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Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

General Information

Description

Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.

Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

  1. Private, for profit71.68%
  2. Private, not for profit13.23%
  3. State and local government11.36%
  4. Federal government3.08%
  5. Self-employed0.66%

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

No Information for this section

Salary

Average Salary

Salary

$30,150

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$46,450
$18,530
No Information for this section

Education

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • High school 88%
  • Post-secondary certificate 5%
  • Post baccalaureate 3%
  • Some college 2%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Bachelor's degree 0%
  • Associate's degree 0%
  • Less than high school 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Administrative
  • Computers and Electronics
  • English Language
  • Mathematics

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
No Information for this section

* Military pay may be higher based on specialty pays or bonuses. Learn more about Military benefits.

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.