Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
What do they do?
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
Also known as:
CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator), Central Communications Specialist, Communication Coordinator, Communication Specialist, Information Specialist, PBX Operator (Private Branch Exchange Operator), Switchboard Operator, Telecommunications Clerk, Telecommunications Operator
Projected Employment Rankings For Virginia:
-
-23.6%
Percent Change
Ranks #34 in job growth rate -
90
Annual Projected Job Openings
Ranks #21 in net job growth
Select Type of Degree:
Majors that prepare Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service:
- Banking and Financial Support Services (3)
- General Office Occupations and Clerical Services (7)
- Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary (5)
★ Number of granted degrees for degree type, Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years, is listed after the major.
Colleges with the most graduates that become Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service:
- South Puget Sound Community College
- American Educational College
- Tennessee Technological University
- Butte College
Best colleges for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service:
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People in this career often have these skills:
- 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.
People in this career often know a lot about:
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
- Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
People in this career often have talent in:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
People in this career often do these activities:
- Answer telephones to direct calls or provide information.
- Operate communications equipment or systems.
- Operate audio recording equipment.
- Monitor alarm systems.
- Refer customers to appropriate personnel.
- Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
This page includes data from:
Career data: O*NET 26.3 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
Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics
