How to hire a telephone switchboard operator

How to hire a telephone switchboard operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step telephone switchboard 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 switchboard operator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new telephone switchboard operator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the telephone switchboard operator you need to hire. Certain telephone switchboard operator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A telephone switchboard operator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, telephone switchboard 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 shows salaries for various types of telephone switchboard operators.

   Type of Telephone Switchboard Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Telephone Switchboard Operator		$11-18
   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
   Operator	Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them... Show more	$12-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Telephone Switchboard
   • On-Call Schedules
   • Customer Service
   • Direct Calls
   • Inbound Calls
   • Front Desk
   • Two-Way Radio
   • Switchboards
   • Transferring Calls
   • Emergency Situations

   Responsibilities:

   • Protect patient privacy by following HIPAA regulations, as well as maintaining confidential information within the hospital intranet.
   • Receive, answer and forward calls on a busy switchboard for doctors, attorneys and numerous businesses.
   • Work the operator switchboard answering incoming calls and place direct, third party, collect calls and provide customer assistance.
   • Monitor security equipment and train to contact APD when the situation call for it.
   • Maintain great customer relations with VIP arrivals

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, telephone switchboard operators' average salary in oklahoma is 42% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level telephone switchboard operators 37% less than senior-level telephone switchboard operators.
   • Certifications. A telephone switchboard 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 switchboard operator's salary.

   Average telephone switchboard operator salary

   $14.75hourly

   $30,681 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level telephone switchboard operator salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a telephone switchboard operator job description

   A telephone switchboard 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a telephone switchboard operator job description:

   Telephone switchboard operator job description example

   Job Ref
   
   2207529
   
   Category
   
   Administrative & General Support
   
   Job Family
   
   Customer Service
   
   Department
   
   Switchboard
   
   Schedule
   
   Full-time
   
   Facility
   
   Health Pavilion Fishers
   
   13050 Parkside Drive
   
   Fishers, IN 46038
   
   United States
   
   Shift
   
   Night Job
   
   Hours
   
   11:00pm - 7:00am, Monday - Friday, rotating weekends/holidays
   
   **Telephone Operator**
   
   Full- time night shift position
   
   Fishers, Indiana.
   
   **Join our community**
   
   Community Health Network has an excellent opportunity available within our Switchboard team. If you are looking for challenging work and meaningful advancement, then you should consider a career with Community.
   
   **Where you fit in**
   
   The Telephone Operator will answer a multi-line telephone console, issue overhead & text/numeric paging, input patient information, route calls, and use a computer.
   
   **Your exceptional skills**
   
   • Good interpersonal skills
   
   • Good communication skills
   
   • Must be comfortable with a high level of accountability
   
   • Good listening skills
   
   • Must have a pleasant telephone voice
   
   **Your exceptional qualifications**
   
   • High school diploma or GED equivalent
   
   • Switchboard, computer, web applications, text & numeric paging applications
   
   • One or more year experience in office/clerical work is preferred
   
   • Experience in a healthcare setting is preferred
   
   • Great customer service skills
   
   **Testing**
   
   • Computer Literacy (basic)
   
   • Customer Service Mind Set
   
   • Typing
   
   **Your life with Community**
   
   You work hard to provide our patients with the exceptional care, and you deserve benefits to match. Community offers a unique employment package that encompasses not only your day-to-day job, but also your career.
   
   You will have the opportunity to grow your career thanks to scholarships and tuition reimbursement from the Community Health Network Foundation, and receive recognition for your achievements.
   
   Apply today for immediate consideration.
   
   **A representative and diverse workforce**
   
   At Community Health Network, we build teams that deliver exceptional care through empathy, communication and collaboration. Caregivers play a vital role in our mission as they fulfill our PRIIDE values: Patients First. Relationships. Integrity. Inclusion. Diversity. Excellence.
   
   Community is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, aiming to ensure that caregivers feel empowered, recognized and respected in our environment at all times. We value different perspectives by actively seeking a diverse workforce that is inclusive and equitable to all. For more information on how we work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion to provide culturally-competent care that meets your individual needs, visit eCommunity.com/diversity .
   
   Community Health Network complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Community Health Network does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right telephone switchboard operator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with telephone switchboard operators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit telephone switchboard operators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit telephone switchboard operators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 switchboard operator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the telephone switchboard operator position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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