Switchboard Operator Salary and Career Outlook

Skills and qualifications of the switchboard operator

The switchboard operators are customer service professionals who manage multiple telephone lines and perform office tasks. Employers hire switchboard operators with the following specific skills:

• Customer service: As the switchboard operators interact with customers over the phone, employers look for people with strong customer service skills.

• Communication skills: switchboard operators use verbal communication skills to answer and route incoming calls and written communication skills to receive detailed messages.

• Mechanical skills: switchboard operators manage exchanges and can work with other technical equipment, such as headphones and intercoms, that require some mechanical skills.

• IT skills: switchboard operators work with multiple software programs to receive messages and perform office tasks, which requires some computer skills

• Attention to detail: monitoring multiple telephone lines requires good attention to detail

Switchboard Operator Education and Training

Employers often require managers to have a high school diploma or equivalent, and many require applicants to be at least 18 years old. In general, no additional work experience or training is required, but candidates with previous experience in customer service or call center stand out among potential employers.

Training is provided for this entry level job, the duration of which varies according to the employer. The training generally lasts no more than two or three weeks, while the new switchboard operators learn to work with various equipment and memorize the company's telephone protocols. During training, switchboard operators work closely with a senior staff member or training supervisor.

Switchboard Operator Salary and Outlook

switchboard operator salaries? PayScale information shows that switchboard operators earn an average hourly income of $ 12.55. Receptionists earn $ 13.65 an hour, the equivalent of $ 28,390 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The receptionists answer the phones and receive visitors, doing many of the same activities as the switchboard operators. In some companies, the two stocks are interchangeable. BLS projections show that employment in the sector will increase by 9 percent until 2026. This rate is faster than the national average.

Full-time switchboard operators can receive basic benefit packages that include medical insurance. Paid vacation days can also be provided. Part-time switchboard operators generally do not receive benefits.