What Do Telemarketer Do?
Example of Telemarketer Job Solicit donations or orders for goods or services over the telephone.
Life As a Telemarketer
- Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
- Schedule appointments for sales representatives to meet with prospective customers or for customers to attend sales presentations.
- Adjust sales scripts to better target the needs and interests of specific individuals.
- Conduct client or market surveys to obtain information about potential customers.
- Answer telephone calls from potential customers who have been solicited through advertisements.
- Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone to solicit sales for goods or services, or to request donations for charitable causes.
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Telemarketer Required Skills
When polled, Telemarketers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
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.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
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.
Types of Telemarketer Jobs
- Appointment Setter
- Telephone Sales Representative (TSR)
- Telephone Service Representative (TSR)
- Call Center Representative
- Outbound Telemarketer
Telemarketer Job Outlook
There were about 216,600 jobs for Telemarketer in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Telemarketer. There will be an estimated 33,300 positions for Telemarketer per year.

The states with the most job growth for Telemarketer are Washington, Nevada, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in North Dakota, Vermont, or South Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Telemarketer Make?
Telemarketers make between $18,680 and $41,740 a year.

Telemarketers who work in Washington, Massachusetts, or New Hampshire, make the highest salaries.
How much do Telemarketers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $25,640 |
Arizona | $29,780 |
Arkansas | $22,440 |
California | $31,880 |
Colorado | $29,980 |
Connecticut | $34,950 |
Delaware | $30,000 |
District of Columbia | $28,680 |
Florida | $25,330 |
Georgia | $24,780 |
Hawaii | $25,620 |
Idaho | $26,060 |
Illinois | $29,840 |
Indiana | $29,960 |
Iowa | $27,510 |
Kansas | $27,900 |
Kentucky | $28,120 |
Louisiana | $29,960 |
Maine | $30,550 |
Maryland | $30,040 |
Massachusetts | $42,270 |
Michigan | $28,480 |
Minnesota | $33,400 |
Mississippi | $29,480 |
Missouri | $25,940 |
Montana | $24,090 |
Nebraska | $26,800 |
Nevada | $29,580 |
New Hampshire | $38,250 |
New Jersey | $30,120 |
New Mexico | $26,200 |
New York | $31,790 |
North Carolina | $26,810 |
North Dakota | $23,570 |
Ohio | $25,670 |
Oklahoma | $27,230 |
Oregon | $31,930 |
Pennsylvania | $27,380 |
Rhode Island | $31,620 |
South Carolina | $28,440 |
Tennessee | $25,040 |
Texas | $29,400 |
Utah | $33,040 |
Virginia | $27,060 |
Washington | $37,020 |
West Virginia | $25,050 |
Wisconsin | $33,470 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Telemarketers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Telemarketers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Dynamics
Becoming a Telemarketer
Learn what Telemarketer education requirements there are.

What work experience do I need to become a Telemarketer?

Where do Telemarketers Work?

Below are examples of industries where Telemarketers work:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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