What they do
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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.
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| Also called: |
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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), PBX Operator (Post Box Exchange Operator), Phone Operator (Telephone Operator), Phone Secretary (Telephone Secretary), TELECOM Op (Telecommunications Operator), Toll Operator (Toll Op)
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Wages
Wage rates not available for Vermont
but may be for the nation and other states at
CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
| United States - 2022 |
| Industry | Percent of total |
- Hospitals; state, local, and private
| 18% |
- Ambulatory healthcare services
| 17% |
| 14% |
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
| 9% |
| 9% |
| More at BLS |
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Knowledge
| 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.
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- Telecommunications
Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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- 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.
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- English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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- Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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| More at O*NET |
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Skills
| People in this career often have these skills: |
- 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.
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- Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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- Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
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- Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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| More at O*NET |
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Interests
| People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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- Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
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- Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
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| What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
| People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
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- Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
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- Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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| More at O*NET |
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Tasks
| On the job, you would: |
- Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections.
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- 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.
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- Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
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- Update directory information.
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- Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information.
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| More at O*NET |
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| Related Occupations
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| Career Video
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Projected Employment
Projected employment not available for Vermont
but may be for the nation and other states at
CareerOneStop |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Short-term on-the-job training
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| Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
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 materials.
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- Physical activity is Somewhat Important
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| Low |  | High |
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| Compare Occupations at O*NET |
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Job Zone
| Some Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require
over 3 months up to and including 1 year
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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| Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
| How much education do most people in this career have? |
| Education level |  | Percent of
U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate | | 0% |
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate | | 0% |
| Bachelor's degree | | 0% |
| Associate's degree | | 2% |
Certificate or some college,
no degree | | 0% |
High school diploma
or equivalent | | 98% |
| Less than high school diploma | | 0% |
| More at O*NET |
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Abilities
| People in this career often have talent in: |
- Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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- Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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- Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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- Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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| More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
| In general, what you might do: |
- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Working with Computers
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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- 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.
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- Processing Information
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
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- Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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| More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
| What you might do in a day: |
- Operate communications equipment or systems.
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- Answer telephones to direct calls or provide information.
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- Search files, databases or reference materials to obtain needed information.
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- Assist individuals with paperwork.
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- Enter information into databases or software programs.
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| More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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