To find a call center job, prepare a strong resume highlighting communication and problem-solving skills. Search job boards like Indeed and company websites, and network through LinkedIn and job fairs. Apply promptly and follow instructions. Prepare for interviews by researching the company and practicing common questions. Follow up after applying and interviews to express continued interest.
Call center assessment tests are commonly used during the hiring process to evaluate the skills, capabilities, and suitability of candidates for call center roles.
The Ultimate Preparation Guide for Call Center Assessment Tests
Call center positions are incredibly popular in North America. In the United States, the top 25 call center companies employ nearly 600,000 people around the US. In addition, call center work spreads beyond these giant companies and can lead to careers in hospitals, local stores, restaurants, or any business that may require digital or phone-based customer care.
With the popularity and demand of these positions, many falsely assume that they are simple jobs to land. However, that isn’t the case. Especially considering how common it is to issue some form of a call center assessment to all applicants.
What Are Call Center Assessments?
Call center assessments are tests that are issued to those seeking a position in sales, customer support, or any other phone or digital communication centered job. These tests are different depending on the company for which you’ve applied, but they are all testing for the same general skills:
- Data Entry/ Accuracy
- Verbal and Oral Communication
- Cognitive Aptitude
- Customer Service Skills
- Flexibility
- Patience
This means that each test will include a variety of sections to target all these skills.
Here are three of the most popular assessment test sections you may be faced with:
Personality Questionnaire
As with many customer service roles, you must fill in a personality questionnaire. These tests are typically filled with various workplace and behavior scenarios, and you are meant to identify which items you most identify with.
This may be done by allowing you to judge a statement on a scale or by comparing two statements and choosing which is most like you.
No matter how the questions are presented, each company will be looking for roughly the same personality traits – you are a people person, you are comfortable with communication, and you can handle high levels of pressure.
Job Scenario Testing
Job scenario testing will be made up of questions and prompts that are specifically applicable to the job at hand. For instance, if you are applying at a call center that handles a technical service, you will likely be tested on your knowledge of computers, the piece of tech, etc.
This makes it important to recognize which company you are applying for and ensure your practice materials are applicable to that company and position.
You don’t want to practice for a medical call center only to be tested on information that applies to a technical support role.
Cognitive Aptitude Test
Cognitive aptitude tests are incredibly common in the world of pre-employment testing. This is thanks to their ability to assess people’s overall ability to think logically and solve complex problems.
This isn’t a test of your knowledge gained through education or work experience. Instead, these tests utilize visual puzzles, questions, and unique scenarios to determine if you have potential regarding the role, learn the necessary skills, and continue to learn as things change and businesses grow.
Situation Judgment Testing (SJT)
Situational Judgement Tests are used to determine how well you handle a variety of scenarios within the scope of your professional duties. SJTs are psychological assessments that contain only multiple-choice questions. These questions will come immediately after being presented with a hypothetical situation that may be faced during a typical workday.
Preparing for a Call Center Assessment with Next-Interview
Don’t be overwhelmed by all the sections and variety in these exams, any call center test can be mastered through a bit of preparation. At Next-Interview, we know how important it is to make a great impression on your pre-employment testing, which is why we provide all the information and practice materials you need to ace your exam.
Whether you need help getting the desired result on a personality exam or want to improve your cognitive thinking skills, we have the practice materials you need. Ready to land a great call center job? Check out Next-Interview’s prep selections today!
Call Center Hiring Assessment
Here is a breakdown of what hiring managers commonly look for and what kind of tests or assessments you might encounter.
- Resume and Application Screening: Initially, hiring managers review applications to shortlist candidates based on qualifications and experience.
- Initial Interview: This could be a phone or video interview to gauge your communication skills and motivation for applying for the job.
- Skills Assessment:
- Communication Skills: Written and/or verbal tests to assess clarity, grammar, and articulation.
- Technical Aptitude: Evaluating your ability to handle software tools commonly used in a call center.
- Typing Test: Measure your typing speed and accuracy.
- Behavioral Assessment:
- Psychometric Test: These tests are designed to assess your personality traits and how well they fit the job.
- Emotional Intelligence Test: Measures your ability to manage and harness emotions, both your own and others’.
- Simulation Tests:
- Virtual Customer Interactions: You might be asked to handle mock calls or chat interactions.
- Problem-solving Simulations: Scenarios that require you to find a solution to a customer problem.
- Final Interview:
- Situational and Behavioral Questions: What would you do in specific scenarios?
- Technical Questions: You may be asked about your familiarity with certain tools or software.
- Group Exercises (in some cases):
- Teamwork: You may be placed in a group and given a task to solve.
- Role-playing: Acting out potential call center scenarios.
- Background Check and References: After successfully passing the assessments and interviews, employers will usually run a background check and contact your references.
