Post job

What is a phone agent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a phone agent. For example, did you know that they make an average of $13.06 an hour? That's $27,170 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -4% and produce -105,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScorePhone AgentUS Average
Salary
2.1

Avg. Salary $27,170

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 6.21%

Black or African American 9.96%

Hispanic or Latino 20.43%

Unknown 5.07%

White 57.69%

Gender

female 64.11%

male 35.89%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.5

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Phone agent career paths

Key steps to become a phone agent

  1. Explore phone agent education requirements

    Most common phone agent degrees

    High School Diploma

    36.7 %

    Bachelor's

    22.6 %

    Associate

    22.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific phone agent skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service21.49%
    Troubleshoot14.77%
    Customer Satisfaction13.31%
    Inbound Phone Calls8.38%
    Customer Care7.97%
  3. Complete relevant phone agent training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New phone agents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a phone agent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real phone agent resumes.
  4. Research phone agent duties and responsibilities

    • Assist customers with DSL troubleshoot and minor pc issues preventing pc from connecting to internet.
    • Perform a variety of tasks including preparing PowerPoint presentations and spreadsheets, drafting e-mails or letters, organizing meeting/business luncheons.
    • Operate FedEx shipping system efficiently and accurately.
  5. Prepare your phone agent resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your phone agent resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a phone agent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable phone agent resume templates

    Build a professional phone agent resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your phone agent resume.
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
    Phone Agent Resume
  6. Apply for phone agent jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a phone agent job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first phone agent job

Zippi

Are you a phone agent?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average phone agent salary

The average phone agent salary in the United States is $27,170 per year or $13 per hour. Phone agent salaries range between $21,000 and $33,000 per year.

Average phone agent salary
$27,170 Yearly
$13.06 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do phone agents rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Phone agent reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Caring to the customer issues is what I do like first and the other thing it is a job that show determination level on the duty.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

I enjoy helping to be the glue to hold people together as friends. I enjoy talking on the phone . I enjoy learning new things about people.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Cons

Micromanagement of the offices and the push on getting to each call as fast as possible


Working as a phone agent? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse office and administrative jobs