What Do Telemarketer Do?
Example of Telemarketer Job Solicit donations or orders for goods or services over the telephone.
Life As a Telemarketer: What Do They Do?
- Obtain names and telephone numbers of potential customers from sources such as telephone directories, magazine reply cards, and lists purchased from other organizations.
- Telephone or write letters to respond to correspondence from customers or to follow up initial sales contacts.
- Maintain records of contacts, accounts, and orders.
- Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.
- Conduct client or market surveys to obtain information about potential customers.
- Schedule appointments for sales representatives to meet with prospective customers or for customers to attend sales presentations.
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What a Telemarketer Should Know
Telemarketers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Related Job Titles
- Telemarketing Sales Representative
- Telemarketer
- Call Center Agent
- Telephone Sales Representative (TSR)
- Customer Service Representative (CSR)
Job Opportunities for Telemarketers
There were about 216,600 jobs for Telemarketer in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Telemarketer. There will be an estimated 33,300 positions for Telemarketer per year.

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.
Average Telemarketers Salary
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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Telemarketers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Telemarketers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Dynamics
How do I Become a Telemarketer?
Education needed to be a Telemarketer:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Telemarketer?

Where do Telemarketers Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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