What Do Switchboard Operators Do?

Example of a Switchboard Operator Job Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.

A Day in the Life of a Switchboard Operator

• Monitor alarm systems to ensure that secure conditions are maintained.
• Complete forms for sales orders.
• Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
• Place orders, such as for equipment, supplies, or catering for meetings.
• Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
• Relay or route written or verbal messages.

Switchboard Operator Skills

These are the skills Switchboard Operators say are the most useful in their careers:

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

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.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Types of Switchboard Operators

• Switchboard Receptionist
• PBX Teacher
• Switchboard Operator
• Traffic Operator
• Telephone Switchboard Operator

Switchboard Operator Job Outlook

In the United States, there were 93,200 jobs for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in 2016.

Switchboard Operator jobs are decreasing by a rate of -19.9%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -18,500 jobs for Switchboard Operators by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 9,000 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service are Maryland, Alaska, and North Dakota.

Watch out if you plan on working in California, New York, or Florida. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for Switchboard Operators

The typical yearly salary for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service is somewhere between $21,040 and $44,640. A Switchboard Operator median salary is $29,420.

How much do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service make in each U.S. state?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Connecticut	$42,920
District of Columbia	$41,390
Hawaii	$41,250
New York	$38,020
Oregon	$37,170
California	$36,160
Minnesota	$35,770
Alaska	$35,240
Washington	$34,740
Massachusetts	$34,560
Illinois	$33,830
New Jersey	$32,830
Rhode Island	$32,090
North Dakota	$31,900
New Hampshire	$31,820
Wisconsin	$31,580
Michigan	$31,560
Nevada	$31,430
Maryland	$31,340
Nebraska	$30,930
Missouri	$30,790
Georgia	$30,700
Wyoming	$30,550
Colorado	$30,400
Vermont	$30,380
New Mexico	$29,580
Pennsylvania	$29,200
Delaware	$29,090
Idaho	$29,070
Tennessee	$28,980
Arizona	$28,940
Iowa	$28,850
Maine	$28,850
Indiana	$28,550
Virginia	$28,350
North Carolina	$28,290
Kansas	$28,150
Ohio	$28,070
Florida	$28,020
Oklahoma	$27,640
Texas	$27,320
South Carolina	$27,270
Louisiana	$27,180
Montana	$27,120
West Virginia	$27,120
Utah	$26,430
Arkansas	$26,090
Mississippi	$25,150
Alabama	$24,570
Kentucky	$23,950

What Tools do Switchboard Operators Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Switchboard Operators:

• SAP
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• IBM Notes
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word

How do I Become a Switchboard Operator?

What education is needed to be a Switchboard Operator?

How Long Does it Take to Become Switchboard Operator?

Where Switchboard Operators Are Employed

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being a Switchboard Operator may also be interested in:

• Order Clerks

Career changers with experience as a Switchboard Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons