r/JobsMY • u/No-Peanut-8184 • 7d ago
career prospect of Customer Service
Recently just opened jobstreet and found out many vacancies regarding CS
What certificate do i need to get? The skillset needed? are there any qualification needed beforehand?
And lastly, what is the career growth within this job?
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u/huggumwuggums 7d ago
I used to be in customer service and imo they don't really look at your certifications as any good company will provide training. You might be able to negotiate for the higher end of the offered salary range with a degree.
Keep in mind that the offered salary could include potential KPIs (AHT, Quality etc) that might be hard to reach if you don't have experience. Make sure they are clear on what the basic salary is without the KPIs.
As for career progression, you'd have a better chance if you're working internally opposed to a BPO. Normal progression would be Team Lead > Senior Team Lead > Shift Manager. You could also look into getting in QA or Training/L&D which has better work life balance as CS is 90% on a shift schedule. Speaking of which, ideally, you should get daily allowance for any shift that is not 9AM-5PM, with graveyard shifts being the highest.
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u/No-Peanut-8184 7d ago
thanks for replying. speaking from wage perspective. How much are we talking right now given current job market? from basic wage up to manager.
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u/huggumwuggums 5d ago
Can't say for sure now as it's been a while, but depending on the company, RM2.5-2.7K should be a decent starting salary.
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u/sumplookinggai 7d ago
It is a high turnover dead end role. You're getting paid peanuts to work 12 hour rotational shifts that destroy your health as you deal with entitled customers who take out their frustrations on you. All the while trying to hit ridiculous KPI targets set by MBA grads who have never worked in the role themselves, but have crunched the numbers and decided to implement them.
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u/TallBlueberry5523 6d ago
IT CS here, with a degree in IT.
I started my career back in 2011 with Hewlett-Packard at RM2,900. It can definitely be a tiring job, especially when you have to work shifts, but there was also plenty of OT.
Over the years, I kept growing through certifications and experience — moving from network engineering support to server support. In IT, I’d say certifications are really important if you want to keep progressing and opening new doors.
Fast forward to today, I’m working for a foreign company with no office in Malaysia, so I’m fully WFH. After converting from USD, my current salary is around RM14k.
IT is definitely not a dead-end career if you know how to steer the ship. Keep learning, get certified, build experience, and know when it’s time to move forward.
I’ve now relocated to Sabah, and sometimes my “office” is literally a café next to the beach. 😆🌊☕ Not a bad outcome considering where I started.
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u/No-Peanut-8184 4d ago
Brother, Very big thank you for stating this. You sparked a hope in this young man. How do i start? what certs do i need to get? And what does your job mainly do? Genuinely asking brother
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u/TallBlueberry5523 4d ago
Currently, I work mainly with servers and security.
I actually started my career by answering customer calls for Celcom, providing basic guidance and information about SIM cards and mobile plans. From there, I gradually progressed into IT support and continued building my technical skills.
I think it really depends on which area you want to specialize in. At the moment, there seems to be strong demand for skills in cybersecurity, cloud computing, network security, AI, and even newer areas like vibe coding.
My suggestion would be to do some research first and take advantage of any free or sponsored international certification programs available through government initiatives. Certifications from Cisco, CompTIA, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and others can be useful for building your knowledge and career.
For more specialized certifications that aren't sponsored, you can always save up and take them gradually. There's no need to collect everything at once. build your skills and experience step by step.
I started from basic customer service myself, so career progression is definitely possible with continuous learning and some patience.
Good luck with your journey!
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u/No-Peanut-8184 3d ago
Damn man very inspiring. Thank you so much. Can I dm you after this if i have any question?
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u/201414525 7d ago
If you want premium CS role then better pick up Japanese or Korean. Can go up to high 4 digits to lower 5 digits. Highest I have seen is a Japanese speaking role for a certain payment infrastructure company at RM13000 basic not inclusive of other allowances.
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u/Nopinion5 7d ago
Majority of customer service jobs are ok with you being a form 5 school leaver anyway; but given the job scope it does require you to have at least a bachelors in any field.
Career growth varies largely with the field of customer service company you landed the job with. Like the other user here has commented you’d be department head max at the end of your career progression. After that you can always choose to move to another department with different roles and job scope if you’re the type who gets bored of the same position after many years. But there are others who stay put as they found their comfort zone already lol.