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Sick of obeying the law that “the customer is always right” outwardly while you scream expletives in your mind? Looks like it’s time to embrace one of the many other exciting and profitable career paths out there.
Customer service can be a grueling profession, but it doesn’t always come with a paycheck to reflect the difficulty. However, that doesn’t make it any less daunting to switch things up in your career — what if there’s nothing better out there, you might wonder?
The good news is that customer service is full of transferable skills that organizations in many booming industries would be happy to snap up. All that’s left for you is to take action. We’ll run through your top options for a career pivot and other key considerations, starting with one of the most accessible ways to join the tech sector.
We’re not here to waste your time, so let’s jump straight into our top job suggestion for those looking to leave customer service. And, surprise surprise, it’s all about the tech industry.
Ask the average person to name a profitable career path, and something related to technology or computers is sure to leave their tongue. Sure enough, computer and information technology occupations are forecasted to grow 13% between 2020 and 2030. You may have discounted yourself from working in this field if you don’t have technical skills or knowledge, but there are (high-paying) jobs you can do without them. One of them is a citizen developer.
Think of a citizen developer as a programmer that doesn’t code. That might sound like a contradiction, but a wide range of applications allow you to do everything a traditional developer can, but using visual elements (e.g., drag-and-drop) instead of coding.
And guess what? Organizations are signing up to hire them.
$100,000-$125,000
At first glance, it might seem like citizen developers have little in common with customer service agents, and it’s true that you’ll need to learn how to use new software. However, as a citizen developer, your ultimate job is to solve problems using your understanding of a company’s needs — all things customer service agents should have some familiarity with.
There are no two ways around it: If you want to become a citizen developer, you’ll need to put some blood, sweat, and tears into mastering the right technologies. Your number-one priority should almost certainly be learning how to use no-code platforms.
But you’re never going to be a master of everything (at least, not at first), so you need to think about the type of development you want to focus on. This could be any of the following areas:
It might sound daunting to learn this from scratch, but with the internet at your fingertips, there’s no reason to be afraid. For instance, the No Code Institute offers a 7-week No-Code Foundations Program where you can learn to build all kinds of no-code applications — including databases, websites, apps, and automations. You’ll receive feedback and support from mentors and finish the program with your very own portfolio, ensuring that you feel ready to conquer the working world by the end of the seven weeks.
We’ll outline some more info later, along with other tips for how you can upskill. But for now, let’s run through some different career options.
Becoming a citizen developer is a great choice for skilled customer service agents that want to try something new. However, everyone is different, and you might not think it’s the right path for you. Here are some roles to consider instead.
If you have the communication and collaboration skills needed to thrive in a customer service role, there’s a good chance you could do the same thing in sales. The field requires no specific qualifications, meaning there’s a chance to progress quickly. And all companies need salespeople, including profitable sectors such as tech and finance.
The skillset needed in recruitment is similar to that of sales, so it’s a natural choice for this list. You can increase your chances of recruitment success by working in the industry you served as a customer service agent, allowing you to boost your credibility. This can be very well-paying.
If you’re not quite ready for the cut-throat world of recruitment, you can use similar skills to become a human resources professional. Although managers typically have a degree, you can train yourself in employment law through other routes (like a certification) and start in an entry-level position.
Real estate is a hugely profitable area if you’re good at what you do, and depending on your state, you can get your license and start practicing within months — making it more accessible than other fields. Why not put those people and organizational skills to good use?
When you work in customer service, you’re at the heart of a company’s operations and need to solve problems that take place across multiple departments. This gives you a headstart in the operations world, and the work is often versatile and interesting.
If you like the idea of moving to one of the careers outlined above but you’re not sure whether to take the leap, that’s understandable. Here are some considerations to ensure your transition is as measured and smooth as possible.
The clearer you are on what you have to offer, the better chance you have of securing the job you want — whatever field it may be in. Everyone's a little different, so it’s best to assess your skills on an individual basis (if you’re really stuck, you can always ask loved ones or colleagues for their input).
However, below we’ve listed a few core skills that almost every customer service agent develops.
When you’re working in customer service, calming down difficult individuals and figuring out the right thing to say to stop a conflict in its tracks is just part of a normal day. Understanding what makes people tick is a huge part of many, many jobs, so this should stand you in good stead.
Customers are central to every business, and when you’re working with them directly every day, you’re going to get a pretty good grip on how a company’s choices affect customer satisfaction. That translates into business acumen that can take you far.
Customer service is all about solving customers’ problems, and you may have to correspond with multiple departments or think outside of the box to get the right outcome. Every issue a customer faces a slightly different problem, requiring creative thinking — and helping you develop a great problem-solving muscle.
Anyone who has worked in sales or customer service for more than a hot second will know that it can be a tough gig. If you’re able to withstand all kinds of abuse and conflict without batting an eyelid, you’ll be well-set to be able to sail through all manner of future challenges in the working world.
It’s not just customers you have to communicate with in customer service — when you’re providing solutions for them, you also have to work with people from all across an organization. This teaches you collaboration, communication, and teamwork.
We’ve already mentioned that you’ll have a head start if you look for a job at a company that lies within your current industry. If you currently work in banking and you want to continue working in banking, that’s perfect — but if you fancy a clean break, don’t feel that you have to stick to the safe option.
People are generally most likely to succeed in an area they’re most motivated to succeed in, so it’s worth putting some serious thought into your greatest interest areas. For some people, a few industries might instantly come to mind — but if you’re not sure what you want to do, start by reflecting on your general interests and see if you can translate that to the working world.
For instance, if you’re a petrol head, could you work for a vehicle manufacturer?
Just because you’ve decided it’s time to get out of customer service, it doesn’t mean that you have to slam the door at your current company and rebuild from zero by sending out job applications. Sometimes, starting a new career can be as seamless and smooth as discussing how to expand your current role with a manager at your organization.
One of the reasons no-code is popular is that so many roles and organizations are crying out for somebody to automate certain tasks. So, if you can identify an area where work could be automated, why not make your pitch to your current company instead of jumping ship? Maybe you could create a chat bot to answer common customer service questions, for instance.
Try talking to your manager or the human resources department and outlining your ambitions. If you’re lucky, the organization may be willing to transfer you to a different department and make your ambitions a reality. Don’t be afraid — if you’re planning on leaving anyway, what do you have to lose?
If you want a new job and you’re not taking the role expansion route, you’re going to have to make some job applications. And to find the roles to apply to, you’ll need to start spending some time on job boards. The good news is that the labor market is in your favor right now — vacancies have hit record highs recently. However, that doesn’t mean you can afford to take anything for granted.
Most vacancies posted get dozens of responses. And while many candidates focus on trying to stand out by having the best resume or the strongest cover letter, an under appreciated tactic is simply to respond faster than everyone else.
Check your favorite job boards periodically to ensure that, when something becomes available that interests you, you’re one of the first to respond. You may be going overboard if you’re refreshing Indeed every twenty minutes, but checking at least every day (or twice a day if you can) is the way to go.
Does working in customer service give you a tonne of transferable skills that will stand you in a good stead for a new career? Yes. But that doesn’t mean that you can bypass the need to learn new skills.
Naturally, the area you’re interested in entering will determine the best way for you to upskill. But there are a few ideas that work for just about anyone, whether you’re interested in becoming a recruiter or a developer.
Once you’ve developed a basic idea of what you want to achieve (e.g., learn how to use Google Analytics), you need to break that down into a regular habit that can help you achieve it. SMART goals foster this process.
This says that every objective needs to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. For instance, you might commit to 20 minutes of practice with your chosen software each day.
Upskilling isn’t just about the skills you learn — it’s also about developing the attitude needed to succeed. Part of that involves staying on top of the latest trends in your industry and understanding the key issues, which will make you an asset to any team.
Thanks to technology and the internet, things are changing faster than ever, so it’s crucial to be on the cutting edge. Do you know how trends like machine learning and blockchain technology will affect your sector? If not, time to get learning.
There’s never been a better time than today for learning skills. Even if you live in the middle of nowhere and have no money to invest, there are plenty of places you can learn online.
Some great resources include Coursera, the Khan Academy, HubSpot Academy (for digital marketing), and Google Digital Garage (for various digital skills).
Even YouTube can be a goldmine.
While you can learn a lot from shutting yourself away and teaching yourself new things online in isolation, there’s also something to be said from connecting with others. This can provide extra motivation and give you some accountability — and you never know, that person you meet might just help you to land your next job.
So, head to MeetUp or LinkedIn to look for relevant local events or conferences.
If you’ve identified digital literacy as one of your top skills to work on or you’re interested in becoming a citizen developer, it can feel like there’s a mountain you need to climb in order to get the knowledge you need.
No Code Institute structures everything you need to know into an easily digestible online course you can complete over seven weeks containing lessons, assignments, bite-size materials, and mentorship from experts. You’ll learn everything you need to know to understand the logic behind coding and be able to apply this to building your own no-code automations, websites, and apps.
It’s perfect for anyone who’s ready to leave customer service or similar fields and launch a new career — zero technical knowledge is needed.
Working in customer service might be someone else’s dream, but if it isn’t yours, give yourself permission to up and leave. That might mean using your skills to work in an adjacent industry like sales or upskilling in something completely different, such as becoming a citizen developer. Either way, power to you.
If the world of no-code development has piqued your interest, there’s no time like the present to get involved. No Code Institute’s applications for the next cohort are currently open, so why not file your application today?
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