>> Get a customer service job.
It doesn't matter if it's
in the IT industry or not.
Get a customer service-oriented job.
I started out in retail -- best place
to get customer service experience.
That is - you know, I did not start out in IT.
I started out in retail, you
know, there for nine years --
then, you know, moved up in customer service,
you know, going to a customer service manager,
eventually assistant store manager.
And I have a degree in hospitality.
So it was just a given that I love
talking to people and working with them.
And yeah, couple that with my experience and my
key knowledge, it makes for the perfect person
to be able to communicate with
customers and work with them side by side
and for them to get what they need.
You need a really people-oriented personality.
You have to love working with people.
If you walk into it and you don't want to
see people, you don't want to talk to them,
you slump down at your desk when
you hear somebody call you, it -
that's really not what you want to be in.
You know, I've taken many, many
customer service training classes.
And the Number 1 thing that people
- when they hear you on the phone
or see you in person, is your body posture.
Because your body posture affects
your voice, it affects so much
about you even before they even hear the tone of
your voice or the words that you are speaking.
Your posture always reflects
what's going on with you and,
you know, how you should be perceived.
So if you don't have that mentality
to come in there, sit up straight,
have that smile on your face when you are on the
phone or in front of somebody, it's - you know,
it's not something that you are going to be
passionate about; and ultimately, you know,
it could hurt you in the long
run even though any amount
of customer service experience,
that's the main thing.