COLLECTIONS SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND JOB REQUIREMENTS

Updated: Mai 31, 2025 - The Collections Professional demonstrates expertise in managing delinquent accounts, negotiating payment plans, and ensuring timely recovery of outstanding balances. This role demands strong knowledge of credit laws, financial documentation, and effective skip tracing techniques. The position also utilizes advanced communication, conflict resolution, and data analysis skills to reduce bad debt and improve cash flow performance.

Essential Hard and Soft Skills for a Standout Collections Resume
  • AR Management
  • Payment Verification
  • Commission Calculation
  • Cash Management
  • Record Keeping
  • Accounting Software
  • Report Preparation
  • Balance Verification
  • Deduction Analysis
  • Policy Compliance
  • Written Communication
  • Phone Communication
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Team Collaboration
  • Customer Service
  • Goal Achievement
  • Process Improvement
  • Escalation Handling
  • Collection Leadership
  • Performance Coaching

Summary of Collections Knowledge and Qualifications on Resume

1. BA in Accounting with 5 years of Experience

  • Commercial collections working experience 
  • Working knowledge of collection law
  • Experience in negotiating with business executives and owners, attorneys, and/or mediators
  • Experience with asset location methods and resources
  • Knowledge of UCC, contracts, and contract law
  • Experience with the construction, fabrication, and material business sector
  • Understanding of commercial insurance claims and mitigation (NOT medical)
  • Past work or exposure to business-to-business transactions and commerce
  • Knowledge of liens, bonds, insurance subrogation, mitigation, judgments, lawsuits, related matters, and legal processes
  • Effective communication skills, written and verbal (especially email)
  • Efficient and accurate use of a PC and related software
  • Reliable, trustworthy, professional approach and phone etiquette
  • Deadline-oriented, results-oriented in a team environment with the ability to multitask and exhibit grace under pressure

2. BA in Statistics with 2 years of Experience

  • Must have collections experience, ideally within a regulated environment
  • Working knowledge of consumer finance
  • Must have strong analytical skills in the use of Excel
  • Be IT literate with experience in using Outlook.
  • Strong written, numerical, and oral communication skills.
  • Accuracy and attention to detail
  • Able to recognise and deal with customers' sensitive circumstances and ensure that the appropriate actions are taken
  • The ability to prioritise, be organised, and be efficient
  • Flexibility with the capability to adapt to change, new practices, and cope under pressure, but with the ability to recognise when to seek assistance
  • Able to integrate within a team and able to work on their initiative
  • Friendly and helpful approach

3. BA in Finance with 3 years of Experience

  • Experience in commercial credit and collections
  • Knowledge of the customer and business unit computer and process systems
  • Working knowledge of systematic collection tools
  • Working knowledge of bankruptcy
  • NACM Credit Business Associate (CBA) certification
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with negotiation skills
  • Demonstrated Excel skills
  • Familiarity with current technology available in receivables management
  • Demonstrated interpersonal, organizational, and analytical skills
  • Ability to meet tight deadlines

4. BA in Banking and Finance with 2 years of Experience

  • Previous collection working experience.
  • Good attendance and work ethic.
  • Self-starter with strong initiative willing to challenge the status quo.
  • Working ability in SAP and Microsoft programs (Excel and Word)
  • Ability to work in a team environment.
  • Understanding of the Special Collections processes.
  • Effective interpersonal, negotiation, leadership, presentation, and communication skills.
  • Strong organizational skills with a proven ability to plan and deliver results.
  • Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Demonstrates ability to work in complex situations with professionalism and decorum.
  • Ability to work effectively with all levels of internal and external business partners and management levels.

5. BA in Law with 5 years of Experience

  • Knowledge of regulations and bylaws governing electricity and water
  • Experience in dealing with difficult customers, situations, and moderately/complex problems
  • Experience in customer service and collections
  • Demonstrated MS Office experience with a solid understanding of Excel
  • Ability to make quick and accurate decisions with minimal supervision that support the company procedures
  • Demonstrated Customer Service skills, working both with internal and external stakeholders
  • Proven keyboarding competency and accuracy
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Must be able to work from other locations, as per guidelines within the Collective Agreement
  • Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
  • Experience with ERP applications, J.D. Edwards

6. BA in Statistics with 3 years of Experience

  • Collections experience in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
  • Ability to positively and effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
  • Commitment to excellence in customer service.
  • Proven successful results in meeting or exceeding established collections goals.
  • Display effective interpersonal skills with all levels of employees.
  • Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize multiple and changing responsibilities.
  • Strong integrity and work ethic, as well as the ability to have fun and work in an engaging, highly collaborative team environment.
  • Strong Excel skills, Microsoft Word, and Outlook.
  • Experience with various collections software platforms

7. BA in Political Science with 1 year of Experience

  • Ability to build and maintain effective customer/client relationships.
  • Ability to handle multiple systems and competing priorities.
  • Ability to collaborate and negotiate with multiple stakeholders to resolve issues.
  • Experience with Microsoft Suite to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills with negotiation skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills with problem-solving ability
  • Ability to work under pressure with a solution-focused attitude.
  • Strong organization and attention to detail.
  • Self-motivated and resourceful.
  • Strong cultural awareness.

8. BA in Business Administration with 2 years of Experience

  • Prior relevant experience
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
  • Strong critical thinking and analytical skills, desire to learn processes from beginning to end
  • Knowledge of and experience with financial reporting systems, preferably Salesforce
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally in a hands-on capacity
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
  • Ability to work effectively under tight timelines and schedules
  • Proactively and effectively communicate project status and challenges encountered

9. BA in Economics with 5 years of Experience

  • Proven ability to proactively drive continuous improvement in people and processes to improve the Customer Experience
  • Proven experience of delivering effective outcomes in a multi-client, service-related environment
  • Success in leading, coaching, and developing others, taking a hands-on approach
  • Someone who “gets things done”, with the ability to manage time and prioritise tasks
  • A thorough understanding of FCA regulations
  • The ability to use MI data to develop Agent insight and trend analysis to drive performance, identify skill gaps, motivate and drive enhanced capability
  • Proactive and self-motivated with excellent communication and influencing skills
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Ability to identify issues, find solutions, and provide clear guidance and support

10. BA in Risk Management with 8 years of Experience

  • Proven track record of managing full-cycle collections strategies for retail credit products like credit cards, etc.
  • Collections experience in a professional services firm
  • Able to deliver excellent results that exceed requirements, and plan appropriately to meet multiple objectives
  • Be forward-thinking on inter-dependencies to proactively identify and resolve issues.
  • Solid understanding of collections as well as behavioral scoring models, especially for retail credit products.
  • Generally clear, concise, and structured, and can explain complex concepts simply.
  • Detail-oriented and process-oriented, team player.
  • Deep thinker capable of processing a lot of information towards the most optimal decision making.
  • Demonstrated strong knowledge of cash applications and related accounting processes
  • Strong problem-solving and supervisory experience
  • Advanced Excel/Google Sheets, SQL, Tableau, Lucid Charts, Salesforce, Netsuite, Zuora.
  • Strong understanding of financial accounting and CRM systems (Salesforce, Netsuite, Zuora)

11. BA in Marketing with 4 years of Experience

  • Experience working in a heavily outbound environment
  • Experience working with consumer collections
  • Prior high-volume collections experience
  • Prior experience working with collections/accounting software
  • Well-founded grasp of Accounts Receivable (AR)
  • Proficiency in consumer collections
  • Proven knowledge of credit collections
  • Commercial collections experience
  • Solid understanding of Inbound and Outbound Calls
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Effectively analyze customer accounts and make decisions based on said analyses

12. BA in Accounting with 6 years of Experience

  • Experience in a large organization ($500 million annual sales or more), commercial collections function.
  • Experience in a formal leadership capacity in an accounts receivable function, preferably collections.
  • Familiarity with large-scale ERP systems and their corresponding A/R components
  • Familiarity with reporting tools, preferably reporting of collections performance data.
  • Ability to use MS Office programs at an intermediate level (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
  • Experienced in preparing and presenting presentations in person or via WebEx.
  • Strong negotiation skills - sales and customers.
  • Basic understanding of receivable securitization options - liens, LOCs, and deposits/prepayments.
  • Basic understanding of SOX/Audit compliance, controls, and necessary reporting.
  • Demonstrated experience training others in collections

13. BA in Finance with 7 years of Experience

  • Leadership experience in similar roles in a high-volume environment
  • Thorough knowledge of commercial Receivables Management processes and lifecycle
  • Conversant in the litigation process, dispute resolution process (AFCA), ASIC Debt Collection Guidelines, and relevant regulatory Acts in the commercial space
  • Knowledge of the SME market segment and BNPL/financial products (highly regarded)
  • Excellent personal and interpersonal communication skills, verbal and written - calm, balanced, and client-centric approach
  • Ability to communicate effectively with management and internal stakeholders
  • Problem-solving, analytical, decision-making, and collaborative skills
  • Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP, Pivots, Dash/Reporting), tech savvy
  • Ability to effectively prioritise, manage deadlines, and understand new ideas and concepts quickly
  • Self-motivated, proactive, and goal-driven (outcome-focused)
  • Be comfortable working autonomously as well as in a team
  • Confidence to express ideas for improvement
  • Ability to understand business needs, consistently meet expectations, and respond promptly and professionally to business requests or enquiries, seeking guidance as appropriate