Good with people? Enjoy varied work that’s never the same two days running? If so, the following jobs could be fantastic options. Many businesses are crying out for staff members who will ensure their customers enjoy a spectacular experience. With so many vacancies available in customer facing roles, they’re a great source of casual or longer term employment. Here we take a look at five of the most popular office-based jobs and why they’re good options for students.
1. Customer service rep
Whether your company sells insurance, cosmetics, foodstuffs or stationery, your job is to provide a premium customer experience. Customer service reps are responsible for dealing with anything and everything customers want or need. From processing orders through to handling queries, dealing with complaints, up selling, marketing or providing additional information on products or services, a customer service rep has to do it all!
Pros: there are an enormous variety of customer service rep positions out there, giving you plenty of choice. Due to the nature of the job, strong people skills are more important than formal qualifications. Some customer service rep jobs offer welcome additional perks, such as free or discounted products.
Cons: dealing with the public can be tough! Customer service rep work is often fast paced, and may involve dealing with rude or dissatisfied customers.
2. Sales representative
If you’re passionate about solving problems for people, a sales rep job could be right for you. Contrary to popular opinion, sales reps are rarely pushy, in-your-face individuals. Rather, they are helpful people intent on making life better for their target audience through the provision of products that meet their needs.
Pros: there are numerous sales jobs out there in a range of different sectors. Sales work is very sociable – if you like people, this is a fantastic job. Depending on the nature of the work, there are often flexible hours and some great locations to work in.
Cons: sales work isn’t usually a good option if you are shy, retiring type. You need to be able to handle rejection, as well as keep smiling! Some sales jobs may be commission-based, meaning if you don’t sell, you don’t earn.
3. Data entry work
If you’re fast on a keyboard and accurate, data entry work could be for you. From filling in tables through to entering contact details into a database, adding figures to spreadsheets or typing up inventory entries, data entry work is varied.
Pros: data entry personnel can often work remotely. Flexible hours are a possibility, as is piece work – payment depending on the volume of work completed.
Cons: the work requires a high degree of speed and accuracy. Successful data entry staff need to be familiar with common data entry and spreadsheet packages in order to “hit the ground running”.
4. Receptionist
Being the face of a brand can be enormously challenging, but also bring plenty of rewards. Receptionists are tasked with meeting and greeting customers, business partners, members of the public and anyone else who is in contact with the organisation. From booking in visitors through to answering the phone, receiving parcels, administrative tasks, hospitality and buildings maintenance, receptionists provide an initial contact point for a business.
Pros: reception work is very varied, so life is rarely dull. Receptionists are also there to help – it can be very rewarding to provide customers with the solutions and assistance they need.
Cons: receptionists need to maintain a friendly, professional air, no matter how difficult their customers may be. Many businesses also have dress codes, so if uniforms or a conservative appearance aren’t your thing, this role may not be right for you.
5. Call centre staff
Essentially a customer service position, call centre staff operate from a central office. They answer calls from customers, as well as operate online chat responses to customer queries. Call centre staff frequently work from a pre-defined script.
Pros: the work is easy to pick up, requires little physical effort and is usually easy to come by.
Cons: call centres can be quite high-pressured places; customers may not always be pleasant.
If you are looking for a way to make some fast cash, any of these positions could provide the perfect solution.