She had never done anything in collections before, but she had customer service background and skills, so she made the leap into a collection agency.

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The company used a performance-based point system to encourage good customer service and adroit massage skills.

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According to the survey, the following percentages of employers want their employees to sharpen their skills in the following areas: time management (62 percent), customer service (45 percent), Microsoft Excel (44 percent), leadership (39 percent), interpersonal skills (33 percent), business etiquette (26 percent) and business ethics (17 percent).

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What's more, many jobs in the insurance industry use skills that are prevalent in fields like corporate finance, law and customer service, making a switch more feasible.

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To be effective service brokers, CIOs must build skills in product management, product marketing, and customer satisfaction.

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United Health Group, one of the biggest employers in healthcare, insurance, and customer service, now hires college graduates into its claim and call centers because of their need for more specialized skills.

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