Do I want to pursue a career path in customer service? That’s a question that has crossed many people’s minds, including mine. Before I had my heart stolen by marketing, I found genuine joy in working customer-facing jobs — not many things are as professionally fulfilling as seeing customers happy first hand because you’ve put in the effort to make it happen.
So, I really considered working in customer service in the long term. The caveat? I didn’t know much about what growth in that kind of career would look like. And, based on what people have told me over the years, I have a strong hunch many people don’t know there’s more than working as an entry-level representative in the customer service field.
Although I didn’t end up walking the customer service career path, I’m going to demystify customer service and show you there’s room for growth, success, and choices in this lovely field — it’s what younger me would’ve wanted to see. I also go through Holland’s personality types to help you determine which customer service job is best for you. Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
- What Skills Are Required for Customer Service Jobs?
- What Is the Career Path for Customer Service?
- Customer Service Career Growth
- How Can You Grow Your Career in Customer Service?
- The Six Holland Personality Types
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How to Master Your Customer Support Career
Learn how to navigate and grow in your customer support job, including:
- The Skills You'll Need
- Tools of the Trade
- Metrics to Know
- Where to Go Next
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What Skills Are Required for Customer Service Jobs?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of the world of customer service, let’s go over the kind of background that’s expected for someone entering this field.
Soft Skills for Customer Service
If you ask me, the entry-level soft-skill requirements to kickstart a successful customer service career come down to one thing: being a good human being. Think about it: a lot of the traits that make a good rep are traits you’d like to (hopefully) see in yourself and those around you. Except that in this field, having them means having a good set of soft skills under your belt.
Some of these common soft skills include the following:
- Empathy.
- Active listening.
- Communication.
- Patience.
- Conflict resolution.
If you’re now wondering how to go about proving you have these skills, the answer is simple. Think of the few areas where you might have put them to use — even if you haven’t worked in customer service.
Pro tip:Albert Kim, vice president of Talent at Checkr, recommends “listing all the people-facing duties you have held in previous jobs, as well as any educational or volunteer experience, to show hiring managers why you should be considered.”
Hard Skills for Customer Service
Along with these soft skills, you should possess various hard skills to be a top candidate for customer service jobs. That said, these are a little less negotiable than soft skills, so I recommend looking into these requirements to develop a working knowledge of them before applying to any customer service positions, including entry-level ones.
Here are some of the common in-demand hard skills you should be aware of:
- CRM experience.
- Persuasive writing.
- Documentation skills.
- Product knowledge.
- Phone system experience.
Having a good handle on these skills will help you thrive in customer service. And some of them are transferable skills you can use outside of this field.
However, some people may be more receptive to certain positions based on their personalities. Therefore, it's important to consider who you are as an individual when considering a career since you put so much of yourself into that job.
Below, we discuss role progression, specific roles, responsibilities, and how they fit into the customer service career path. If you're more interested in diving straight into your personality type, learn more.
What Is the Career Path for Customer Service?
Most people’s customer service career path begins with an entry-level position, such as a customer service rep. Once you gain experience, you can move up to a managerial or specialist role. Eventually, you can become a company’s director.
For example, Sofia Gago has been following that path. She worked in customer support for years in various companies, including Dropbox, and as of this writing, she’s a Customer Success Manager at Entidad, a software development startup.
But it’s also worth noting the career path of customer service can be non-linear. For instance, many of the skills I’ve developed as a writer for HubSpot and a Senior Marketing Coordinator on the Paramount Global Kids & Family Program Marketing team are transferable, so they could help me transition into an equivalent position in customer service.
Customer Service Career Growth
Whether you’re planning to pursue customer service from the very start or shift careers, here’s a quick macro-level overview of the levels in customer service (and some of the associated roles) so you know what to expect in terms of growth.
Rep or Associate (Entry-Level)
Reps and associates are on the front line, answering customer questions and responding to complaints. For instance, a rep in the ecommerce sector may be tasked with handling returns and exchanges.
Whether it’s your first job overall or in the field, I think you should try one of these entry-level positions if you’re thinking of being in customer service long-term.
Having contact with customers first-hand will not only help you determine whether the career is a good fit for you, but it’ll also give you experiences you can call back to and consider when making decisions in higher-level positions down the line.
Specialist (Mid-Level)
Specialists also work one-on-one with customers, but they may have additional subject matter expertise that equips them to handle escalations.
A specialist in the tech industry, for instance, may guide users through product features, which is why having a clear understanding of a company's product or service is one of the skills usually required for this job. In some organizations, specialists may also contact customers to up-sell or cross-sell.
You may also have to troubleshoot technical issues, so you’ll have to develop technical skills to succeed in this role.
Team Lead (Mid-Level or Managerial)
Since you’re in charge of a team, this position comes with many responsibilities. These include handling escalated or complex issues, training team members, implementing process improvements, and monitoring frontline performance. In some companies, the team lead also acts as the customer service manager.
Manager (Managerial)
Managers typically support an entire team or department, providing training, setting goals, and improving operational efficiency at the macro level.
Collecting user feedback also comes with the job. For example, if a company sells productivity software, the manager can gather feedback regarding the features users would like to see introduced. To succeed in this role, you need strong leadership skills and technical knowledge, among others.
Director (Executive-Level)
In customer service, directors or other senior/executive management members drive the mission, vision, and strategy of customer service, communications, and experience. As with managers, leadership skills are essential for this role. So it’s a good idea to gain experience managing other team members.
How to Master Your Customer Support Career
Learn how to navigate and grow in your customer support job, including:
- The Skills You'll Need
- Tools of the Trade
- Metrics to Know
- Where to Go Next
Download Free
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How Can You Grow Your Career in Customer Service?
You’ve seen what growth in a customer service career path looks like at a macro level. Now, let’s dive a little deeper into the specifics.
Here are the most common roles you’ll find along a customer service role progression so you can map out your own customer service career path.
1. Customer Service Representative
As mentioned, customer service journeys usually start with an entry-level position. Customer service representatives are frontline employees on the customer service team.
When you become one, your job entails reaching out to potential and existing customers with product offers, information about the company, and general updates. More than responding to customer communication, customer service reps must proactively address problems before they become apparent to customers.
Customer service reps typically work in offices and call centers and report to a customer service manager. They communicate with customers via phone, live chat, social media, and email.
Once you get experience in this role, you can start thinking about pursuing a specialized customer support or customer success role.
Pro tip: Although working in a call center will provide you with hands-on experience at the start of your career, Paulius Milišauskas, vice president of customer operations at Omnisend, recommends working in an internal customer service team instead.
“Working in a customer support center limits your career options because there’s hardly any upward mobility. Internal customer service teams allow you to explore a broader range of possibilities,” he says.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- High school diploma.
- Customer support experience.
- Strong phone contact handling and active listening skills.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to respond to different types of customers.
- Familiarity with customer relationship management (CRM) systems and practices.
- Ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage time effectively.
Responsibilities
- Manage large amounts of incoming phone calls.
- Generate sales leads.
- Identify and assess customers' needs.
- Provide accurate, valid, and complete information.
- Build sustainable relationships through open and interactive communication.
- Meet sales targets and call-handling quotas.
- Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions, and follow up to ensure resolution.
- Keep records of customer interactions.
- Process customer accounts and file documents.
- Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.
Median Salary:$38,740
2. (Remote) Customer Support Representative
I know it may seem a little confusing given the similarities in the roles’ names (and the fact that they’re both entry-level positions), but there’s one vital difference to keep in mind when comparing customer support and customer service: customer support is more reactive than proactive.
Customer support reps are usually a customer service team's first point of contact. Think of the many times you’ve contacted support when facing issues with a product you just purchased. On the other side of that call or chat is a customer support rep who escalates the issue to other customer service team members if they cannot resolve it.
One thing you might find cool about customer support positions is that they’re more flexible than customer service positions. Customer support jobs have a bit of that freelance appeal — you can work from anywhere, meaning you can travel, care for your family, work other jobs, or study while employed, and often get to choose your working schedule.
However, you may have to stay in this role for many years because some companies are highly dependent on their support teams and can’t afford to constantly train new reps.
At other companies, this position can serve as a stepping stone to higher positions. For instance, if you gain an interest in working directly with customers, you can pursue a career in customer success.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Experience using help desk software and remote support tools.
- Previous remote work experience is a plus.
- Understanding of how CRM systems work.
- Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to multitask.
- Excellent time management skills.
- Organized and patient.
Responsibilities
- Timely response to customer queries via phone, email, or chat.
- Help customers use specific products or features.
- Analyze or report product bugs or errors.
- Inform customers about new features and functionalities.
- Gather feedback and share it with relevant teams.
Median Salary:$39,098
3. Customer Support Specialist
Customer support specialists play a crucial role in maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty. Once you become one, you’ll become an integral part of a business’s customer relations.
This position requires a deep understanding of a company's products or services, a problem-solving mindset, and a calm demeanor. Teamwork is also essential in this role, as you’ll have to collaborate with other departments to resolve complex issues and ensure customer needs are met.
Note: A great thing about this position is that you’ll have a few more options to consider in your customer service career path. For instance, you can opt for a leadership role as a customer service manager. A specialist’s role can also provide transferable skills that could help you transition to a product management role.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Experience in a customer service role.
- Familiarity with the customer service industry is a plus.
- Understanding of CRM systems.
- Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
- Multi-tasking abilities.
- Bachelor’s in information technology.
Responsibilities
- Respond to customer queries via phone, email, or chat.
- Identify customer needs and help them use specific features.
- Analyze and report product malfunctions.
- Update internal databases with information about technical issues and valuable discussions with customers.
- Monitor customer complaints on social media and provide assistance.
- Share feature requests and effective workarounds with team members.
- Inform customers about new features and functionalities.
- Follow up with customers to ensure their technical issues are resolved.
- Gather customer feedback and share it with product, sales, and marketing teams.
- Train junior customer support representatives.
Median Salary:$43,556
4. Product Specialist
A product specialist is an expert on a specific product or line of products. This role requires a deep understanding of the product, market trends, and the competition. Part of the role is also to recommend improvements for the products.
You would also have to collaborate with cross-functional teams. For example, educating the sales team on the product’s benefits and features would be part of your job.
For that reason, you’ll need strong communication skills to succeed in this role. Not to mention, technical knowledge like programming. After all, you may have to explain technical concepts to partners and customers.
Note: It’s worth noting that a product specialist isn’t the same as a product manager. The latter’s role is more strategic. They’re responsible for defining the product strategy and vision and making key decisions to meet customer needs.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, marketing, business, or related field preferred.
- Ability to memorize details like product specifications.
- Technical knowledge.
- Deadline-driven.
- Able to perform demonstrations that engage and inspire.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Growth mindset.
Responsibilities
- Conduct thorough market research, which may include taking surveys, conducting desktop research, sending emails and making calls, and even attending rival companies' product launches.
- Answer product-related questions in a politely.
- Collaborate and strategize with the business and engineering teams.
- Attend workshops and refresher courses in sales and marketing.
- Plan and assist with new product releases.
- Identify new market opportunities.
- Perform product demonstrations for customers, staff, and other stakeholders.
- Schedule training sessions.
- Make helpful product recommendations and suggestions to increase revenue.
Median Salary:$56,597
How to Master Your Customer Support Career
Learn how to navigate and grow in your customer support job, including:
- The Skills You'll Need
- Tools of the Trade
- Metrics to Know
- Where to Go Next
Download Free
All fields are required.
5. Implementation Specialist
Implementation specialists play a key role in ensuring a company’s new software meets their needs on a technical level. They do this by assisting in implementing and executing the product or solution on a project-by-project basis. For example, they may handle onboarding before passing the customer on to their longer-term representative.
Since your job would be customizing the software to meet clients' needs and teaching them how to use the custom solution, you’ll need a high-level understanding of the technical aspects of the product or service you’ll be implementing.
In essence, the successful adoption of products falls on you. You may also contribute to product development internally.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, computer information science, information technology, or a related field.
- Previous experience working as an implementation specialist.
- Technical knowledge.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and SQL database management systems.
- Ability to multitask effectively.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Exceptional communication and customer service skills.
- Attention to detail.
Responsibilities
- Meet with clients following the sale of software packages to collect data and other information required to customize software systems.
- Create a project plan for each client detailing the tasks that need to be completed for the timely installation of customized software systems.
- Communicate with clients throughout the software customization process to obtain feedback and approval.
- Customize software systems based on clients' individual needs and specifications.
- Educate clients on how to use purchased software systems and customized system features.
- Create a specialized document for each client that details all customizations.
- Install customized software systems and all necessary components.
- Ensure that the project team is aware of key deliverables and project milestones.
- Provide cost and time estimates to clients who require additional customizations.
Median Salary:$70,903
6. Customer Success Manager
A customer success manager works one-on-one with customers as partners. They help customers with product onboarding, implementing tools, and creating sales and marketing campaigns. These employees have diverse customer success backgrounds and years of experience working with customers.
Customer success managers follow up with their customers regularly, checking on their progress and acting similarly to a trusted advisor. Additionally, they ensure their customers get the most from the company by finding ways to optimize the product or service within the customer's workflow.
Once customer success managers master managing their customers, the next step in their career is to manage their fellow employees as a Customer Service Manager.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Communications or marketing degree preferred.
- Proven work experience as a customer success manager or in a similar role.
- Experience working with brand image and promoting value through customer experience.
- Exceptional ability to communicate and foster positive business relationships.
- Technical skills.
- Accountability and personal organization.
- Experience managing a diverse group and training each according to company standards.
Responsibilities
- Establish clear client retention goals.
- Process milestones for the clients and employees to work toward.
- Assist customers with setting up and navigating programs or software.
- Promote the value of the product.
- Upsell services and products with the brand image.
- Promote value through customer experience.
- Assist in creating training courses and educational materials.
- Review customer complaints and concerns and seek to improve the customer experience.
Median Salary:$83,064
7. Customer Service Manager
A customer service manager leads a customer service team, which can sometimes include both the success and support teams. They hire and train new reps and act as a resource whenever reps have questions. They also set goals for their team based on the company vision and regularly check up on each rep to ensure they're hitting numbers.
Customer service managers may also handle the records of their customers and employees and set the tone for a positive, successful team. However, they generally oversee the entire customer service team and interfere in customer interactions only when necessary.
While this is a prestigious position to achieve in anyone’s customer service career path, there's one more step you can take as a customer service manager. The best managers can strive to become their company’s Director of Customer Experience, Customer Service Operations Manager, or VP of Customer Success.
Pro tip: For a deeper look at the soft skills required for this position, check out this list of sought-after customer service and support manager skills.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field.
- At least 10 years of experience in customer service.
- Proven work experience as a customer service manager, retail manager, or assistant manager.
- Experience providing customer service support.
- Knowledge of management methods and techniques.
- Knowledge of customer service software, databases, and tools.
- Awareness of the latest technology trends and applications.
- Ability to think strategically and lead.
- Strong client-facing and communication skills.
- Advanced troubleshooting and multi-tasking skills.
Responsibilities
- Improve customer service experience, create engaged customers, and facilitate organic growth.
- Take ownership of customers' issues and follow problems through to resolution.
- Develop service procedures, policies, and standards.
- Keep accurate records and document customer service actions and discussions.
- Analyze statistics and compile accurate reports.
- Recruit and mentor customer service agents and nurture an environment where they can excel.
- Keep ahead of industry developments and apply best practices to areas of improvement.
- Control resources and use assets to achieve qualitative and quantitative targets.
- Adhere to and manage the budget.
- Maintain an orderly workflow according to priorities.
Median Salary:$100,744
8. Director of Customer Experience
The Director of Customer Experience is responsible for the strategy, planning, and execution of customer experience as an organization builds a customer-centric culture. They will have a deep understanding of each team/department within the customer service arm of the organization, as well as the customer journey for each buyer segment.
They will be able to set goals based on the organization's customer experience metrics and see support initiatives enacted across all teams to meet those goals. They may also work toward fostering alignment between teams and departments to enhance the customer journey.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Master’s degree in business administration or bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, or a related field.
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in a customer-facing role.
- Effective communication skills.
- Empathy.
- Active listening.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Conflict-resolution skills.
Responsibilities
- Manage a team of customer service agents.
- Develop a company’s brand image by managing the organization’s public image and reputation.
- Manage marketing campaigns to increase awareness of products or services in target markets.
- Implement new technologies that improve customer service.
- Establish strategic partnerships with vendors and suppliers to improve the effectiveness of the company’s offerings.
- Oversee all aspects of the customer experience, including customer service, sales, marketing, shipping, billing, and fulfillment.
- Work with executive management to create an action plan to improve customer satisfaction based on feedback from surveys and focus groups.
- Develop and implement training programs for employees to improve customer service skills and knowledge of company policies.
- Develop strategies to increase customer loyalty by improving customer satisfaction levels.
Median Salary:$123,338
9. Customer Service Operations Manager
A customer service operations manager is responsible for the overall operations and efficiency of the customer service department. This may include labor management, operational procedures, interviewing and training new hires, and performance reviews.
A customer service operations manager may also be in charge of the budget and be involved in strategic planning for the department. This may include analyzing trends, performance, and processes and creating forecasts for executive management.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, or a related discipline.
- At least five years of experience in customer service or a related field.
- Effective communication skills.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Ability to develop effective strategies to resolve customer issues.
Responsibilities
- Specify and build tools to improve the speed and quality of support.
- Onboard and train new support team members.
- Analyze support workflows and make suggestions to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Work closely with product teams to give input into product changes relating to the customer service department.
- Assist with the design and rollout of new support channels and service offerings.
- Manage schedules of team members according to customer demand and service level agreements (SLAs).
- Develop and maintain standard operating procedures.
- Prepare performance reports by collecting and analyzing data from customer service functions.
- Identify and remove obstacles to deliver consistently high levels of service.
- Forecast and budget for customer service and track the actual performance against the budget.
- Lead and support customer service teams through required changes.
- Work closely with senior management to help customer service deliver on their components of overall company goals and objectives.
Median Salary:$123,678
10. VP of Customer Success or Chief Customer Officer
A VP of Customer Success or Chief Customer Officer (CCO) oversees the entire customer journey from acquisition to retention. Once you become one, you’d also have to manage a team of customer success managers, support staff, and the like. Implementing a customer-first approach throughout the organization would also be your job.
This is one of the most challenging jobs in a customer service career path; to increase your chances of success, you’d have to attain years of experience in customer success.
Qualifications and Personality Traits
- Master’s degree in business administration or Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, or computer science.
- Communication.
- Leadership.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Project management.
- Strong relationship-building skills.
Responsibilities
- Review customer satisfaction surveys to identify areas for improvements in the customer experience.
- Explain new products to customers and help them understand how they work.
- Coordinate with customer service representatives to answer questions or solve problems for existing customers.
- Help develop training materials for internal customer support staff.
- Work with product managers and engineers to identify new product features and functionality.
- Maintain relationships with customers by attending trade shows, networking events, and other social functions.
- Monitor customer feedback about product quality and customer service standards.
- Monitor customer satisfaction with existing products.
- Work with customer service representatives to address any issues that arise.
Median Salary:$163,217
As you can see, working in customer service isn’t a one-way street. So, if you’re still unsure which position is right for you, there’s no need to worry.
I’ll break down the six Holland personality types to help you decide which customer service path best suits your wants and, more importantly, needs.
The Six Holland Personality Types
According to the National Career Development Association (NCDA), John L. Holland was an American psychologist who pioneered important research in occupational work, personalities, and environments. His work influenced many career counselors and gave them the tools they needed to guide people in the right direction.
Holland’s theory proposes most people fall into one of six personality types, also known as the RIASEC types (or Holland Codes). You may write your Holland Code (i.e., the first letter of each personality type) in the order of highest to lowest association with yourself. The personalities are the following:
- Realistic.
- Investigative.
- Artistic.
- Social.
- Enterprising.
- Conventional.
In reality, many of us are a combination of the six personality types. But the first two to three letters represent your most dominant personality traits.
For example, based on the test, my Holland Code is AESICR. That means I’m primarily artistic, enterprising, and social, which are all good traits in the customer service field. Conversely, getting the three-letter code SIA would mean you are primarily social, investigative, artistic, and so on.
You can take a Career Key Discovery® Test for a cost to learn about your personality types. However, Holland Codes also offers a free, written version of the test.
That said, if you ask me, humans are far more complex than three-letter codes. So, while you may learn a few things about your personality, don’t pigeonhole yourself into a specific customer service career path because of the results.
Now, if you’re done taking the test and are curious about which customer service career best suits your Holland Code, keep reading!
1. Realistic: “The Do-er”
Practical · Mechanical · Rational
A realistic person, also known as a “do-er,” likes to work with animals, tools, or machines. They enjoy working outdoors, alone and without paperwork. A friend of mine is like this. They love working with tools and using their hands, but they balk at the idea of meeting new people.
If your Holland Code is primarily Realistic, you’d likely enjoy working as a remote Customer Support Representative the most. For one, you would be free to work outdoors or anywhere you like rather than being confined to a desk. Secondly, working remotely means you won’t have to work closely with others.
Since realistic personalities enjoy problem-solving, you would also thoroughly enjoy navigating customers' practical issues with their new products and services. Your rational, level-headed mind is ideal for handling a range of customer problems with cool composure.
Best for: Customer Support Representatives.
2. Investigative: “The Thinker”
Precise · Scientific · Intellectual
People with investigative personalities like to conduct research, investigate, and experiment. They also enjoy mathematical or scientific activities and love to read. Solving complex problems is what they enjoy the most.
And while they see themselves as highly intelligent, they dislike trying to persuade or sell to people. Such people remind me of some of the kids I went to high school with, who were always reading a new book trying to learn something new. They probably had investigative personalities.
Customer Support Specialists suit this personality type best. For instance, you could solve complex problems in this role. In addition, you wouldn’t have to persuade people when performing your duties as a specialist since the communication method is responsive.
Best for: Customer Support Specialists.
3. Artistic: “The Creator”
Expressive · Original · Independent
Individuals with artistic personalities are independent, original, expressive, and creative. Not to mention, they value freedom. They enjoy doing activities like art, music, and crafts. They also prefer a working environment where they don’t have to follow a particular set of rules. Think of that friend or neighbor who loves to dabble with different types of recipes.
As a Customer Success Manager, you would get the freedom to work collaboratively with customers. That means fewer boundaries and set rules and more fluidity. There are no scripts or formalities in this role. Rather, you would work with customers as partners, guiding them and learning from them.
You would also get the chance to help them plan exciting campaigns and set them up for success with programs you build together. In this role, you could exercise your exceptional creativity and individuality and hone it in specific customers to help inspire them.
And if that doesn’t sound too convincing, you could look into marketing and writing like me!
Best for: Customer Success Managers.
4. Social: “The Helper”
Helpful · Friendly · Trustworthy
People with social personalities love being around others, can make friends easily, and are outgoing. And most of all, they enjoy helping others.
In fact, that’s where their nickname “The Helper” comes from. They enjoy providing information to people and prefer to do so without using any tools or machines. They also value helping others solve their problems and find joy in doing so.
As a Customer Service Representative, you would have the opportunity to spend every day communicating and building relationships with new, interesting customers. You would be able to help them by actively listening and finding solutions to their various problems.
This field requires outstanding communication skills, patience, and kindness — qualities you hold dear. Being charismatic and trustworthy would help you improve customer conversations, making you a great asset to the customer service team.
Best for: Customer Service Representatives.
5. Enterprising: “The Persuader”
Energetic · Ambitious · Sociable
People with enterprising personalities have a strong desire to lead others. They’re also sociable, have strong persuasion skills, and can easily sell ideas and products.
Financial success is also very important to them. In their free time, they enjoy keeping up with politics and business and value success in these fields. That’s why, in terms of customer service, an enterprising personality type is best suited for a VP of Customer Success role.
As the VP of Customer Success or Chief Customer Officer, you would get the opportunity to lead your entire customer team and make decisions to improve the customer experience constantly. You would get to take thrilling risks by shifting the company vision to be more customer-centric.
Since you're so persuasive, you would successfully convince the rest of the company of the importance of being customer-focused and show customers why they should choose your business. Overall, your interest in business and leadership, combined with your ambition and energy, would make you a great choice for this role.
Best for: VPs of Customer Success or Chief Customer Officers.
6. Conventional: “The Organizer”
Orderly · Detail-Oriented · Methodical
Conventional personalities enjoy following a structured routine every day. That’s why they’re known as “organizers.” They prefer working with data and hard facts rather than creative, abstract ideas and are good at keeping records of data, numbers, and patterns and setting clear goals.
They also enjoy following a strict line of authority and would be overwhelmed by having too much freedom. An accountant is a great example of someone with a conventional personality type. After all, they love working with numbers and have strong attention to detail.
If you find yourself with many of the conventional personality traits, a Customer Service Manager role would be a good fit for you. After all, you would get the opportunity to be more involved with numbers than customer service representatives since you would handle data on your employees and customers.
You would also manage records of customer interactions with your reps and store them in an organized fashion, set detailed goals for your team, and build them a daily routine to maximize their success. Your strong organizational skills would help you be the most efficient, precise manager possible.
Best for: Customer Service Managers.
Is customer service right for you?
I think it’s safe to say that pursuing a career path in customer service can be a worthwhile endeavor. After all, simply being a good human can help you get your foot in the door.
The best part? You can advance your career in this field; you won’t have to be stuck in the same position indefinitely. However, without years of experience in an entry-level position, it can be difficult to move up the career ladder.
Beyond that, remember that although using Holland's six personality types is a fascinating way to analyze your personality traits through a career-focused lens, no one is one specific personality type.
We are all combinations of several different types, with one that typically stands out as the highest percentage. So, while you may be most successful in a career path that falls into your top personality type, you can also find success in a career that aligns with your second or third type.
At the end of the day, the important thing is finding a career you love that helps you show off your strongest qualities and improve your weaker ones.
Editor's note: This article was published in November 2022 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
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