The long-term employment outlook for the customer service industry is very strong. Extended hours of operation and the growing demand for information are expected to make jobs in customer service more important than ever before. Applicants with computer training and/or experience as well as fluency in foreign languages will have a significant advantage when dealing with ever more complex consumer needs. The insurance, finance and retail sectors are likely to see the largest increase in customer service jobs.

The call center jobs market offers a somewhat murkier future. The need for telephone and email customer service representatives will increase as the online economy grows, but outsourcing and overseas call centers have diminished employment opportunities. The creation of virtual call center jobs (commonly known as telemarketing from home) using VoIP technology is one approach American companies are using to make call center careers more appealing to workers. Telemarketing jobs will likely be in shorter supply in the coming years as a result of increased cellular phone use and the national do-not-call registry.