How can I find a good Customer Service job in Atlanta?

Question

I'm hoping to move to Atlanta, I currently live in Tn about 2 hours away. I have alot of customer service background with medical insurance and also phone service, like 7 years. I've worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield for a while so Im also considering medical office jobs. I've put in applications online but so far I haven't gotten a response, I really want to move down there first so I won't have to drive back and forth so much, but I would only want to risk that if I could find a job in like a month, and right now I'm starting to think the chances of that are slim. I'm looking for downtown or in the North Fulton area something Marta accessible, does anyone have any tips on a place that will be a good place to work and not make you jump thru hoops to get hired?

Answer 1

Atlanta Journal Constitution print edition classifieds are far more current than the net ones so get the paper or look for it at your library,  Check http://www.dol.state.ga.us the GA dept of labor website for job listings.  Also check http://www.thejobsite.org for jobs with the state of GA.   Some of them will be serving the public in ways that are related to customer service jobs.   Look for temporary employment agencies in your area that also have offices in north Atlanta and see what they may have there for temp to perm jobs.  Many Atlanta jobs are flled that way. Registering where you are seems to give an advantage because then all your paper work,reference and skill checks are done before the possible move.   Check web site of North Fulton Hosp and other major Atlanta Hospitals if you have not done so already.  

You may as well expect to have to jump through hoops to get hired.  The economy is tight,costs are high, fewer places are hiring and the ones that are can pick from the cream of applicants.   It sounds as if you can be that cream but you have to understand thatb they are going to want to be as sure as possible of that before they invest in hiring and training you. So expect resume checks (and make sure yours is totally up to date and sells you -shows the benefits of hiring you, what you can do for their co,not just a dry list of what you did. One way to do that is to show a one sentence  achievement or company benefit for each job you held.   For example received an award for attendence, recognized for helping implement customer relations software that resulted in a 11% cut in CRM costs.  Helped develop and implement coding processes that cut insurance clain turndowns by 14%   Whatever you really did that was beneficial to your employer.   Expect drug testing often 2 tests as drug free work place programs increase in priority,  Expect and anticipate wht whould we h**e you not someone else and show as well as tell wy in your resume, cover letter, on line and in person applications.

Look too at your reasons for wanting to come to Atlanta.   Are they strong enough to justify leaving a steady job - assuming you have one there - for a situation in which you will be the newest help and therefore the most likely to be cut back if the economy gets worse.   They may well be that strong but be sure.  If they are consider using a vacation of personal day or two to come to Atlanta and do some in person hunting making sure of course that you have some sure interviews lined up.

You may also want to consider a portable second job, perhaps something on line or something you can start there and then bring with you when you move.   One such that a lot of people find beneficial is http://www/prepaidlegal.com/hub/caringha...  but this is by no means the only possibility.   Do be sure that you are appropriately evaluating the possible net or work from hiome job and that the opportunity is backed by a stable company. This is in my opinion not the time for start ups nor the time to get involved in places that have had legal or financial troubles.  For ex I am a dealer for a natural health co but I would not at this point recommend that anyone join it because I know they are facing very hard financial times and I have already had the experience of having a company go belly up just after I moved somewehere to expand my business with them.  Would not wish that on a spraying skunk.   The same sort of check for stability is very important even for a job with a regular co,   Atlanta Newspapers just cut 200 jobs. Other companies major and not so major are having economic problems so check out a potential employer just as much as you expect them to check you out - probably more.  A mistake in hiring is no where near as disasterous to a business as a job going out from under you is to an individual.