Collections Representative Text-Only Resume Examples
Years of Experience
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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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Tips for Writing a Better Collections Representative Resume
1. Spell out your results
Each of your duties has some positive impact or influence, helping your broader organization succeed in the short and long term. Speak to that broader impact in your job descriptions, and you’ll strengthen your resume significantly.
Even if you can’t recall examples or data to quantify a work area, you can always state the general, intended result or value of the duty in question. Try simply adding the phrase “in order to” at the end of the duty statement, then jotting down whatever general purposes or outcomes you think of (and then delete “in order” from your final resume for brevity). You might be surprised how much stronger the revised statement is – just as important, it’s a much more accurate account of your work’s depth and influence.
Example
- Addressed and resolved conflicts between debtors and creditors [in order] to help prevent financial loss and legal action
2. Avoid jargon
Any time you use a long, unwieldy word when a short word would do, that’s jargon. A classic example: People use the words “utilize” or “utilization,” when they should use “use.” Jargon can be especially tempting for someone in debt collections, where there are plenty of money-specific terms and phrases (like “amortization”) that may not have a shorter, better option. These terms have a place on your resume, as long as they’re relevant to your goals. The problem is when you let words that should be short and simple become words (often ending in “–tion”) that are long and clunky.
Grammar expert Patricia T. O’Conner defines jargon as “pseudo technical terms that are supposed to lend the speaker an aura of expertise…. you can use it to discuss things you know little about, and without saying anything.” But you don’t need language to give you expertise. You already have it. You know plenty about your field and have plenty to say about your experience, so you don’t need to rely on jargon for your resume. Any time you find yourself using a long word, stop and ask: Is there a shorter synonym? This will help you keep your resume clear and concise.
Example
- Used various skip tracing methods to locate and identify debtors with overdue balances
3. Showcase your performance highlights
Whenever your job description includes points with specific numbers or percentages, consider setting those points off from the other information. You can format the points differently or use subheadings such as “Highlights” or “Key Achievements.” This structure helps further showcase how you’ve made a tangible, positive impact on your employers.
Example
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
Key Skills Hiring Managers Look for on Collections Representative Resumes
For an effective collections representative resume, include a “Key Skills” section that gives the hiring manager a quick overview of the expertise and value you offer. Consider including any of the terms below:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Active Listening Methods | Bill Dispute Resolution |
| Call Center Operations | Complex Problem-Solving |
| Conflict Mediation & Resolution | Creditor & Debtor Relations |
| Data Entry | Debtor Information Review |
| Debtor Location & Identification | Mentoring & Coaching |
| Payment Options Calculation | Payment Plan Negotiations |
| Payment Recovery | Phone, Email & Mail Communications |
| Process Streamlining & Improvement | Regulatory Compliance |
| Reporting & Documentation | Task Prioritization |
Common Action Verbs for Collections Representative Resumes
It’s easy to get stuck when writing the professional experience section of your resume. You might find yourself running out of action verbs to describe your work. To help you over the hump, we put together this list of strong resume verbs.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Address | Calculate |
| Call | Communicate |
| Convert | Explain |
| Follow up | Improve |
| Listen | Mediate |
| Negotiate | Plan |
| Prevent | Report |
| Resolve | Review |
| Streamline | Update |
How to Align Your Collections Representative Resume With the Job Description
When you find a collections job posting that interests you, look closely at the required skills and qualifications. Are there any you possess but haven’t featured on your resume yet? If so, consider adding a mention of that experience to your resume. For example, if the collections job would require some evening or weekend hours, include that detail in your job descriptions as appropriate. Taking this extra step will make your resume that much more relevant to the job at hand and more likely to attract the hiring manager’s notice.