Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
People classed as Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. The skills rated most useful are active listening, speaking, and social perceptiveness. One core duty is to operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address. On the six-type interest model it reads CRE, meaning orderly work with data, records and clear procedures comes first, followed by hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Getting in usually takes a few months to a year of learning on the job, a level O*NET calls some preparation. It tends to suit people who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
Main tasks
- 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.
Skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Service Orientation
- Reading Comprehension
- Coordination
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on active listening and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CRE takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator)
- Central Communications Specialist
- Communications Operator
- Communications Specialist
- Information Specialist
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.