How to hire a telephone operator

How to hire a telephone operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step telephone operator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a telephone operator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new telephone operator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a telephone operator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The telephone operator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A telephone operator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, telephone operators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents telephone operator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Telephone Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Telephone Operator		$12-18
   Communications Operator	A communications operator is responsible for receiving incoming calls from customers and clients and transferring them to the appropriate department for their needs and concerns. Communications operators perform administrative duties, such as organizing directory, updating customers' information on the database, and pulling-up reports... Show more	$11-19
   Switchboard Operator	Switchboard operators work to assist callers in huge hospitals, hotels, and companies. The operators answer calls and route them to the necessary department or person to address their concerns... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Emergency Calls
   • Customer Service
   • Phone Calls
   • Telephone Calls
   • Data Entry
   • PBX
   • Telephone Switchboard
   • Emergency Situations
   • Emergency Codes
   • Transferring Calls
   • Conference Calls
   • Relay Messages
   • Telephone Numbers

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate office equipment including, but not limit to, computers, PBX system, fax machine, e-mail.
   • Programme various PBX computer operate phone system base request such as wake up calls, flight reminders and tour times.
   • Provide access to telephone interpreters services for visitors and patients with limit English experience highlights.
   • Input patients personal information into a database, then contact physicians to give patient information.
   • Protect patient privacy by following HIPAA regulations, as well as maintaining confidential information within the hospital intranet.
   • Liaise directly with incoming guests, travel agents, VIP clients and in-house guests to meet guest needs and execute satisfaction.

   More telephone operator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your telephone operator job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A telephone operator can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, telephone operators' average salary in mississippi is 37% less than in minnesota.
   • Seniority. Entry-level telephone operators 34% less than senior-level telephone operators.
   • Certifications. A telephone operator with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a telephone operator's salary.

   Average telephone operator salary

   $14.98hourly

   $31,168 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level telephone operator salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average telephone operator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$37,592	$18
   2	Minnesota	$36,832	$18
   3	Massachusetts	$36,386	$17
   4	New Jersey	$36,083	$17
   5	Illinois	$33,816	$16
   6	Ohio	$33,159	$16
   7	Hawaii	$32,848	$16
   8	Maryland	$32,768	$16
   9	California	$31,626	$15
   10	Colorado	$31,377	$15
   11	Pennsylvania	$29,708	$14
   12	Wisconsin	$29,416	$14
   13	Texas	$29,014	$14
   14	Georgia	$27,745	$13
   15	Arizona	$27,237	$13
   16	Utah	$26,253	$13
   17	Alabama	$25,846	$12
   18	Florida	$25,595	$12
   19	Missouri	$23,879	$11

   Average telephone operator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mount Auburn Hospital	$43,700	$21.01
   2	Washington State University	$40,010	$19.24
   3	Gastro Health	$39,809	$19.14
   4	Mayo Clinic	$36,217	$17.41	20
   5	Monroe County	$35,906	$17.26
   6	Hawaii Pacific Health	$35,273	$16.96	7
   7	Catholic Health East	$34,161	$16.42
   8	Hilton Grand Vacations	$34,102	$16.40	3
   9	The Brooklyn Hospital Center	$34,016	$16.35
   10	Highmark	$33,915	$16.31	3
   11	Premier Inc.	$33,800	$16.25
   12	University of Rochester	$33,620	$16.16	4
   13	Saint Luke's Health System	$33,572	$16.14
   14	Radisson Hotels International Inc	$33,517	$16.11
   15	Hyatt Hotels	$33,447	$16.08	11
   16	CTG	$33,050	$15.89	4
   17	Mount Sinai Health System	$32,989	$15.86	2
   18	US Oncology Holdings Inc	$32,483	$15.62	10
   19	Dignity Health	$32,477	$15.61	3
   20	Epic Care - Partners in Cancer Care	$32,001	$15.39

4. Writing a telephone operator job description

   A telephone operator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a telephone operator job description:

   Telephone operator job description example

   Locations: Belcourt, ND | Fort Yates, ND | Eagle Butte, SD | Fort Thompson, SD | Kyle, SD | Lower Brule, SD | McLaughlin, SD | Pine Ridge, SD | Rosebud, SD | Sisseton, SD | Wagner, SD | Wakpala, SD | Wanblee, SD
   Type:Federal
   
   Salary Range:$ 32,570 - $ 41,967 / Per Year
   
   Open Period:10/11/2022 to 12/31/2022
   
   Summary:To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): GS-03: Six months of General experience preforming progressively responsible clerical, office or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to particular knowledge and skills needed to operate a telephone switchboard, and provide assistance to personnel, customers, and others. -or- One year of education above high school is also qualifying for the GS-3 level (must provide transcripts). One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. -or- Combined Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at the GS-3 level. The total combined percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant. GS-04: One year of general experience. General experience preforming progressively responsible clerical, office or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to particular knowledge and skills needed to operate a telephone switchboard, and provide assistance to personnel, customers, and others. -or- Completed (2) years of education above the high school level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. (Must provide evidence with your application). -or- Combined Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of education and experience that when combined fully meet the minimum qualification for this position. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-04 grade level Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).
   
   Work Type:,
   
   Announcement #:IHS-23-GP-11681703-ESEP/MP

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right telephone operator for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your telephone operator job on Zippia to find and recruit telephone operator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with telephone operator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new telephone operator

   Once you've selected the best telephone operator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new telephone operator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a telephone operator?