Debt Collectors
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Debt Collectors collect consumer, commercial, insurance and other forms of debt for clients, make arrangements to settle overdue accounts, formalise payment arrangements and follow up until accounts are fully paid.
Also known as: Mercantile Agent, or Debt Recovery Officer.
Specialisations: Collection Agent, Collection Officer, Repossession Agent.
Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Debt Collector. Although some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification or university degree in accounting, business, management, banking and finance.
Tasks
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liaising with clients, credit staff, accounts receivable departments, process servers, Private Investigators, Barristers and Solicitors to find solutions to payment problems
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identifying, locating and notifying debtors of overdue accounts in writing, by telephoning and in person, and arranging for payments to be made
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tracing addresses of debtors who have moved
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arranging new repayment plans for debtors having difficulties making existing repayments
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referring debtors' disputes to creditors
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issuing instructions for the commencement of legal action and enforcement to recover money
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arranging for money and goods collected to be transferred to creditors' possession, and preparing statements of account for creditors
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recording amounts collected and noting any further action required
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complying with debt collection guidelines and relevant legislation
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Sedentary
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Light
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers in this occupation is likely to remain stable.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 10,200 |
2012 | 9,700 |
2013 | 11,200 |
2014 | 8,200 |
2015 | 9,900 |
2016 | 4,200 |
2017 | 11,000 |
2018 | 9,600 |
2019 | 8,200 |
2020 | 4,200 |
2021 | 4,100 |
2026 | 4,100 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 73% of people employed as Debt Collectors work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 7 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 40 hours per week in their main job. This is 4 hours less than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Median full-time earnings are $1,331 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):
- 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,100
- 1 in 4 earn more than $1,435
Median hourly earnings are $35, this is lower than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).
Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.
Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)
Earnings | Debt Collectors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Full-Time Earnings | 1,331 | 1,593 |
Total Earnings | 0 | 0 |
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Industries
Main industries
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Debt Collectors work in industries like:
- Public administration and safety
- Administrative and support services
- Financial and insurance services
- Wholesale trade.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Debt Collectors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 33.7 | 31.6 |
VIC | 26.6 | 25.6 |
QLD | 21.9 | 20.0 |
SA | 7.6 | 7.0 |
WA | 7.5 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.3 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.5 | 1.0 |
ACT | 0.8 | 1.9 |
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Around 73% of Debt Collectors live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Debt Collectors is 38 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 62% of the workforce. This is 14 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Debt Collectors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 1.9 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 12.4 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 27.5 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 21.8 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 19.4 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 7.9 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 5.2 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 3.9 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 38 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Debt Collector. Although some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification or university degree in accounting, business, management, banking and finance.
Registration or licencing may be required.
Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Debt Collectors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 6.7 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 16.3 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 12.4 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 17.5 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 30.5 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 6.3 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 10.4 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Debt Collectors who have a high attention to detail, are professional, courteous and responsible.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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55%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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55%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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52%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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50%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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48%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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48%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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48%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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45%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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45%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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43%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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43%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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41%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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39%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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39%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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39%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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32%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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32%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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32%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
-
29%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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67%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
65%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
51%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
45%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
42%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
39%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
39%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
-
35%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
32%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
32%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
31%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
24%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
23%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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18%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
-
17%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
-
15%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
14%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
11%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
-
9%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
7%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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59%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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59%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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57%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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54%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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52%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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50%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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48%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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48%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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48%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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46%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
-
45%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
-
43%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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43%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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39%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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39%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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39%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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39%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
-
37%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
36%
Finger dexterityPut together small parts with your fingers.
-
36%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
60%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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60%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
59%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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58%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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57%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
57%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
55%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
55%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
54%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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52%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
49%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
48%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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46%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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44%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
39%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
39%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
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38%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
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37%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
-
35%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
33%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
95%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
81%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
33%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
29%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
19%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
14%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
-
62%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
57%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
48%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
43%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
43%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
33%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Demands
-
100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
98%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
95%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
88%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
87%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
86%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
86%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
-
85%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
85%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
85%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
83%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
83%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
80%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
80%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
79%
Making repetitive motionsSpend time making repetitive motions.
-
78%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
74%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
-
72%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
71%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
-
67%
Loud or uncomfortable soundsBe exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 43-3011.00 - Bill and Account Collectors.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.