It can be daunting embarking on your career search when leaving education. With the myriad of job opportunities out there, some soul-searching may be required to identify what you can contribute to the world of employment, and more importantly, where do you begin?

Without years of professional experience, entry-level roles will be the best starting point for you, and what better than a customer service role? For those with language skills, this can be the most rewarding first step to your career, as it can be a fantastic opportunity to improve those skills. Customer service roles provide an immersive language learning experience. Engaging with a diverse clientele through various channels — phone calls, emails, live chats, etc. — presents a daily opportunity for language practice. Interacting with customers from different linguistic backgrounds will expose you to a rich tapestry of accents, dialects, and vocabulary. However, it's not just your clients that will assist your learning but your colleagues too, as Customer Service teams are often multinational.

Customer service roles serve as more than just entry-level positions; they act as stepping stones for career advancement. Proficiency in a second language significantly enhances your employability across industries with a global reach. Whether pursuing roles in international business, diplomacy, or translation, language skills are increasingly valued by employers seeking to expand their global footprint. By leveraging your customer service experience, you can position yourself as a valuable asset in an ever-evolving job market.

Your customer service position may even provide greater opportunities for travel as many companies offer relocation packages along with some fantastic benefits. What better way to start your career than gaining international experience, enhancing your language skills, and making invaluable connections?

We'll leave the final words to one Customer Service Representative on their experience of the job:

"It was a place I couldn’t wait to get to in the morning, a place where I made amazing friends, decent money, and developed valuable connections, got great references that led me to a career in the City of London. I gained extremely useful skills; learned a huge amount of business strategies that I have never been exposed to before; I learned how to use my language skills in a professional setting and how to professionally conduct myself on the phone. As time passed, I developed my confidence, learned how to deal with rejection, and stay patient and polite in the face of adversity, all the skills that are of paramount importance in my daily work nowadays."

To view customer service roles, please see here.