Telephone Operator

Telephone Operator

This position is located in the Patient Experience Office at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VA Medical Center, in Minneapolis, MN. The primary purpose of this position is to perform a variety of functions, including providing 24/7 coverage for both telephones and security services, process incoming calls and other alarms.

Major duties and responsibilities will include:

• Operates the medical center's telephone line;
• Uses courtesy, tact, diplomacy, manual dexterity, clear speech, and voice modulation in dealing with customers, staff, employees, and patients;
• Handles calls from mentally incompetent, alcohol or drug addicted persons who require special attention by the operator while attempting to locate the correct personnel to handle the call;
• Verifies patient appointments;
• Maintains the confidentiality of patient and employee information received;
• Uses a personal computer to retrieve information as needed to direct calls in a timely and accurate manner;
• Handles a full range of telephone calls including local, long distance and overseas calls;
• Deals with multiple phone calls or situations simultaneously and displays good common sense and quick decision-making skills;
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Full Time, Various shifts available: Saturday - Wednesday, 10:00pm - 8:00am; Tuesday - Saturday, 1:00pm - 10:00pm

Recruitment Incentive: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved

To apply for this position, you must have the following qualifications:

• To qualify for this position at the GS-4 level, you must meet one of the following:

1. EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of general experience that has equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Telephone Operator GS-4. General experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates your ability to perform the duties of this position. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title; duties; month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.
2. EDUCATION: Successful completion of two (2) years of education above the high school level for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. 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. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application)
3. COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of post-high school education and specialized experience, as described above. Note: only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application)

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.