What Do Telemarketer Do?
Career Description Solicit donations or orders for goods or services over the telephone.
List of Telemarketer Job Duties
- Explain products or services and prices, and answer questions from customers.
- Deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service or to make a donation.
- Adjust sales scripts to better target the needs and interests of specific individuals.
- Maintain records of contacts, accounts, and orders.
- Schedule appointments for sales representatives to meet with prospective customers or for customers to attend sales presentations.
- Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
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Skills Needed to be a Telemarketer
These are the skills Telemarketers say are the most useful in their careers:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
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.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Types of Telemarketer Jobs
- Telemarketing Representative
- Inbound Telemarketer
- Marketing Processor
- Business Development Representative
- Customer Service Representative (CSR)
Telemarketer Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 216,600 jobs in the United States for Telemarketer. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Telemarketer. The BLS estimates 33,300 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Telemarketer are Washington, Nevada, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in North Dakota, Vermont, or South Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Telemarketer Make?
The salary for Telemarketers ranges between about $18,680 and $41,740 a year.

Telemarketers who work in Washington, Massachusetts, or New Hampshire, make the highest salaries.
How much do Telemarketers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $25,640 |
Arizona | $29,780 |
Arkansas | $22,440 |
California | $31,880 |
Colorado | $29,980 |
Connecticut | $34,950 |
Delaware | $30,000 |
District of Columbia | $28,680 |
Florida | $25,330 |
Georgia | $24,780 |
Hawaii | $25,620 |
Idaho | $26,060 |
Illinois | $29,840 |
Indiana | $29,960 |
Iowa | $27,510 |
Kansas | $27,900 |
Kentucky | $28,120 |
Louisiana | $29,960 |
Maine | $30,550 |
Maryland | $30,040 |
Massachusetts | $42,270 |
Michigan | $28,480 |
Minnesota | $33,400 |
Mississippi | $29,480 |
Missouri | $25,940 |
Montana | $24,090 |
Nebraska | $26,800 |
Nevada | $29,580 |
New Hampshire | $38,250 |
New Jersey | $30,120 |
New Mexico | $26,200 |
New York | $31,790 |
North Carolina | $26,810 |
North Dakota | $23,570 |
Ohio | $25,670 |
Oklahoma | $27,230 |
Oregon | $31,930 |
Pennsylvania | $27,380 |
Rhode Island | $31,620 |
South Carolina | $28,440 |
Tennessee | $25,040 |
Texas | $29,400 |
Utah | $33,040 |
Virginia | $27,060 |
Washington | $37,020 |
West Virginia | $25,050 |
Wisconsin | $33,470 |
What Tools & Technology do Telemarketers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Telemarketers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Dynamics
How to Become a Telemarketer
Individuals working as a Telemarketer have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Telemarketer?

Where do Telemarketers Work?

Telemarketers work in the following industries:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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