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Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $22K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $26K
Median Salary: $31K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $38K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $49K
Demand
Core Tasks
Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.
Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.
Monitor alarm systems to ensure that secure conditions are maintained.
Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.
Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location.
Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts.
Relay or route written or verbal messages.
Answer simple questions about clients' businesses, using reference files.
Place telephone calls or arrange conference calls as instructed.
Keep records of calls placed and charges incurred.
Perform various data entry or word processing tasks, such as updating phone directories, typing or proofreading documents, or creating schedules.
Stamp messages with time and date and file them appropriately.
Complete forms for sales orders.
Contact security staff members when necessary, using radio-telephones.
Process incoming or outgoing mail, packages, or deliveries.
Perform administrative tasks, such as accepting orders, scheduling appointments or meeting rooms, or sending and receiving faxes.
Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
Place orders, such as for equipment, supplies, or catering for meetings.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
81%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
74%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Telecommunications
70%
Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Clerical
67%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Computers and Electronics
63%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administration and Management
60%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Communications and Media
54%
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Public Safety and Security
53%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Personnel and Human Resources
40%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Mathematics
38%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Top 10 Skills
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
78%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness
70%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Reading Comprehension
60%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation
60%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Writing
60%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination
58%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking
58%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making
58%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
58%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
85%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Recognition
83%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Near Vision
65%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Written Expression
63%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
60%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
60%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering
60%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Selective Attention
60%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Top 10 Work Activities
Interacting With Computers
89%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Getting Information
87%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
84%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
81%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
79%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Documenting/Recording Information
78%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
78%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Processing Information
75%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
74%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
71%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Detailed Work Activities
Answer telephones to direct calls or provide information.
Operate communications equipment or systems.
Relay information between personnel.
Proofread documents, records, or other files to ensure accuracy.
Type documents.
Sort mail.
Schedule appointments.
Execute sales or other financial transactions.
Operate audio recording equipment.
Monitor alarm systems.
Refer customers to appropriate personnel.
Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
Answer customer questions about goods or services.
Maintain call records.
File documents or records.
Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
Maintain security.
Prepare cash for deposit or disbursement.
Collect deposits, payments or fees.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Work Context
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Education
Interests
Conventional
96%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising
67%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
53%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic
43%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Artistic
15%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative
15%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
95%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
91%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self Control
90%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Cooperation
89%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Concern for Others
88%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attention to Detail
85%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Stress Tolerance
85%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Independence
77%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Adaptability/Flexibility
76%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Social Orientation
75%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Work Values
Relationships
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
46%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
34%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
34%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
