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Telephone Operators

General Information

Description

Provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. Assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialed numbers or bad connections. May handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.

Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

  1. Private, for profit65.26%
  2. State and local government14.57%
  3. Private, not for profit13.42%
  4. Federal government3.06%
  5. Self-employed2.38%

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Industry areas

  • Business Management & Administration

Similar Careers

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Salary

Salary Information

Median Salary This is the median, or the midpoint, of the salary range for this career.

$38,330

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

Salary Range Salary varies based on years of experience, degree level and location.

$22,260
$53,570
No Information for this section

Education & Interests

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • High school 83%
  • Less than high school 15%
  • Some college 0%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Bachelor's degree 0%
  • Associate's degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%
  • Post-secondary certificate 0%

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

You may find this career fulfilling if you consider yourself to be:

  • Conventional — You have an interest in following procedures and regulations to organize information or data.
  • Social — You have an interest in helping, teaching, advising, assisting or providing service to others.
  • Realistic — You have an interest in physically working with equipment, materials or structures.

Not sure what characteristics best describe you? Take the RIASEC Test.

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Communications and Media
  • Administrative
  • Education and Training

Gain insights into your knowledge by using the ASVAB Career Exploration Program

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Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.