Numbers are everything.

Contact centers measure their success with numbers—lots and lots of numbers, from how long each customer is on hold to the length of your breaks to how many calls you take per hour. These statistics help contact center managers understand how to maximize customer satisfaction while keeping efficiency high. It might be overwhelming at first, but by 31 days on the job, many representatives turn each call into a game and compete against themselves, trying to smash their records and “win.”

Your success is only limited by your willingness to work hard.

While in previous years, contact center jobs have been outsourced more frequently than not, this trend is reversing in a big way. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that call center employment rates will swell 38 percent between 2012 and 2022, which is great news for the diligent call representative.

Call centers sometimes have quick turnover, which means it’s easy for a hard-working call center representative to get promoted. From to agent to lead agent to supervisor, the sky is the limit since contact centers tend to prefer hiring from within the company.

You will develop thick skin and become a master communicator.

It’s an unfortunate fact of the call center experience that sometimes, you will have a difficult caller. After a month on the job, though, you will have internalized the principle that each call is a chance to do better and learn more than the last one. You’ll already be well on your way to deciphering any accent, understanding diverse perspectives, and providing a good customer experience every time.

By a month into your experience at a call center, you probably will have developed your own strategies for dealing with different kinds of callers. One time-honored tactic is based on psychology and usually works: when a caller seems frustrated, give their emotion a name, restate the problem, empathize, then follow with a proactive statement that you’ll assist them. For example: “You sound sad that your computer’s files disappeared, and I would be too. I’m going to look for a backup for you.”

You will have vastly improved your skill at public speaking, multitasking, troubleshooting and problem-solving. You will have spoken to people from all over and created connections, no matter how fleeting, while you worked to solve their problems.

Maintaining solid professional relationships will improve your experience.

Contact centers have the reputation of being solitary working environments, but that simply isn’t true. All of the representatives rely on each other and works as a team to maintain customer satisfaction, and many call centers boost staff morale by hosting internal competitions or casual gatherings. Because some contact centers have very large staffs, it’s vital to your professional success to avoid gossip or complaining.

A poll hosted by Lloyds Pharmacy found that call center employees were more likely than any other employees to have an interoffice relationship. By the end of your first month on the job, it’s likely that you’ll have seen the negative effects that dating another representative can bring.

With these four lessons in mind before you begin your career in a contact center, you’re sure to climb the ranks in no time.