Are you a collection specialist looking for a new position or interested in a new workplace? Do you want to write the best collection specialist resume for the job you are currently eyeing? We have something for you. Our article will take an in-depth look at the collection specialist position to help you understand what lies ahead.
We will look at the roles, responsibilities, and requirements around this role, i.e., academic, skills, experience, and knowledge, so you can prepare beforehand. The last part of our article has two resume examples and a complete FAQ section that should help you pen the best resume. Let’s find out more about this position.
Collection Specialist Job Description
A collection specialist is a liaison between the company and its creditors or debtors. These professionals work in collections teams that review accounts, process customer refunds, resolve client inconsistencies, and develop repayment plans. Also known as collection agents, they create monthly credit reviews and research effective collection techniques.
To succeed in this role, one should be able to create and maintain good relationships with clients and, at the same time, guarantee timely payments. Additional requirements include excellent verbal and written communication, negotiation, process optimization, banking, computer literacy, and time management skills. Lastly, a collection specialist should know all debt collection laws and policies.
Collection Specialist Roles and Responsibilities
- Monitoring accounts daily and identifying outstanding debts or discrepancies
- Resolving billing issues as fast as possible for improved customer satisfaction
- Finding out more about each debt or bill by investigating their historical data
- Encouraging timely payment of debts through a set of actions
- Performing regular updates of account status records and collection efforts
- Keeping the supervisor and management updated on collection activities and accounts receivable statuses
- Resolving customer credit issues within the shortest time possible
- Promptly processing payments and refunds for excellent customer service
- Using the right channels to find or contact clients regarding their overdue payments
- Promoting the efficiency of the collection office by performing administrative duties
- Creating and updating monthly credit records
- Closely collaborating with the collections department to develop the best repayment plans
- Supervising assigned accounts on a monthly/daily basis to flag issues/ identify unresolved debts
- Preparing and presenting accurate records of collection progress and activities
- Managing collection efforts by reviewing open accounts
- Regularly mailing correspondence to customers
- Faxing documents to accounts and making up satisfying follow-ups
- Applying excellent customer service skills during client interactions
- Following up with clients regarding payments
- Reviewing all applicable collection reports
- Abiding by all collection laws, procedures, and policies when following up with the client on payments
- Professionally making outbound collection calls and bettering customer relations
- Discussing issues capable of harming collection efforts with management
- Researching and implementing new debt collection techniques
- Maintaining high levels of professionalism when handling client queries
Collection Specialist Required Knowledge and Skills
- Perfect understanding of billing and collection processes
- Knowledge of negotiation techniques
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of debt collection laws and policies
- Excellent administrative skills
- Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Exceptional negotiation skills
- Active listening skills
- Familiarity with the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) and several laws around debt collection practices
- Excellent problem-resolution skills
- Ability to think critically
- Excellent stress management skills
- High levels of patience
- Excellent analytical skills
- Knowledge of accounting principles
- Knowledge of accounting software, including Xero and QuickBooks
- Proficiencies in databases and Microsoft Office tools
- In-depth understanding of administrative duties
- Knowledge of different effective collection techniques
- Ability to work with targets
- Ability to work and fit in team settings
- Excellent time management skills
- Excellent telephone management skills
- Exceptional account management skills
- Ability to optimize processes
- String cash management skills
- In-depth knowledge of General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
- Excellent customer service skills
- High levels of self-confidence
- Ability to manage stress
- Ability to meet strict deadlines
- An eye for accuracy
- Great attention to details
- A sense of urgency
- Ability to adapt to a fast-changing environment
Collection Specialist Education and Experience
- High School Diploma
- Proven experience in corporate collections
- Experience working with a large customer base
- Bachelor’s / Associate’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or any related field
- Proven experience as a collection specialist or a similar role
- Experience with database administration
- Relevant industry certifications
- Experience in a customer service position
- Experience working with targets
- Experience resolving customer credit issues
- Experience processing payments and refunds
Collection Specialist Salary
According to Glassdoor, collection specialists earn an average of $51,000 annually. A few financial Institutions, such as Barclays, pay $60,000+. Those paid hourly mostly earn $21- $30 an hour, depending on the workplace and their experience levels.
Collection Specialist CV Example 1
Jim Harper
Physical address: 8201 Anona Way, Orangevale, California (CA), 90853
Email address: harperjim78@gmail.com
Phone number: (920) 890- 1745
Personal Profile
Collection and billing specialist with excellent accounting skills ready to help enhance debt collection ability through well-defined billing and collection processes. Excellent negotiator with in-depth knowledge of debt collection laws and policies required to achieve collection efforts. Exceptional communicator with satisfactory supervision skills committed to professional and skill development.
Work Experience
06/2019- 10/ 2022- Collections Supervisor, Thorne Financial Services, San Diego, CA
- Supervised a team of 15 junior collection specialists and 2 senior collection specialists; motivating them to meet their monthly quotas
- Ensured 100% adherence to debt collection laws and policies during collection activities
- Recommended the right collection methods, i.e., legal action, phone calls, negotiation, and letters, depending on the nature of the debt
- Communicated with 20 major clients monthly regarding debt payment
- Helped clients find the best payment plans for successful debt payments
- Ensured that all collection methods used by the company were efficient and effective through continuous evaluation
05/2016- 06/2019, Senior Collection Specialist, Borne Credit Facilities, Oakland, CA
- Called, mailed, and made personal visits to 100+ customers monthly to collect payments or negotiate new payment plans
- Collaborated with the collections supervisor to ensure to help the company exceed its monthly collection quotas
- Collaborated with the discrepancy department to promptly investigate and resolve billing issues
- Trained 5 junior collection specialists on client account management, collection best practices, and customer service techniques
- Spearheaded the use of advanced skip-trace techniques to locate customers
- Implemented a collections module and automated billing processes; reducing manual work by 30%
03/2013- 04/2016, Collection Specialist, Bonventre Apartments, Illinois, Chicago
- Charged with collecting delinquencies for a private housing group with over 1500 tenants
- Served as a common point of contact between property managers, accountants, asset managers, and tenants
- Reconciled and prepared monthly delinquency status reports for management
- Liaised with management, clients, tenants, and lawyers for successful debt collection
- Participated in legal proceedings arising from delinquencies
Education
- 03/2008- 06/2012, Bachelor of Arts in Business Management (Accounting & Finance), University of Illinois, Chicago
- 03/2005- 08/2007, High School Diploma, San Jose Senior High School, San Jose, CA
Skills
- Languages
- English
- French
- Italian
Technical Skills
- Debt collection
- Credits & collections
- Finance
- Database administration
- Financial Analysis
- Process optimization
- Debt collection
- Telephone management
- MS Office Suite
- Cash management
- Banking.
- Computer literacy
- Financial Services
- Documentation
- Accounting
- Account management
Soft Skills
- Verbal and written communication
- Attention to details
- Customer service
- High levels of patience
- Stress management
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Critical thinking
- Decision-making
- Creativity
- Prioritization
- Decision-making
- Multi-tasking
- Empathy
- Negotiation
Certifications
03/2016, Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Collection Specialist CV Example 2
Ruth White
Physical address: 8201 Bergamo Cir, California (CA), 98453
Email address: whiteruth19@gmail.com
Phone number: (912) 670- 9538
Personal Profile
Certified collection specialist with 10+ years of experience providing timely follow-up on payment arrangements and collecting payments in accordance with due dates. Experienced accountant with an in-depth understanding of billing processes and procedures. Excellent communicator and team player with excellent financial analysis skills, ready to extensively monitor accounts and build beneficial customer relationships
Work Experience
10/2019- 10/2022, Collections Specialist Team Lead, Brown & Hastings Agencies, Tampa, FL
- Offered technical assistance to 5 collection specialists for the successful completion of daily collection and billing activities
- Ensured that all discrepancies and billing issues were resolved within 24 hours
- Trained the team on effective collection strategies, client account management, and general best practices for performance improvement
- Offered exceptional customer service to clients, answering all their questions regarding collections and billings
- Planned and implemented special collections projects together with the department manager
- Participated in the hiring, training, and onboarding processes of 6 junior collection specialists
- Built and maintained excellent relationships with repossession agencies and 10+ vendors
- Led the team to achieve the ‘ Dream Team Award’ in 2021 for exceeding all collection quotas
05/2016- 08/2019, Collections Specialist, Owen & Joseph Inc, Maimi, Florida
- Led negotiations for full and timely payment arrangements with 500+ customers
- Monitored client accounts regularly to identify discrepancies and related issues
- Maintained excellent professional relationships with the discrepancy specialist for fast investigation and resolution of billing issues
- Updated customer information and notified management on time
- Maintained excellent working relationships with repossession agencies to secure collateral property easily
- Ensured that all incoming customer account queries were handled within 24 hours
- Used advanced skip trace techniques to locate both customers and loan collaterals
- Maintained excellent customer relationships with debtors for easier debt collection
- Helped the organization restructure its cash application process
- Set up the most appropriate payment plans for customers based on their circumstances with authorization from management
- Recommended criminal prosecutions and civil penalties depending on circumstances
04/2013- 04/2016, Junior Collection Specialist, Rose & Alice Inc, Waltham, Massachusetts
- Negotiated and built excellent relationships based on trust with 15 major clients
- Worked closely with 3 major departmental teams, i.e., sales, finance, and customer service, for the successful collection of due receivables
- Regularly monitored accounts payable statements to identify company debts and later follow up on them
- Contacted 100+ customers and business partners monthly to notify them of overdue payments
- Prepared detailed monthly and quarterly reports before submitting them to senior-level management
- Maintained 100% accurate and detailed records on all outstanding payments
- Researched and implemented effective collection techniques, surpassing 80% of all collections quotas
- Responded to client account queries as fast as possible, usually within 24 hours
Education
- 04/2007- 08/2011, Bachelor of Science in Accounting & Financial Management, Bentley University, Waltham, MA
- 02/2005- 03/2007, High School Diploma, San Diego Senior High School, San Diego, CA
Skills
- Languages
- English
- Spanish
- French
Technical Skills
- Computer literacy
- Process optimization
- Database Administration
- MS Office Suite
- Cash collection
- Finance
- Cash collection.
- Financial Services
- Marketing
- Financial analysis
- Banking
- Data entry
- Accounting
- Account reconciliation
- Documentation
Soft Skills
- Attention to details
- Customer service
- Prioritization
- Team-building
- High creativity levels
- Decision-making
- Multi-tasking
- Negotiation
- High empathy levels
- Stress management
- Problem resolution
Certifications
05/2015, Certified Billing and Coding Specialist
Collection Specialist Resume Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which Technical Skills Should I Write in My Resume?
You can only be an exceptional collection specialist if you have specialized knowledge and expertise to perform specific tasks, which are generally called technical skills. They also come in handy in the usage of specific tools and programs. Here are a few recommendations for an excellent resume: accounting, finance, data entry, documentation, financial analysis, account reconciliation, process optimization, marketing, banking, cash management, database administration, Microsoft Office Suite, spreadsheets management, familiarity with debt collection laws, billing, knowledge of collection techniques, technical problem-solving skills, and payment planning.
Additional skills include customer account management, call management, email management, insurance, loss mitigation, research, credit management, data analysis, statement preparation, and knowledge of the General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Ensure that you highlight these skills in your work experience and personal profile sections.
2. Which Soft Skills Should I Include in My Resume?
Soft Skills are personal attributes that enable people to interact effectively and work harmoniously. They relate to how people work and are, therefore, just as necessary as technical skills. Here are some of the best recommendations for your resume: verbal and written communication, active listening, organization, customer service, time management, stress management, problem resolution, ability to work well under pressure, attention to detail, ability to multi-task, excellent negotiation skills, ability to prioritize tasks, team-building skills, high levels of empathy and negotiation skills.
Additional soft skills include conflict resolution, the ability to work in team settings, critical thinking skills, excellent decision-making skills, resourcefulness, persuasion, openness to criticism, ability to adapt, and open-mindedness. Just like with technical skills, ensure that you prioritize those found in the job listing.
3. Which Keywords Should I Use for My Resume?
Hiring managers use applicant tracking systems that check for certain terms or phrases describing specific job requirements. These are normally called keywords and, most of the time, determine whether you will be shortlisted for an interview or not. They can be skills, values, abilities, or expertise that a hiring manager needs in an employee. Here are some of the best recommendations: Microsoft Access, debt collection, customer service, cash collection, cash management, finance, banking, financial services, collection management, administration, accounting, collection development, phone call management, data analysis, and banking.
Additional keywords include PowerPoint, data entry, innovation, reconciling, accounts, debt, MS Office, invoice, compliance, documentation, invoicing, account management, high volume, skip tracing, problem-solving, account receivables, and problem resolution. Ensure these keywords are well spread out in your resume to avoid keyword stuffing.
4. Which Certifications Can I Pursue and Include in My Resume?
Here are some of the best certifications you can pursue and include in your resume:
- Certified Billing and Coding Specialist- This is one of the best certifications for collection specialists working in hospitals of the healthcare industry. National Healthcareer Association offers it to professionals who can convert a diagnosis, medical procedure, or symptoms into specific codes for claim submission or reimbursement. It requires two or more years of work experience and must be renewed every 2 years.
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA)- The Certified Management Accountant certification by the Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business is an advanced credential focusing on accounting and financial management skills needed for excellent business performance. It requires more than two years of experience and must be renewed yearly.
- Professional Collection Specialist- This is an Association of Credit and Collection Professionals certification for professionals trained in professional and ethical collection practices. It has no experience threshold and must be renewed every three years.
- Professional Credit Associate (PCA)– This is one of the best certifications for professionals in the credit industry. It shows that an individual has all the knowledge and skills required in the former industry. This certification has to be renewed every 5 years and requires no experience threshold.
Other certifications you can pursue and include in your resume include Certified Coding Specialist, Microsoft Office Specialist Certification (MOS), Certified Resume Specialist: Accounting and Finance (CRS+ AF), and Professional Certification in Customer Service and Sales. Ensure that you also include your year of completion.
5. How Should I Edit My Resume?
Editing your resume is just as important as matching it to the job listing through the right keywords. The first thing to consider for the perfect resume is getting the format right. It should be in a reverse chronological format, meaning that your last achievements, be it education or experience, should come first. Also, make sure to break down your resume into clear sections, i.e., skills, work experience, education, and personal profile, to make it presentable. Lastly, proofread your resume to remove any errors or issues.