| Telephone Operators | |||||||||||
| Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Telephone Operators | |||||||||||
| Employment | Employment Change | Average Annual Job Openings | Wage & Training Levels | ||||||||
| 2020 | 2025 | Numerical | Percent | New Jobs | Replacement Jobs | Total | Median Hourly | Median Annual | Training Levels | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 33 | -1 | -3.45% | 0 | 5 | 5 | $33.44 | $69,560 | High school diploma or equivalent | ||
| Description: | Provide information by accessing alphabetical and geographical 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. | ||||||||||
| Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023) | |||||||||||
Occupation Details
The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.
- Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
- Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, and/or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information.
- Offer special assistance to persons such as those who are unable to dial or who are in emergency situations.
Knowledge
| 90% | Customer and Personal Service - 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. |
| 81% | English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. |
| 57% | Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems. |
| 52% | Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media. |
| 75% | Active Listening - 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. |
| 75% | Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| 69% | Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| 56% | Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| 50% | Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. |
| 50% | Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| 88% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
| 81% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
| 78% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
| 72% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. |
| 56% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. |
| 53% | Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. |
| 50% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. |
| 86% | Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| 82% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| 75% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| 70% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| 69% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| 69% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| 65% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| 62% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| 60% | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| 57% | Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
| 55% | Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
| 54% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| 54% | Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| 54% | Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| 53% | Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
| 50% | Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - 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. |
| Title | Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed |
| Overall 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. |
| 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. |
| Job Zone Examples | These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers. |
| Education | These occupations usually require a high school diploma. |
Interests
| Conventional - 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. |
| Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others. |
| Realistic - 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 outsi |
| Enterprising - 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. |
| Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations. |
| Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
| Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
| Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| Independence - 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. |
| Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
| Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
| Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
| Relationships - 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. |