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.
- Private, for profit65.26%
- State and local government14.57%
- Private, not for profit13.42%
- Federal government3.06%
- 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
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
Education & Interests
Most Common Education Levels
People in this career achieve this level of education.
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High school 83%
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Less than high school 15%
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Some college 0%
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Master's degree 0%
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Doctoral degree 0%
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Bachelor's degree 0%
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Associate's degree 0%
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Post baccalaureate 0%
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Post-doctoral training 0%
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Post-master's certificate 0%
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First professional degree 0%
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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
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