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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 profit73.41%
  2. State and local government10.34%
  3. Private, not for profit9.55%
  4. Federal government5.21%
  5. Self-employed1.26%

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

$37,630

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$57,180
$23,360
No Information for this section

Education

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%

Knowledge

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

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.