The world of contact centre work is evolving rapidly, and so are the ways we find great people to join our teams. Traditionally, hiring often focused on qualifications, years of experience, and specific system knowledge. However, in 2025, an increasing number of contact centre employers are adopting a skills-first approach, valuing real-world abilities, adaptability, and mindset alongside experience.
This approach isn’t just a trend; it’s a proven, inclusive way to connect with talented candidates who can thrive in today’s dynamic contact centre environment.
Why Rethink Traditional Hiring?
The demands on contact centre teams have grown with remote work, omnichannel customer support, and rising customer expectations. While the nature of the work shifts, the talent pipeline can sometimes struggle to keep pace. Many employers report challenges in finding candidates who bring the right blend of skills and qualities.
In particular, entry-level roles can benefit from a fresh perspective, looking beyond experience alone to find people with the right potential and attitude to succeed.
What is Skills-Based Hiring?
Skills-based hiring means focusing on candidates’ actual abilities to perform the tasks required, rather than relying solely on their education or previous job titles. For contact centres, this might include assessing:
- Clear verbal communication and active listening
- Managing customer emotions with empathy
- Proficiency with CRM or call-handling systems
- Problem-solving and time management
- Teamwork and adaptability
This approach often combines practical assessments, structured interviews, and values-based screening to ensure candidates are truly ready for the role.
Benefits for Contact Centres
- Access a Wider Talent Pool
Opening roles to candidates from diverse backgrounds—including career changers and those without traditional qualifications—helps you find skilled people who might otherwise be overlooked. LinkedIn research shows skills-first employers fill roles faster and reach more candidates. - Better Job Fit and Performance
When hiring focuses on real skills and soft skills, employees tend to match the role more closely, leading to stronger performance and quicker adjustment. - Stronger Retention
Hiring for skills and cultural fit helps build teams that stay engaged longer. Employees aligned with their company’s values are more likely to stay committed and motivated. - Support Diversity and Inclusion
By concentrating on abilities rather than background, skills-based hiring helps attract a broader range of talent, promoting a more inclusive workplace.
How It Works in Practice
At Zenith, we support contact centres in adopting practical hiring techniques tailored to real job demands. This can include:
- Pre-employment assessments based on real customer scenarios
- Soft skills screening through structured interviews or short trial periods
- Workplace simulations to see how candidates handle pressure or complaints
- Training Bootcamps to develop key skills before hiring
We also help identify which skills are most important for your specific environment, whether resilience for fast-paced calls or accuracy for digital channels.
Skills-Based Hiring for Hybrid and Remote Teams
With many contact centres embracing hybrid or remote work models, assessing digital communication and self-management skills is essential. Skills-first hiring helps ensure your team members are confident, capable, and autonomous, ready to excel whether working onsite or remotely.
Setting the Tone From the Start
Candidates today appreciate clear, inclusive job adverts, straightforward application processes, and respectful, timely communication. A skills-based approach allows you to create a positive hiring experience that reflects well on your organisation.
Ultimately, it’s not just about who you hire, but how you hire, and getting it right can be a key competitive advantage in today’s market.
Need Support Building Your Contact Centre Team?
At Zenith People, we provide tailored recruitment support, candidate screening, and onboarding services focused on the skills that matter most to your business. From finding the right fit to preparing candidates with pre-employment training, we’re here to help you hire smarter and build stronger teams.
Click here for more information about our Commercial recruitment sector! Commercial, IT & Digital – Zenith People