Home / Tasks / Answer telephones to direct calls or provide information
In 8 of the 25 jobs that do this, AI or robots already show up on it, most often as help from AI. In the other 17, there's no evidence yet. Jobs spend a median of 35m of an 8-hour shift on it, and about 16.2 million U.S. workers hold these jobs.
17No evidence yet
4With AI
4Often handed to AI
Every job that does this
Each job words the task its own way. Minutes are that job's estimate for a typical shift; the label is the evidence for that job's version.
| Job and its version of the task | Per shift | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Receptionists and Information ClerksOperate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments. | 1h 47m | Often handed to AI |
| Telephone OperatorsListen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information. | 1h 32m | No evidence yet |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsAnswer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff. | 1h 22m | Often handed to AI |
| Public Safety TelecommunicatorsReceive incoming telephone or alarm system calls regarding emergency and non-emergency police and fire service, emergency ambulance service, information, and after-hours calls for departments within a city. | 55m | No evidence yet |
| Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsAnswer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals. | 52m | Often handed to AI |
| Word Processors and TypistsPerform other clerical duties, such as answering telephone, sorting and distributing mail, running errands or sending faxes. | 51m | No evidence yet |
| Court, Municipal, and License ClerksPerform administrative tasks, such as answering telephone calls, filing court documents, or maintaining office supplies or equipment. | 51m | With AI |
| Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsReceive and place telephone calls. | 48m | No evidence yet |
| General Office ClerksAnswer telephones, direct calls, and take messages. | 47m | Often handed to AI |
| Pharmacy AidesAnswer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary. | 46m | No evidence yet |
| TelemarketersAnswer telephone calls from potential customers who have been solicited through advertisements. | 38m | No evidence yet |
| Brokerage ClerksPerform clerical tasks, such as answering phones or distributing mail. | 38m | With AI |
| InterviewersPerform patient services, such as answering the telephone or assisting patients with financial or medical questions. | 35m | No evidence yet |
| Nursing AssistantsAnswer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. | 33m | No evidence yet |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksPerform general office duties, such as filing, answering telephones, and handling routine correspondence. | 33m | No evidence yet |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsAnswer phone calls and direct calls to appropriate parties or take messages. | 31m | No evidence yet |
| TellersAnswer telephones and assist customers with their questions. | 29m | No evidence yet |
| Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksInterview clients and take their calls to provide customer service and obtain information on claims. | 27m | No evidence yet |
| Billing and Posting ClerksPerform general administrative tasks, such as answering telephones, scheduling appointments, and ordering supplies or equipment. | 25m | With AI |
| Security GuardsAnswer telephone calls to take messages, answer questions, and provide information during non-business hours or when switchboard is closed. | 24m | No evidence yet |
| Clerical Library AssistantsPerform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material. | 22m | With AI |
| Switchboard OperatorsMonitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location. | 21m | No evidence yet |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesAnswer patients' calls and determine how to assist them. | 20m | No evidence yet |
| OrderliesAnswer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. | 13m | No evidence yet |
| CashiersAnswer incoming phone calls. | 8m | No evidence yet |
How to read this
This task type comes from O*NET's detailed work activities, which link similar tasks across jobs. A label applies to one job's version of the task: AI use comes from real AI conversations (Anthropic Economic Index) and robot evidence from deployments in real workplaces. "No evidence yet" may just mean the task is rare in the data. How we keep time.
See all 250 shared tasks, or find any job on the big clock.