What is a Switchboard Operator?
Occupation Description Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
List of Switchboard Operator Job Duties
- Answer simple questions about clients' businesses, using reference files.
- Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.
- Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
- Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
- Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.
- Process incoming or outgoing mail, packages, or deliveries.
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Switchboard Operator Required Skills
When polled, Switchboard Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Related Job Titles
- Tandem Operator
- Command and Control Specialist
- Desk Operator
- Operator
- Switchboard Operator
Are There Job Opportunities for Switchboard Operators?
There were about 93,200 jobs for Switchboard Operator in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Switchboard Operator. The BLS estimates 9,000 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Switchboard Operator are Maryland, Alaska, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in New Mexico, North Dakota, or Colorado. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Switchboard Operator
The typical yearly salary for Switchboard Operators is somewhere between $21,040 and $44,640.
Switchboard Operators who work in Hawaii, District of Columbia, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Switchboard Operators in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $24,570 |
| Alaska | $35,240 |
| Arizona | $28,940 |
| Arkansas | $26,090 |
| California | $36,160 |
| Colorado | $30,400 |
| Connecticut | $42,920 |
| Delaware | $29,090 |
| District of Columbia | $41,390 |
| Florida | $28,020 |
| Georgia | $30,700 |
| Hawaii | $41,250 |
| Idaho | $29,070 |
| Illinois | $33,830 |
| Indiana | $28,550 |
| Iowa | $28,850 |
| Kansas | $28,150 |
| Kentucky | $23,950 |
| Louisiana | $27,180 |
| Maine | $28,850 |
| Maryland | $31,340 |
| Massachusetts | $34,560 |
| Michigan | $31,560 |
| Minnesota | $35,770 |
| Mississippi | $25,150 |
| Missouri | $30,790 |
| Montana | $27,120 |
| Nebraska | $30,930 |
| Nevada | $31,430 |
| New Hampshire | $31,820 |
| New Jersey | $32,830 |
| New Mexico | $29,580 |
| New York | $38,020 |
| North Carolina | $28,290 |
| North Dakota | $31,900 |
| Ohio | $28,070 |
| Oklahoma | $27,640 |
| Oregon | $37,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,200 |
| Rhode Island | $32,090 |
| South Carolina | $27,270 |
| Tennessee | $28,980 |
| Texas | $27,320 |
| Utah | $26,430 |
| Vermont | $30,380 |
| Virginia | $28,350 |
| Washington | $34,740 |
| West Virginia | $27,120 |
| Wisconsin | $31,580 |
| Wyoming | $30,550 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Switchboard Operators
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Switchboard Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- IBM Notes
How to Become a Switchboard Operator
What education or degrees do I need to become a Switchboard Operator?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Switchboard Operators Work?
Below are examples of industries where Switchboard Operators work:
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Career changers with experience as a Switchboard Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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