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Career

Customer Service Representatives

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services. May handle and resolve general complaints. Excludes individuals whose duties are primarily installation, sales, repair, and technical support.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $44,770 Median per year · $21.53/hr Most earn $31,750–$63,590

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers' problems.
  • Determine charges for services requested, collect deposits or payments, or arrange for billing.
  • Solicit sales of new or additional services or products.
  • Compare disputed merchandise with original requisitions and information from invoices and prepare invoices for returned goods.
  • Confer with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, take or enter orders, cancel accounts, or obtain details of complaints.
  • Review insurance policy terms to determine whether a particular loss is covered by insurance.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Numerous Job Openings

United States
5% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 289,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Business support services8.1%
  • General merchandise retailers5.0%
  • Insurance agencies and brokerages4.7%
  • Credit intermediation and related activities4.6%
  • Management of companies and enterprises3.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

This is a job many people can start with just a high school diploma. Most people find it helpful to have about 1 to 2 years of related customer-facing work first, so the whole path usually takes a few years after high school.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build reading, writing, math, and speaking skills, which you use every day when answering customer questions and writing clear notes.

  2. Order Clerk

    1-2 years

    Handle orders, answer routine questions, and fix simple problems for customers, which gives you the experience employers look for in customer service.

  3. Customer Service Representative

    Ongoing

    Answer routine questions about products and services, and resolve general complaints using scripts and company guidelines.

Where it can lead

  1. Customer Service Supervisor

    2-4 years of experience first

    You lead a small team, coach representatives, and handle harder complaints, so you need strong problem-solving and people skills plus a track record of meeting service goals.

  2. Customer Service Manager

    3-5 years of experience first

    You oversee several teams, set service goals, and plan how the department works, which takes experience leading people and understanding the business.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take English and speech or communication classesClear writing and speaking help you explain things well to customers and write accurate notes.
  • Get a starter job in retail or food serviceWorking with the public teaches you patience, teamwork, and how to handle a stressed customer.
  • Join a club or team that involves talking with peopleDebate, drama, student government, or a school newspaper builds confidence and communication skills.
  • Volunteer at a library, front desk, or community centerHelping visitors answer questions and solve small problems is good practice for real customer service.
  • Take basic computer and typing classesMost customer service jobs use computer systems, and fast, accurate typing is a common requirement.

In college

  • Take courses in business, communication, or psychologyThese classes teach how people think and communicate, which helps you understand customers and explain things clearly.
  • Look for a campus job with the publicWorking at a campus help desk, library, or dining service gives you real customer service experience while you study.
  • Get an internship or part-time role in a customer support teamHands-on work with a support team shows employers you can handle real questions and complaints.
  • Learn common customer service softwareMany employers use ticketing and help desk systems, and knowing one basic system makes you a stronger applicant.
  • Join a student organization with leadership rolesLeading a club or event helps you practice coaching others, which prepares you for supervisor roles later.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a teacher or manager for a reference after any job or volunteer role where you helped people, since employers often ask for one.
  • Practice staying calm and polite when someone is upset. This is the skill customer service employers value most, and you can practice it in group projects, part-time jobs, or family situations.
  • Look at job postings for customer service roles near you to see which skills and computer programs they list, then build those up.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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