Telephone Operators
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.
- O*NET-SOC code
43-2021.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31,510 | $36,920 | $41,740 | $51,510 | $62,950 |
By state (18)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 230 | $57,170 | 0.58 |
| District of Columbia | 50 | $49,330 | 3.19 |
| Florida | 70 | $37,180 | 0.33 |
| Georgia | 160 | $36,920 | 1.44 |
| Louisiana | 50 | $31,400 | 1.06 |
| Maryland | 110 | $42,460 | 1.75 |
| Massachusetts | $47,940 | ||
| Michigan | 80 | $37,550 | 0.80 |
| New Jersey | 190 | $41,960 | 2.06 |
| New York | $50,220 | ||
| North Carolina | 40 | $40,360 | 0.33 |
| Ohio | 220 | $36,970 | 1.82 |
| Oklahoma | 40 | $37,320 | 0.94 |
| South Carolina | 170 | Not available | 3.25 |
| Tennessee | 150 | Not available | 2.01 |
| Texas | 280 | $41,250 | 0.90 |
| Virginia | $42,350 | ||
| Wisconsin | 60 | $46,590 | 0.88 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service | 1-2 | 0.972 |
| 2 | Receptionists and Information Clerks | 1-2 | 0.954 |
| 3 | Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan | 3 | 0.937 |
| 4 | Customer Service Representatives | 1-2 | 0.934 |
| 5 | Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1-2 | 0.933 |
| 6 | Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | 3 | 0.933 |
| 7 | Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks | 1-2 | 0.925 |
| 8 | Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | 1-2 | 0.924 |
| 9 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1-2 | 0.918 |
| 10 | Concierges | 1-2 | 0.917 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Telephone Operators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | Time Management | 0.88 | 0.933 |
| Office Clerks, General | Writing | 0.87 | 0.916 |
| Gambling Cage Workers | Mathematics | 2.00 | 0.899 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Telephone Operators, excluding software Telephone Operators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Medical procedure coding software | 8 of 20 | 8.2x |
| Billing software | 6 of 20 | 12.6x |
| Medical condition coding software | 7 of 20 | 8.1x |
| Database software | 12 of 20 | 3.3x |
| Microsoft Publisher | 9 of 20 | 4.4x |
| Alpha Software Alpha Five | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| IBM Check Processing Control System CPSC | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| St. Paul Travelers e-CARMA | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| Microsoft Dynamics | 9 of 20 | 3.5x |
| Data entry software | 5 of 20 | 8.5x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 4.00 | 3.62 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 4.00 | 3.38 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 1.88 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.24 | 5.46 |
| Telecommunications | 3.75 | 2.96 |
| Administrative | 3.59 | 3.84 |
| English Language | 3.20 | 2.76 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.11 | 3.42 |
| Administration and Management | 2.59 | 2.45 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.43 | 2.27 |
| Education and Training | 2.31 | 2.44 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.24 | 2.40 |
| Communications and Media | 2.13 | 1.77 |
| Production and Processing | 1.79 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.79 | 0.88 |
| Foreign Language | 1.72 | 1.21 |
| Mathematics | 1.70 | 1.47 |
| Psychology | 1.65 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.61 | 1.12 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.60 | not rated |
| Law and Government | 1.59 | 0.65 |
| Geography | 1.56 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.54 | 0.92 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.48 | not rated |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.44 | 0.91 |
| History and Archeology | 1.33 | not rated |
| Transportation | 1.30 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.27 | not rated |
| Design | 1.23 | not rated |
| Chemistry | 1.22 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.18 | not rated |
| Mechanical | 1.17 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.16 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.16 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.11 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.10 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Expression | 4.12 | 3.75 |
| Speech Recognition | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Speech Clarity | 4.00 | 3.75 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.00 | 3.62 |
| Selective Attention | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Near Vision | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Information Ordering | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Written Expression | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Category Flexibility | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Time Sharing | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Far Vision | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Control Precision | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Memorization | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Manual Dexterity | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Originality | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Number Facility | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Trunk Strength | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Reaction Time | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Visualization | 1.62 | 0.88 |
| Rate Control | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Depth Perception | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Response Orientation | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Explosive Strength | 1.00 | not rated |
| Extent Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Gross Body Coordination | 1.00 | not rated |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.00 | not rated |
| Multilimb Coordination | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.00 | not rated |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.00 | not rated |
| Stamina | 1.00 | not rated |
| Static Strength | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft Windows hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- Computer aided dispatch software
- Handheld computer device software
- Video conference software
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 100 | 3.35 | $44,980 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 140 | 2.18 | $45,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 110 | 0.80 | $58,900 |