’s experience. Deliver a positive experience, and you can directly promote customer loyalty. Perform on a sub-par level, and you could drive customers away. This direct impact on the company can be a potentially rewarding experience for those who are successful in the position.
8. Problem-Solving Opportunities
As an administrative professional, you will be faced with problems regularly. They could be simple, such as which type of pen to buy for the office. Or they could be more complex, such as developing a document management system for a law office. Problem-solving skills are also a must to be a successful customer service professional. Customers come to you for help. They don’t care how you help them; they just want their problem solved. It is your job to figure out the best solution for the customer and the business. This can get complicated when the customer isn’t happy with the best solution. It is the customer service agent’s job to work with the customer to show them why the solution is the best option.
Problem-solving is a multi-layered skill. You need to be able to identify the core issue of the problem. Then, viable solutions will be established, and their pros and cons will be compared. The chosen solution gets executed. Finally, the results should be analyzed to determine the success rate and potential improvements for the next time.
9. Continuous Learning
No two days as an administrative or customer service professional are the same. Because of this, each day is an opportunity to learn something new. This makes these roles perfect for individuals who thrive on learning. They could learn technology through software advancements and artificial intelligence solutions that are released. They learn how to creatively problem-solve when faced with new and unique challenges. There is also the opportunity to learn new industries due to the transferability of core skills.
10. Team Collaboration
Customer Service and administrative workers are a part of teams that are comprised of multiple people. This requires team collaboration to deliver top-quality service and productivity. Team members could work together to solve a customer’s problem. Administrative teams could collaborate to solve an internal company problem.
Working on a team can create a more rewarding professional experience for some people. They enjoy the comradery of having other people who are performing the same role and working towards the same goal. It is also reassuring to have a team of people that you can turn to when you have questions or are struggling. Team morale can motivate you to keep working hard when your internal motivation begins to wane. You will also find that your professional network expands the longer you work in administration or customer service. As time goes on, the people on your team will move to higher positions, other departments, new companies, and different industries. Your professional team can provide support far beyond your immediate role. You can turn to these professionals for professional advice on growing in your career. They can connect you with the right people for new professional opportunities.
11. Flexibility
If you have constraints from your personal life that impact your professional availability, an administrative or customer service role can be the perfect career. Both of these careers can offer flexibility that lets you adapt your professional life to your personal life. This starts with the flexibility of where you work. You can find administrative and customer service positions that let you work in an office, at home, or on a hybrid schedule. Both roles can have flexible schedules that let you adjust your hours to suit your availability. You can also find part-time and full-time positions.
12. Rewarding Interactions
Some people thrive on social interactions. These social butterflies will excel in an administrative or customer service role. Both of these positions require a high amount of interpersonal interaction. Each day, you will enjoy rewarding interactions that can motivate you. Job satisfaction comes from experiencing the joy that comes from helping a customer. A sense of fulfillment comes from accomplishing an internal company goal after working hard on it for weeks or months.
13. Global Opportunities
With technology making worldwide communication easier, companies are becoming international at an increasing rate. This globalization can give you new opportunities. As a customer service professional, you could provide virtual support to customers worldwide. This gives you a chance to work with people from many different cultures. For some, this open door to the rest of the world is perfect for embracing a global mindset. Some companies have customer service departments in several countries. This creates an international company culture that allows you to form professional relationships with people from all over the world.
In an administrative role, you also have the potential for global experiences. This could involve working on an international team. If a company has office locations in multiple countries, each location will need an administrative person to manage local operations. These administrative professionals then collaborate to ensure all officers are operating in sync. In some situations, you could be the administrative person responsible for all global operations. This could give you the opportunity to travel throughout the country or even globally. Individuals in these roles get a chance to experience new cultures in person.
14. Entry into Business Operations
Sometimes, it can be challenging to enter a new industry in which you do not have any experience or connections. Administrative and customer service skills are transferable from one industry to another. This makes it possible for professionals to enter a new industry without having to overcome large professional hurdles. These roles also tend to be centralized at the core of business operations. This lets you learn about the industry and business operations before progressing professionally to another role.
15. Evolving Industry
Administration and customer service are ideal for those looking to challenge themselves. These industries are continually evolving as new innovations provide better solutions. Technology advancements streamline operations to help businesses be more productive and agile. Advancements in our understanding of consumer behavior continually transform how customer service is approached. Changes in industry best practices can also change how administration and customer service are achieved. By embracing these developments and changes, professionals in these roles can continually advance and develop their personal skills. This helps them be successful in their current roles and be more competitive when applying to new positions.
Start Your Career in Administration or Customer Service
Whether you are looking to start a new career or are ready for a change, careers in administration and customer service are great options. These roles are central to business operations, allowing you to develop your skills. They also are perfect for collaborating and networking with professionals in other departments, companies, or industries. This creates plenty of opportunities for professional career growth. With entry-level positions available, it is possible to start your new career without needing higher-level education or special certifications.
Contact our team today and find satisfaction and fulfillment in your new career.
