Telephone Operator – Extra Help (Open)

Description

The Information Services Department of the County of San Mateo seeks Telephone Operators.

There are currently six Extra Help vacancies with the County’s main 24-hour County Operators unit, which is part of the Information Services Department (ISD). The department is in the San Mateo Medical Center located at 222 West 39th Avenue in the city of San Mateo, CA.

Telephone Operators under general supervision, operate a centralized soft telephone with an online directory that connects a high volume of incoming calls to the appropriate individuals, County staff and departments. Extra Help Telephone Operators will be required to work all shifts including evening, weekend, overnight, and holiday shifts, provide off-hours support to co-workers, and perform other related duties as assigned.

Extra Help will be expected to work to fill shifts for vacations and sick calls which will include weekday evening shifts, and 8 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday including overnight shifts. These positions should expect to work overnight 11p-7am shifts.

Training for these positions will consist of one month of working Monday through Friday evening hours to learn after-hours procedures and then one month of working Monday through Friday day shift to learn business hours’ procedures. The worker will then be prepared to fill all shifts.

Example of Duties

• Provide factual information to the public regarding County functions and activities
• Place authorized long-distance calls: maintain records of assisted and long-distance calls
• Take emergency telephone calls and locate appropriate staff
• Locate and notify appropriate individuals of fires, disasters, and similar emergencies
• Monitor County intrusion and fire alarms and notify the appropriate agencies
• Notify appropriate staff who are on-call and responsible for issues occurring after normal business hours involving the County Coroner, Sheriff’s Office, Probation Department, and other County departments
• Maintain logs of specific types of calls
• Operate standard office equipment and perform minimal typing and clerical duties

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• 1 year office support work experience involving considerable contact with the public primarily by extensive use of telephones;
• Experience with a soft phone call routing application and basic computer skills desired;
• Ability to multi-task and have flexibility in a busy work environment;
• Ability to maintain focus and calmness with emergency calls;
• Ability to work well as a team with co-workers;
• Availability to work evening, weekend, holiday, overnight, and other shifts;
• Ability to sit for long periods of time; and
• Possession of excellent hearing and manipulative skills to operate a soft phone application.
• Fluency in Spanish and English is preferred. 

NOTE: This is an extra-help, at-will assignment, paid on an hourly basis. Extra-help hours are dependent on the business needs of the department and therefore work hours may vary from week to week. Extra help employees shall not exceed 1,040 hours of work per fiscal year. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.

Qualifications 

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is one year of customer service experience involving considerable contact with the public.

Knowledge of:

• English language, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Customer service and interpersonal communications principles
• Computer operation and usage in office and Communications Center environments
• Basic principles in communicating by means of face-to-face contact, written, and via telephone
• Various resources within the County in order to provide information to the public

Skill/Ability to:

• Communicate clearly and concisely, in English, both orally and in writing.
• Comprehend, interpret, relay and document information via telephone, computer software, or other related technology.
• Screen and interpret general data and filter relevant information.
• Learn and operate soft phone and/or console phones and other related technology.
• Read and interpret various alarm devices and relay pertinent information.
• Work under pressure, exercising good judgment and common sense while making sound decisions in emergency situations.
• Remain calm and controlled under stressful periods while projecting a professional demeanor.
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Listen, understand, and relay information via telephone and in person.
• Establish and maintain positive and courteous working relationships with customers, the community, and co-workers.
• Anticipate and adapt to fluctuating workloads.
• Communicate and receive constructive feedback and opinions to affect change.
• Access and refer to information using available resources.
• Read, interpret, understand, and follow written and oral instructions and/or information.
• Remain seated for long periods of time.
• Hear in a noisy environment while communicating via telephone or face to face.
• Deal tactfully and effectively with public callers, some of whom may be hostile or irate.
• Quickly learn County procedures, personnel, offices, and functions.

Application/Examination

This is an extra help recruitment. Anyone may apply. A supplemental application form must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. Your responses to the supplemental questions will provide additional information about your qualifications for this position and will be used by the department in the evaluation process. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses. Neatness, clarity of expression, and the ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process. The department will screen application materials, and they will contact qualified candidates directly for a departmental interview.

This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted five days in advance on this job announcement.

Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process. 

Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County’s website, you may click the “Apply” button. If you are not on the County’s website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply.

About the County 
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

Tagged as: Bilingual a plus