How To Write a Collections Representative Resume
A collections representative resume should demonstrate an ability to use negotiation and conflict resolution skills to recover outstanding debts while adhering to legal and ethical guidelines. We’ll show you how to write your resume in a way that highlights the key aspects of your career.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
The best way to start your resume is with a snapshot of your relevant background. List your job title and years of experience first, followed by a few of your top qualifications. Be intentional with what you choose to include, and look to the job posting as a guide. Your goal is to give potential employers a sneak peek into your past success and experiences using the skills they require.
For example, if you’re a seasoned rep going for a management role, mention your leadership and mentoring abilities. Have you made an effort to improve call processes? Did you lead a team of representatives? Show off what makes you unique and get hiring managers excited to keep reading.
Profile Example #1
Collections Representative with 5 years of experience. Fast learner who adapts readily to new software, databases, and negotiation methods. Focused on finding ways to continually hone and improve policies and procedures. Committed to ongoing professional development and education.
Profile Example #2
Reliable and self-directed Collections Representative with 5 years of experience. Skilled communicator who puts complex financial topics in clear, accessible terms for debtors. Committed to professional integrity and excellence in all endeavors.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
Your professional experience section should go beyond basic job duties to give hiring managers a clear picture of the value you could bring to their company. They want to know about the results you achieved, so prioritize career achievements over daily tasks when creating bullet points. If you can quantify your experience, even better. Relevant percentages, monetary figures, and numbers help to show what you’re capable of.
Don’t forget to include examples of how you’ve excelled in direct debtor interactions. Describe how you communicate with them and what steps you’ve taken to secure payment or give advice.
Professional Experience Example #1
Collections Representative, TZO Billing Solutions, Detroit, MI | July 2019 to Present
[Third-party collection agency.]
- Pay close attention to debtor concerns and explanations of overdue balances to understand their position and set a mutually agreed-upon plan forward
- Follow up with debtors to help proactively address and avoid further repayment challenges
- Address and resolve bill disputes from consumers
Highlight:
- Placed in the top 4% of department for overall success rate converting accounts from “delinquent” to “in repayment” status
Professional Experience Example #2
Bill & Account Collector, TEO Inc., Minneapolis, MN | July 2019 to Present
[Third-party collection agency.]
- Contact debtors in attempt to recover outstanding balances and set plans for repayment
- Foster positive, productive relationships with all involved parties
- Enter and update available data on debtors’ contact information
- Review and summarize creditor-provided data on debtor payment history
Highlight:
- Ranked #3 on a 35-member team for phone call efficiency
3. Include your education and certifications
When listing your education, start with your highest degree or diploma. If you majored in an area unrelated to the field, but you’ve taken relevant classes, you can list them under the school description. Then, after your education section, include any certifications you’ve earned.
Extra credentials may not guarantee the job, but they can help you stand out. Especially for those at the entry level, showing you understand regulatory compliance around debt collection laws is a huge bonus. For example, a Professional Collection Specialist certification will show you have a base knowledge of negotiation skills and the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (FDCPA).
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Month and Year]
Example:
Associate Degree – Accounting
Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minneapolis, MN | May 2015
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
Professional Collection Specialist (PCS), American Collectors Association (ACA), 2019
Credit and Collection Compliance Officer (CCCO), American Collectors Association (ACA), 2022
4. List pertinent key skills
To help find talent faster, hiring managers are turning to applicant tracking systems (ATS). This software filters through resumes instantly, searching for keywords and phrases the employer has flagged as important. To make it through the initial screening, your resume should incorporate relevant keywords into the profile, professional experience, and skills sections. Use terms like the ones below on your collections representative resume:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Active listening methods | Bill dispute resolution |
| Call center operations | Complex problem-solving |
| Conflict mediation and resolution | Creditor and debtor relations |
| Data entry | Debtor information review |
| Debtor location and identification | Mentoring and coaching |
| Payment options calculation | Payment plan negotiations |
| Payment recovery | Phone, email, and mail communications |
| Process streamlining and improvement | Regulatory compliance |
| Reporting and documentation | Task prioritization |
How To Pick the Best Collections Representative Resume Template
Keep it simple when selecting a resume template. Hiring managers are most interested in the content of your resume, so choose a design that isn’t too distracting. Remember, the text should be the focus. A clean, simple template is the best choice for collections representatives. Look for a layout that’s well-organized and easy to navigate. Readers should be able to capture all of your most important info without much effort.
Collections Representative Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- #1
- #2
- #3
John Bergsen
123 W Adams Ave, Detroit, MI 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Collections Representative with 5 years of experience. Fast learner who adapts readily to new software, databases, and negotiation methods. Focused on finding ways to continually hone and improve policies and procedures. Committed to ongoing professional development and education.
Professional Experience
Collections Representative, TZO Billing Solutions, Detroit, MI | July 2019 to Present
[Third-party collection agency.]
- Pay close attention to debtor concerns and explanations of overdue balances to understand their position and set a mutually agreed-upon plan forward
- Follow up with debtors to help proactively address and avoid further repayment challenges
- Address and resolve bill disputes from consumers
Highlight:
- Placed in the top 4% of department for overall success rate converting accounts from “delinquent” to “in repayment” status
Bill & Account Collector, TFO Agency, Detroit, MI | July 2017 to July 2019
- Maintained high efficiency in a fast-paced call center setting
- Helped address payment challenges to maximize creditors’ recovery of overdue debts
- Addressed and resolved conflicts between debtors and creditors to help prevent financial loss and legal action
Education
High School Diploma
Henry Ford High School, Detroit, MI
Key Skills
- Active Listening Methods
- Bill Dispute Resolution
- Call Center Operations
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Conflict Mediation & Resolution
Skyler Thompson
123 W 15th Street, Minneapolis, MN 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Reliable and self-directed Collections Representative with 5 years of experience. Skilled communicator who puts complex financial topics in clear, accessible terms for debtors. Committed to professional integrity and excellence in all endeavors.
Professional Experience
Bill & Account Collector, TEO Inc., Minneapolis, MN | July 2019 to Present
[Third-party collection agency.]
- Contact debtors in attempt to recover outstanding balances and set plans for repayment
- Foster positive, productive relationships with all involved parties
- Enter and update available data on debtors’ contact information
- Review and summarize creditor-provided data on debtor payment history
Highlight:
- Ranked #3 on a 35-member team for phone call efficiency
Collections Representative, TTN Billing Solutions, Minneapolis, MN | July 2017 to July 2019
- Used various skip tracing methods to locate and identify debtors with overdue balances
- Calculated interest and amortization schedules and explained associated payment options to debtors
- Negotiated specific, attainable payment plans with debtors
Education
Associate Degree – Accounting
Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minneapolis, MN
Key Skills
- Creditor & Debtor Relations
- Data Entry
- Debtor Information Review
- Debtor Location & Identification
- Payment Options Calculation
- Payment Plan Negotiations
- Process Streamlining & Improvement
Mina Sayed
123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Collections Representative with 5 years of experience. Skilled and courteous communicator who treats every individual with respect, dignity, and professionalism. Thorough and organized managing multiple databases and computer systems. Recent demonstrated success in a leadership role mentoring and supporting new hires.
Professional Experience
Collections Representative, TTY Agency, New York, NY | July 2019 to Present
[Third-party collection agency.]
- Seamlessly manage high volumes of daily email and phone correspondence
- Maintain utmost professionalism engaging with potentially hostile or evasive debtors
- Maintain close adherence to federal and state debt collection laws
- Confirm debtors’ identity before beginning a discussion of past-due balances
Highlights:
- Ranked #6 on a 50-person team for efficient drafting and tailoring standard past-due notices and email messages
- Praised for turning initially hostile or negative debtor interactions into positive collaboration on a viable plan for repayment
Bill & Account Collector, TTO Inc., New York, NY | July 2017 to July 2019
- Maintained detailed documentation of phone interactions to inform later correspondence
- Reported account delinquency to creditors as needed for possible further legal action
- Balanced multiple tasks and priorities in a dynamic work environment
- Worked both evening and weekend shifts as needed
- Paid close attention to debtor concerns and explanations of overdue balances to recommend best payment options and debt counseling resources
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Accounting
University of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY
Key Skills
- Mentoring & Coaching
- Payment Recovery
- Phone, Email & Mail Communications
- Regulatory Compliance
- Reporting & Documentation
- Task Prioritization
- Time Management
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Frequently Asked Questions: Collections Representative Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for collections representative resumes?+
Strong, active language is best when writing a collections representative resume, especially in the professional experience section. Action verbs can help you achieve this effect, giving your document a more engaging tone. However, it’s easy to get stuck or find yourself running out of words to describe your work. Check out our list of verbs to help you overcome any writer’s block:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Addressed | Calculated |
| Called | Communicated |
| Converted | Explained |
| Followed up | Improved |
| Listened | Mediated |
| Negotiated | Planned |
| Prevented | Reported |
| Resolved | Reviewed |
| Streamlined | Updated |
How do you align your resume with a collections representative job posting?+
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for bill and account collectors will decline by 10% over the next decade. This downturn may be due to an increase in technology that allows representatives to take on more accounts. However, as people retire or transfer occupations, there will be about 19,000 job openings each year.
Competition will be tough for the best positions, so align your resume with the job posting of each role you apply for. How do you do that? Respond to the needs of the company.
For example, suppose an agency is looking for a collections rep with strong skip-tracing skills. If possible, emphasize your ability to use methodologies and data analytics to find debtors. Describe how you’ve done this in the past and maximized collections for previous employers.
What is the best collections representative resume format?+
Most collections representatives should use the combination (or hybrid) format. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the chronological format’s experience section and the functional format’s profile section.
By fusing these two features, a combination resume offers the best of both worlds. The experience section lets you outline your recent work history – essential information for most employers. At the same time, the profile section lets you display your career highlights at the top, regardless of whether they’re from that work history or another part of your background. As a result, you can present yourself clearly and strategically. With this format, you give hiring managers the best view of your experience and relevant strengths, so they can make an informed decision to call you for an interview.
Expert advice: include a cover letter with your resume
Attaching a cover letter to your job application increases your chances of getting called back for an interview. The best strategy for creating a strong cover letter is to customize it for the company you want to work for. Learn how to do this with our cover letter guide. For more examples in related occupations, see our accountant and bookkeeper cover letter guides.
