Telephone Operators
In the Telephone Operators occupation, workers provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on speaking, active listening, and service orientation. One core duty is to observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections. On the six-type interest model it reads CSE, meaning orderly work with data, records and clear procedures comes first, followed by helping, teaching or caring for people. The job can ask you to operate telephone switchboards and systems to advance and complete connections, including those for local, long distance, pay telephone, mobile, person-to-person, and emergency calls. 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
Provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. Assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialed numbers or bad connections. May handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.
Main tasks
- Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections.
- Operate telephone switchboards and systems to advance and complete connections, including those for local, long distance, pay telephone, mobile, person-to-person, and emergency calls.
- Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
- Update directory information.
- Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information.
- Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.
Skills
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on speaking and active listening.
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 CSE 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
- 411 Directory Assistance Operator (411 Directory Assistance Op)
- Directory Assistance Operator (Directory Assistance Op)
- Information Specialist
- Live Source Operator (Live Source Op)
- Long Distance Operator (LD Operator)
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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.