I was recently lucky enough to meet with Gayl Roden – 2011 CCINZ winner - Contact Centre Team Leader of the Year to chat about what makes a good CSR and why she thought contact centres were a good career move.When Gayl spoke about contact centres being the place of the future her points truly resonated with me. My life is busy and if I can get queries dealt with over the phone and online it certainly makes my life easier.  I think this is why we will see growth in the contact centre world o...

When I graduated from Uni in the late 90’s, I can’t say that working in a contact centre was ever a job I considered (or even knew existed!). But nowadays with the numbers graduating and the New Zealand job market tightening, gaining any form of permanent employment in a large organisation is a positive step to starting a successful career. The contact centre is a great entry point for grads with little work experience to learn a business from the ground up. They develop patience and empathy thr...

WAIT...!  Before you let out that big sigh of relief (thank goodness the interview is over!), or bolt straight for the front door, there are a few essentials to remember to successfully close the interview. At the end of the interview The last question is usually “do you have any questions?”  This is your chance to convey your interest in pursuing the opportunity.  Only ask questions where you can’t find the answers for yourself.  Some ideas are: What is the process for induc...

The day has finally arrived.  You’re five minutes early, and look like you’ve walked off the set of ‘The Apprentice.’ You know your CV, the position description, and information about the company inside and out.  You’ve practised your behavioural/competency based questions and feel ready to take on the world!  Before embarking on what could be the most life-changing hour of your life, check out the tips below to ensure you ace the interview!First impressions count!  It is cla...

Interviews are nerve wracking, but the key is planning and preparation. The more prepared you are, the more comfortable and confident you are likely to come across! Over the next three weeks, my three part series will cover three stages – before, during and after the interview. PART ONE - HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEW Research – Learn as much as possible about the company you are interviewing with. Research its products or services, people, competitors and current market conditions they fac...

Over the weekend our former Olympic Gold Medallist Hamish Carter competed in his age bracket at the ITU Champs in Auckland. Admittedly he is no longer competing and has not been training like the old days...but he is a similar age to Kris Gemmell who won the Elite Men's. Though once the best in the world, yesterday he came 6th and was beaten by some enthusiastic amateurs, guys who have never reached the heights he has. Another bloke – Mr Martin Crowe, hung up his cricket boots for the secon...