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Do you want to avoid making the same hiring mistakes that lead to attrition, people quitting and ultimately cost your company money through training and other on-boarding expenses? Roland Carera, Digital Content Marketing Manager with TeleDevelopment Philippines looks at some common interview answers that might help you spot those who are perhaps not suited for your contact center.

The slightest smell of a higher paying center immediately prompts some to immediately leave their current employers. They easily fret at a payroll dispute and their relationship with their peers and superiors seemingly hang by the thread each and every time.

Hoppers are relatively common in the Call Center industry because there is ease in applying for a similar job. Technically, the companies within the industry are all in parallel with the different services and functions. At one point, the recruitment strategies encourage job hopping – If you check the ads, the minimum requirement is "at least six months experience" or it is simply "with call center experience."

There are job hoppers that are notoriously quick at quitting. There are even those who would sit through training and never come back after lunch. Within days many of them can be found starting another paid training class all over again at some other Call Center.

These are the people who recruiters encounter every day. There are those who are in their mid-twenties yet already have a four-page resume. Others do not include their work experiences anymore, just the ones where they stayed for more than six months.

Interviewees often give the following excuse whenever asked for the reason why they left their previous company:

Growth

Steve Losaria, an account manager at TeleDevelopment Services shared that whenever a candidate blurts out this reason, he immediately questions the person’s integrity and work ethic. By saying that you are looking for growth must be something that you either googled as a "safe answer" or you honestly believe that the company refuses to acknowledge your skill and talent. It could also mean that you are too impatient and may have the tendency to make irrationally quick decisions.

Schedule

According to Abby Gayeta, a veteran recruiter at TeleDevelopment Services, complaining about the work schedule oftentimes raises the red flag. True enough, whenever you sign a contract for employment, it would always explicitly mention about your work hours – then what’s the point in complaining. Unless, there is a scenario whereby the abrupt change in schedule has led you to some illness, always make sure to supplement your answer with a true and valid one.

Payroll Dispute

People leave when they have had enough. The salary is a key component to a person’s drive to go to work. A prevalent error in payroll can always lead to attrition. It is, however, comical to provide this excuse when you are only employed in the company for two months.

"What Would Make You Stay?"

Job seekers are all in the hunt for the perfect job – good environment, efficient management, and reasonable pay. Be sure that for whatever reason you provide, you are most certainly able to back it up with concrete statements. Remember, recruiters talk to a lot of people every day and conduct interviews for a living. They have a specific skill set that would allow them to gauge a person’s reply and authenticate their statements.

So when asked, do not be afraid to daydream and express what you really feel – honesty always counts. Most recruiters see this on a positive note because you are someone with a goal and aspiration. It is nevertheless imperative to keep in mind that your ability to adapt is a critical requisite to whatever industry and nature of work you are applying for.

Researching for answers to the interview online can be helpful but keep in mind that an interviewer is a person and not a robot who would simply listen to your replies. It is still best to keep your answers truthful. Recruiters have a strong sense for honestly and would oftentimes give plus points for such trait.

#contactcenterworld, @TeledevPH, @TeledevUS