Debt Collector
Kaikohi Nama
Alternative titles for this job
Debt collectors help businesses and individuals collect money or goods from people with overdue debts.
Pay
Debt collectors usually earn
$48K-$65K per year
Source: Kelly Services, 2019.
Job opportunities
Vocational PathwaysPay
Pay for debt collectors varies depending on skills and experience.
- Debt collectors usually earn between $48,000 and $65,000 a year
- Senior debt collectors who manage teams may earn more than this.
Source: Kelly Services, 'Kelly Services Salary Guide 2019', 2019; and careers.govt.nz research, 2020.
- PAYE.net.nz website - use this calculator to convert pay and salary information
- Employment New Zealand website - information about minimum wage rates
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)
What you will do
Debt collectors may do some or all of the following:
- keep track of client accounts and contact them to find out why they haven't paid their debts
- work with clients to implement payment plans
- organise the repossession of items or legal action against clients to settle overdue debts.
Skills and knowledge
Debt collectors need to have knowledge of:
- the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act
- relevant sections of the Consumer Guarantees Act and Privacy Act
- District Court rules and procedures.
Working conditions
Debt collectors:
usually work regular business hours or do shift work that includes weekends and evenings- work in call centres and offices
- may travel locally or nationally to visit clients.
Entry requirements
There are no specific requirements to become a debt collector. However, employers may prefer you to have contact centre experience or a New Zealand Certificate in Contact Centres (Level 3 or 4).
Debt collectors gain skills on the job and can also study for their certificate while working.
Secondary education
No specific secondary education is required for this job, but economics, maths and accounting to at least NCEA Level 2 is useful.
Personal requirements
Debt collectors need to be:
- good communicators, including with people who are angry or upset
- good negotiators
- emotionally intelligent and able to relate different people
- confident, resilient and self-motivated
- able to work well under pressure
Useful experience
Useful experience for debt collectors includes:
- work as a legal clerk
- call centre work
- customer service work
- credit control work
- work in a bank or insurance company.
Find out more about training
- Ignite College
- 0800 200 345- info@ignitecolleges.ac.nz - https://ignitecolleges.ac.nz
What are the chances of getting a job?
Average demand for debt collectors
Demand for debt collectors is average because even though vacancies are common due to high turnover, overall the occupation is shrinking.
According to the Census, 1,770 debt collectors worked in New Zealand in 2018, a 10.5% decrease from 2013.
Unstable economy creates more debt
Demand for debt collectors is likely to increase because the economy is unstable, which is causing more people to take on debt. According to the Reserve Bank, average household debt in New Zealand reached a record high in 2020.
Most debt collectors work for debt collection agencies
Debt collectors usually work for debt collection agencies, which contract their services out to other businesses.
Sources
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, ‘Occupation Outlook for Contact Centre Workers’, (occupationoutlook.govt.nz).
- Reserve Bank of New Zealand, ‘Household Debt to Income Ratio’, accessed November 2020, (www.rbnz.govt.nz).
- Stats NZ, '2018 Census Data', 2019.
- Stats NZ, ‘Unemployment rate hits 5.3 percent due to COVID-19’, 04 November 2020, (www.stats.govt.nz).
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)
Progression and specialisations
Debt collectors may move into team management roles or other finance industry roles.
Debt collectors contact customers and arrange payment of unpaid bills
Last updated 27 March 2024