The following are a few interview questions to help you assess and evaluate the best candidate to hire as a Debt Collector.
Debt Collector Interview Questions
Although being a Debt Collector is a sophisticated task, the job usually requires no more than a high school Diploma and doesn’t require a surplus of specialized knowledge. A Bachelor’s Degree may be required occasionally. However, the job can be cumbersome and stressful and can produce mental and emotional pressure. Therefore, candidates who can manage the job easily while also taking care of their mental health are ideal for the job. A perfect Debt Collector is patient and relatively polite, but can also be assertive and convincing. Negotiation and marketing skills are required, along with computer experience. The candidate must have some form of previous Customer Service or Call Centre experience. Experience and knowledge of the task at hand are also critical. So only the best and most experienced candidates qualify for this job. The job poses both typical and atypical situations. It is best to test the candidates by presenting them with a variety of circumstances to evaluate their critical-thinking abilities. Discover more about their past experiences and find out how their previous jobs have shaped their professional skills. Also, inquire about their current motivations. The following guide provides some open-end questions to help you select the perfect candidate for a Debt Collecting job.
Operational and Situational questions
- How would you respond to a customer who uses obscene and vulgar speech?
- Think of a few typical excuses that debtors may make. How do you think you would respond to them?
- A debt is pending for the last 4 months. When you call to ask about the reason, the debtor states his difficulties and presents exaggerated emotions and sentiments. What will you do?
- How do you conduct skip tracing? How would you ensure that the process is one hundred percent legal?
- What key pointers would indicate that legal action is the only solution to the problem at hand?
- What will be your first step to take a legal action against any debtor?
- How would you be able to extrapolate the required information from someone who seems eager to end the call?
Role-specific questions
- State a minimum of three things a Debt Collector should refrain from saying or doing when collecting a debt.
- How would you keep note of all outstanding payments? Do you prefer to use any computerized software or manual techniques?
- How would you react to working with targets? Do you feel comfortable with them?
- How many methods of collection are you familiar with? Can you describe them?
- On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate your knowledge about FDCPA or HIPAA dictations?
Behavioral questions
- Have you ever felt deeply stressed by the job? How did you manage it?
- Have you ever faced any difficulties in negotiating with a customer? How did you handle the situation?
- Define a certain time when you felt bold and confident about your job?
- Have you ever dealt with a rude and/or irritated customer? How did you respond to that situation?
- How patient are you? Rate yourself on the basis of your tolerance and patience from 1 to 10.
