Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service: Job Description
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
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The Daily Work of Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Take On?
The core tasks performed by switchboard operators, including answering service span:
- Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.
- Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
- Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts.
- Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location.
- Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.
- Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.
- Relay or route written or verbal messages.
- Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
What Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Need to Know
Effective switchboard operators, including answering service draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Answering Service Telephone Operator
- CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator)
- Central Communications Specialist
- Combination Operator
- Command and Control Specialist
- Communication Center Operator
- Communications Coordinator
- Communications Operator
How Many Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Are There?
There are roughly 760,791 switchboard operators, including answering service working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +11.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $52,135 |
| Hourly median | $25.06 |
| 10th percentile | $35,392 |
| 25th percentile | $43,763 |
| 75th percentile | $60,506 |
| 90th percentile | $68,878 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $57,220 |
| District of Columbia | $55,140 |
| California | $49,460 |
| Oregon | $49,440 |
| Minnesota | $48,280 |
| Washington | $46,470 |
| New York | $45,030 |
| Colorado | $42,740 |
| Maine | $42,090 |
| Montana | $41,880 |
| Utah | $41,290 |
| New Hampshire | $40,860 |
| Massachusetts | $40,730 |
| Illinois | $40,230 |
| Wisconsin | $39,910 |
| Maryland | $39,750 |
| Vermont | $39,500 |
| Arizona | $39,030 |
| Rhode Island | $38,350 |
| Georgia | $38,080 |
| Michigan | $38,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,930 |
| New Jersey | $37,920 |
| Idaho | $37,650 |
| New Mexico | $37,430 |
| Nevada | $37,260 |
| Iowa | $37,160 |
| Delaware | $36,930 |
| Kansas | $36,900 |
| Nebraska | $36,880 |
| Alaska | $36,600 |
| Connecticut | $36,560 |
| Kentucky | $36,500 |
| Ohio | $36,490 |
| North Carolina | $36,190 |
| Missouri | $35,640 |
| Virgin Islands | $35,620 |
| Virginia | $35,540 |
| Louisiana | $35,260 |
| Oklahoma | $35,170 |
| Florida | $35,080 |
| Indiana | $34,720 |
| West Virginia | $34,600 |
| Arkansas | $33,680 |
| South Carolina | $33,640 |
| Tennessee | $33,280 |
| Texas | $31,780 |
| Mississippi | $31,560 |
| Alabama | $31,450 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,970 |
Where Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Earn the Most
Pay for switchboard operators, including answering service shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $48,439 | 25.5% | 1.72 |
| Rocky Mountains | $41,965 | 2.0% | 0.61 |
| Middle Atlantic | $41,771 | 13.7% | 0.91 |
| New England | $39,755 | 5.2% | 1.12 |
| Great Lakes | $38,539 | 11.2% | 0.93 |
| Plains States | $38,401 | 5.2% | 0.96 |
| Southeast | $34,678 | 24.0% | 1.22 |
| Southwest | $33,410 | 11.1% | 0.89 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $73,220 | 410 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $61,760 | 60 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $61,350 | 240 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $59,810 | 30 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $59,500 | 50 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $58,750 | 150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $54,850 | 870 |
| Bend, OR | OR | $50,310 | 40 |
Top Industries Employing Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
Most switchboard operators, including answering service work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 17,860 | $39,840 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,250 | $36,200 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 2,640 | $44,780 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 980 | $34,890 |
| Retail Trade | 900 | $33,990 |
| Finance and Insurance | 710 | $41,540 |
| Educational Services | 700 | $38,730 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 690 | $39,380 |
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service work in the following industries:
Software Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for switchboard operators, including answering service tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Frequency of Decision Making
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level switchboard operators, including answering service positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Telecommunications Engineering Specialists (Supplemental)
- Telemarketers (Primary-Long)
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (Supplemental)
- Telephone Operators (Primary-Short)
- Billing and Posting Clerks (Supplemental)
- Brokerage Clerks (Supplemental)
- Customer Service Representatives (Primary-Short)
- Receptionists and Information Clerks (Primary-Short)
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-2011.00 (Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service).
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