Telemarketers
SOC Code: 41-9041
Telemarketers carries a 49% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $34,410 and -22.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 67,400 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 49% AI exposure, Telemarketers sits 12 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 86% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Where Telemarketers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Telemarketers has ai exposure of 49%. Distribution: 1 occupations at 0-10%; 43 occupations at 10-20%; 184 occupations at 20-30%; 332 occupations at 30-40%; 158 occupations at 40-50%; 64 occupations at 50-60%; 29 occupations at 60-70%; 15 occupations at 70-80%; 5 occupations at 80-90%; 1 occupations at 90-100%.
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Telemarketers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Telemarketers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Telemarketers (SOC 41-9041) carries an AI exposure score of 49%, placing it in the High automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 67,400 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a -22.1% change through 2034 - a decline that often compounds with high AI exposure to create displacement headwinds. Median annual compensation stands at $34,410, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires No formal educational credential, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Telemarketers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone to solicit sales for goods or services, or to request donations for charitable causes.
- 2. Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
- 3. Explain products or services and prices, and answer questions from customers.
- 4. Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.
- 5. Maintain records of contacts, accounts, and orders.
- 6. Adjust sales scripts to better target the needs and interests of specific individuals.
- 7. Answer telephone calls from potential customers who have been solicited through advertisements.
- 8. 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.
- 9. Telephone or write letters to respond to correspondence from customers or to follow up initial sales contacts.
- 10. Obtain names and telephone numbers of potential customers from sources such as telephone directories, magazine reply cards, and lists purchased from other organizations.
Key Skills Required
- Speaking
- Persuasion
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
- Reading Comprehension
- Social Perceptiveness
- Critical Thinking
- Negotiation
- Writing
- Coordination
Knowledge Areas
- Sales and Marketing
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- Administrative
- Law and Government
- Telecommunications
- Mathematics
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Telemarketers?
Telemarketers has an AI exposure score of 49%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Telemarketers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Telemarketers is projected to decline by 22.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 67,400 workers.
What skills are needed for Telemarketers?
Key skills for Telemarketers include Speaking, Persuasion, Active Listening, and others. Typical entry-level education is No formal educational credential.
How much do Telemarketers earn?
The median annual wage for Telemarketers is $34,410, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Telemarketers?
The typical entry-level education for Telemarketers is No formal educational credential. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Telemarketers?
Telemarketers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).