Job Summary

The Telephone Operator position is location within the Health Administration Service at the lowa City VA Health Care System (Medical Center). The work involves operating telephone switchboard equipment to connect incoming and outgoing calls; routing calls to their proper destinations; and providing telephone and organizational information to callers.

Job Description

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one (1) year of general experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. General experience is progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled. NOTE: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (Transcript Required): Successful completion of two (2) years of education above the high school level in any field. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate 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. OR COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (Transcript Required): Combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements.NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Information Management Technical Competence Telecommunications IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The work is usually sedentary but may involve some standing and walking to consult directories and manuals. Work involves making sound judgements when interacting with Veterans, families, professional staff, co-workers, outside agencies, etc., which at times may be distraught or abusive; and when operating the telephone system and multiple alarms systems that need to be addressed immediately and in an accurate and reliable method. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.