Collections is a field that usually involves getting people to make payments that are overdue. A supervisor is the person who works directly with the employees who are engaged in these activities. To become a collections supervisor, you may need relevant experience, the ability to display professionalism in stressful situations, and good credit.
A supervisor normally works very closely with a certain group of employees. At a credit card company, for example, it is unlikely that the supervisor of collections will also be the supervisor of customer service. The reason for this is because a supervisor must generally have in-depth knowledge of the area of a business that she oversees.
This means that in most cases, to become a collections supervisor, you will need to have worked in the lower levels of collections. These are usually the jobs that involve direct interaction with the customers. Experience at higher levels will often be insufficient and may result in you being deemed overqualified. It may not be necessary, however, for you to have gained your collections experience at the company where you plan to apply for the supervisor position.
Getting money from people who have not paid or who do not want to pay can be very challenging. The people you will encounter can have very unpleasant attitudes. To become a collections supervisor, you will need to show you can maintain professional standards at all times. Since you will be a leader, you must be able to set an example for your staff that includes a positive attitude, resilience, and positive stress management techniques.
Many companies will not allow you to become a collections supervisor if your credit is not good. Companies often feel they cannot have people who do not pay their bills on time demanding payments of others. If your credit is not so good, you may need to repair it before you attempt to become a supervisor of collections.
Higher education may also help you. In many cases, supervisory positions require that a person have at least an associate’s degree. In competitive markets, a bachelor’s degree may be required. Majors such as business administration, accounting, or financial management may make you an attractive candidate.
Other supervisory experience can also help. This is true even if this experience is in a different field. If you are currently working but need to get some things into order before you apply to become a collections supervisor, it may be wise to apply for a supervisory position where you are.
