Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

Career Description: Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.

Industry: Office and Administrative Support

Other Job Titles for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.
• Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls and/or taking messages as necessary.
• Route emergency calls appropriately.
• Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging and interoffice communication equipment.
• Relay and route written and verbal messages.
• Place telephone calls or arrange conference calls as instructed.
• Perform clerical duties, such as typing, proofreading, accepting orders, scheduling appointments, and sorting mail.
• Monitor alarm systems in order to ensure that secure conditions are maintained.
• Contact security staff members when necessary, using radio-telephones.
• Keep records of calls placed and charges incurred.
• Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity and conciseness.
• Stamp messages with time and date, and file them appropriately.
• Answer simple questions about clients' businesses, using reference files.
• Complete forms for sales orders.
• Issue or distribute materials, products, parts, and supplies to customers or coworkers, based on information from incoming requisitions.
• Advise retail customers or internal users on the appropriateness of parts, supplies, or materials requested.
• Purchase new or additional stock, or prepare documents that provide for such purchases.
• Compile, review, and maintain data from contracts, purchase orders, requisitions, and other documents in order to assess supply needs.
• Confer with engineering and purchasing personnel and vendors regarding stock procurement and availability.
• Determine sequence and release of back orders according to stock availability.
• Prepare products, supplies, equipment, or other items for use by adjusting, repairing or assembling them as necessary.
• Recommend disposal of excess, defective, or obsolete stock.
• Take dictation in shorthand or by machine and transcribe information.
• Arrange conferences, meetings, and travel reservations for office personnel.
• Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally and with other organizations.
• Supervise other clerical staff and provide training and orientation to new staff.
• Use equipment such as forklifts and automated "trains" to move containers of mail.
• Sell mail products, and accept payment for products and mailing charges.
• Operate embossing machines or typewriters to make corrections, additions, and changes to address plates.

Emerging Tasks

• 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, and route emergency calls to the appropriate location.
• Perform administrative tasks such as accepting orders, scheduling appointments and meeting rooms, and sending and receiving faxes.
• Perform various cash handling tasks such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, and managing petty cash.
• Perform various data entry and word processing tasks such as updating phone directories, typing and proofreading documents, and creating schedules.
• Place orders, such as for equipment and supplies and catering for meetings.
• Process incoming and outgoing mail, packages, and deliveries.
• Record information, update paperwork, and set up and manage paper and electronic filing systems to maintain documents (e.g., attendance records, correspondence, sensitive materials).
• Use computers for various applications (e.g., spreadsheet, word processing) and train and assist staff with computer usage.
• Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes, or prepare books to be sent to a bindery for repair.
• Schedule, supervise, and train clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• answer calls using switchboard
• answer customer or public inquiries
• arrange teleconference calls
• date stamp messages, mail, or other information
• ensure correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling
• maintain telephone logs
• operate business machines
• perform clerical duties including typing, accepting orders, or sorting mail
• route multi-line telephone calls
• take messages
• transcribe spoken or written information
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use telephone communication techniques
• monitor materials or supplies
• operate business machines
• price merchandise
• process returned merchandise
• provide customer service
• requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
• retrieve or place goods from/into storage
• sell merchandise
• stock or organize goods
• take inventory to identify items to be reordered
• use cash registers
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use inventory control procedures
• use oral or written communication techniques
• sell merchandise
• stock or organize goods
• take inventory to identify items to be reordered
• use cash registers
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use inventory control procedures
• use oral or written communication techniques
• wrap products
• provide technical support to computer users
• publicize job openings
• reconcile or balance financial records
• route multi-line telephone calls
• schedule meetings or appointments
• schedule or contract meeting facilities
• schedule real estate closings
• take dictation
• take meeting notes
• take messages
• transcribe spoken or written information
• type document from machine transcription
• type letters or correspondence
• use accounting or bookkeeping software
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use desktop publishing software
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use shorthand writing procedures
• use spreadsheet software
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• write business correspondence
• write employee orientation or training materials
• schedule employee work hours
• schedule meetings or appointments
• select software for clerical activities
• sell products or services
• sort books, publications, or other items
• sort mail letters or packages
• take dictation
• take messages
• transcribe spoken or written information
• type document from machine transcription
• type letters or correspondence
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use accounting or bookkeeping software
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use relational database software
• use spreadsheet software
• use telephone communication techniques
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• write business correspondence

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$11.28
• Average annual wage (2007) - $23,460.00

• Employment (2006): 177,485

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• Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service