How to Write a Resume for a Dispatcher

Hiring managers want you to show you can manage many tasks simultaneously. Depending on the role, you may need to show evidence of decision-making in emergency situations. Or, you may need to focus on your customer service skills and your ability to address customer needs. Whatever the role, the best resume will demonstrate that you have the interpersonal skills and communication skills necessary for a dispatcher job.

The main resume formats are the chronological format which emphasizes work history. The functional format, emphasizes skills, and the combination format, emphasizes both. Depending on what your strengths are, choose the format which emphasizes them by putting that section first.  Despite the resume format, the resume sections will be  the same:

 

 

Your header always sits at the top of your resume. This is where you’ll feature your contact information including your name, phone number, location and email address. That way, a  recruiter can easily reach out to you for the next stage of the hiring process. It’s also good to feature links to your job networking profiles such as LinkedIn,  to provide further information about yourself to the recruiter.

 

 

Your resume summary or resume objective is a short paragraph detailing your career background. It should be clear and concise to share your highlights – but not longer than three sentences. Alternatively, if you lack relevant work experience, you can opt for a resume objective. This is slightly different because it details your career goals and ambitions instead of experience. This is good if you want to show that your career aims align with your potential employer. Check out our tips for writing a clear resume objective.

 

 

Your skills section is your opportunity to list hard and soft skills that will help you in your future role. If the role is an emergency dispatcher, you need to convey that you can deal with emergency responses in short time frames under extreme pressure to aid first responders and prioritize public safety. Dispatchers typically use a computer-aided dispatch system, so you should include skills that show you have the competencies needed to use the equipment. Remember to look in the job description for the specifics of the role – and use this to guide what you list in your skills section. Here are some of the skills that hiring managers are looking for:

• Excellent communication skills
• Organizational skills
• Time management skills
• Ability to work under pressure and multitask
• Knowledge of telecommunications
• Microsoft Office proficiency
• Knowledge of data entry tools
• Knowledge of dispatch systems

Be sure  to list your skills in bullet points on your resume to keep them concise.

 

 

Your experience section is your chance to display your previous relevant dispatch experience. List your previous jobs and highlight the duties you were responsible for. Remember, the aim is to pinpoint your relevant experience. This could be:

• Law enforcement-related work
• Work as a customer service representative
• Any roles within the emergency services
• Any job handling phone calls
• Work as a truck dispatcher

The point here is that you don’t necessarily need years of experience to apply for the job title advertised. The key is to share any relevant experience that you do have and help make the connection for the recruiter.

 

 

Typically, you only need a high school diploma plus some on-the-job training to be a dispatcher. However, certification requirements for a dispatcher position vary by state. You may even need EMS certification in some states. Emergency personnel dispatchers may also need a bachelor’s degree with a specific focus – in criminal justice or another related field.

Here are some general guidelines for your dispatcher resume:

 

Do:

• Take the time to edit and review your resume. Make sure there are no spelling, punctuation or grammar errors.
• Use the job description provided. During your job search, you should always look for clues in the keywords used by the recruiter. This can help you tailor your resume to show you can excel at each skill and requirement for the role.
• Share relevant experience, but don’t overfill the experience section. If you have experience handling a two-way radio, that counts! You need to exercise judgment here depending on the role you are applying for and how many years of experience you have.

Don’t

• Write your resume without getting expert help. That’s what ResumeHelp’s Resume Builder and resume templates are for. 
• Make anything up. If you don’t have the proper certifications, then don’t apply for the role. This will only waste everybody’s time.
• Overfill your experience section with non-relevant roles.