When you have a panicked caller on the line awaiting your calm guidance, you need to be a certain type of person. Whatever the nature of the 911 call, it is your personal approach that will dictate the outcome for them. As a job search looms, a dispatcher cover letter is the place to detail your personality and motivations at work.
Whether the caller needs the police, ambulance, or fire department, a dispatcher’s cool manner and ability to follow protocol under the greatest pressure will ensure the best possible outcome. Just outlining what you do at work is not enough. Your responsibilities are laid out clearly. Your unique success lies in what you do when you need to go off the script. Such career stories will make any hiring manager sit up and take notice.
But how do you choose what to say in a 300-word dispatcher cover letter? At Resume.io, we have the resources to assist, plus 180+ cover letter examples. In the following dispatch cover letter example and writing guide, we will consider:
- How to write a dispatcher cover letter to secure that interview.
- The main paragraphs for a dispatcher cover letter.
- Making the most of the format and structure of the letter.
- How to write a dispatcher cover letter with no experience
- What mistakes to avoid when writing your dispatcher cover letter.
Applying for a different position? Here are some other cover letter examples:
Best format for a dispatcher cover letter
Dispatchers understand the importance of a tightly structured script, so the format of the dispatcher cover letter should be no different. Spell out your career story in a way that a hiring manager will expect. Don’t choose a radical format. It is your story that will make a difference. Your application letter should include the following:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
Go far beyond the responsibilities listed in the job description. Tell the hiring manager why you choose to put yourself in that stressful situation, call after call, and how you manage to balance efficiency and empathy. You are the first point of contact for someone in an emergency – allow your cover letter to convey a sense of how you feel about that.
We have plenty of more general advice in our comprehensive cover letter guide. There is much more to writing a cover letter than getting the content right. What font should you choose? What design is most effective? How should your cover letter differ from your resume? Work out your approach before you sit down to write.
Dear Ryan Anderson,
I am writing to express my interest in the Dispatcher role at the Phoenix Metropolitan Dispatch Center, a vacancy I came across through the Phoenix City official website. With a background in high-stress environments, including four years as a customer service representative at a large logistics company in Phoenix, I am eager to leverage my skills in communication and problem-solving to contribute to the efficient operations at your esteemed center.
In my previous role at Swift Logistics, I managed simultaneous logistical challenges, consistently ensuring the smooth coordination of deliveries in a timely manner. My experience there has also endowed me with a geographical understanding of the Phoenix metro area, a skill set that would be directly applicable to the dispatcher role.
I graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, during which I developed a foundation in legal protocols and emergency management principles. This academic background, paired with my professional experience, has groomed me to remain calm under pressure, to meticulously adhere to protocols, and to swiftly manage resources in emergencies.
As someone who has successfully completed the Public Safety Telecommunicator Certification course offered by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), I am well-versed in the requisite skills and knowledge necessary for a dispatcher role. I am adept at utilizing various software solutions commonly used in dispatch centers, making me equipped to quickly integrate into your operational workflow.
I am motivated by the opportunity to serve the Phoenix community, fostering safety and efficiency as a dispatcher with the Phoenix Metropolitan Dispatch Center.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and certifications would be a match for your team.
Best regards, Patricia Martinez
Cover letter header
The cover letter header for a dispatcher should be functional and simple. No flashy designs or bold colours as that would convey the wrong impression. Include your full name, email address and mobile number. They should be repeated from your resume – you never quite know when the hiring manager might want to invite you to an interview.
Also, there is no need to include your full home address. There may be data protection issues here. The inside address of the employer is also not required—this is an outdated convention that takes up valuable cover letter space.
Cover letter greeting
There are certain formalities that no dispatcher should get wrong. If you cannot greet the hiring manager with an appropriate “Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Surname” then you might as well apply for another job. Following convention is at the very heart of your role.
It is important to find out the name of the hiring manager if possible. Dispatcher should be personable and should always go the extra mile for their callers, so find out the name by any means. Even a call to the employer demonstrates your ingenuity and makes your dispatcher cover letter stand out from those who write “To whom it may concern.” If you do not know to whom the letter should be addressed, a warmer “Dear company team” would work.
Cover letter introduction
The introduction of a cover letter should start with your big story. You know, the one that you are really proud of and the one that you tell any relative that will listen. Make sure that it is relevant to your future role and make it memorable.
Your cover letter introduction needs to grab the attention. If it is bland, you can be sure that the rest of the letter will be ignored. Hiring managers don’t have time to waste on people when there is a doubt that they would make it to the final stages of an interview process. If you have nothing of interest to say in the first few lines, what is the chance that you will still impress after a couple of rounds of interviews?
Dear Ryan Anderson,
I am writing to express my interest in the Dispatcher role at the Phoenix Metropolitan Dispatch Center, a vacancy I came across through the Phoenix City official website. With a background in high-stress environments, including four years as a customer service representative at a large logistics company in Phoenix, I am eager to leverage my skills in communication and problem-solving to contribute to the efficient operations at your esteemed center.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The cover letter middle part should differ from your resume in two key ways. First, it needs to make the specific link between your accomplishments and the demands of the role. It should tell a story of the behaviors that helped you get there. Second, it should include plenty of personality and motivation: why is this next role the perfect one for you on your career journey?
The hiring manager will also want to see evidence of potential culture fit. Do your research into the sort of call centre that you are joining. How do people feel about working there? How do their processes differ from where you have worked before? What type of people are they looking to hire? Present your candidature as if you are one of them.
In my previous role at Swift Logistics, I managed simultaneous logistical challenges, consistently ensuring the smooth coordination of deliveries in a timely manner. My experience there has also endowed me with a geographical understanding of the Phoenix metro area, a skill set that would be directly applicable to the dispatcher role.
I graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, during which I developed a foundation in legal protocols and emergency management principles. This academic background, paired with my professional experience, has groomed me to remain calm under pressure, to meticulously adhere to protocols, and to swiftly manage resources in emergencies.
As someone who has successfully completed the Public Safety Telecommunicator Certification course offered by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), I am well-versed in the requisite skills and knowledge necessary for a dispatcher role. I am adept at utilizing various software solutions commonly used in dispatch centers, making me equipped to quickly integrate into your operational workflow.
I am motivated by the opportunity to serve the Phoenix community, fostering safety and efficiency as a dispatcher with the Phoenix Metropolitan Dispatch Center.
How to close a dispatcher cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
The sign-off for a dispatcher cover letter is particularly important. Just as you would sign-off when you know that the job is done with a caller, the conclusion of a cover letter needs to be just as emphatic. You have made your case and you hope to hear more about the role during an interview. This call to action will prompt an interested hiring manager to give you a call—after all, they do not know what other opportunities you are entertaining.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and certifications would be a match for your team.
Best regards, Patricia Martinez
Dispatcher cover letter with no experience
It may be that you do not have directly relevant dispatcher experience, but this should not deter you from applying to this most rewarding of roles. Share any people-facing communication experience that you have. This forms the basis of the dispatcher role.
It is also useful to share whether you have worked in a highly process-driven environment. If you can follow the rules under pressure, you will do well as a dispatcher. Lastly, any previous role that allows you to demonstrate your emotional resilience will be useful if you are writing a dispatcher cover letter with no experience.
Basic mistakes in a dispatcher application letter (and how to avoid them)
Mistakes can lead to real-world consequences when you are a dispatcher. Any hint of a mistake in the cover letter might lead to doubts appearing in a hiring manager’s mind. Don’t allow any cracks to appear by avoiding these mistakes. They are all obvious, but they are easily done when you are in the middle of a stressful job search.
- Failing to proofread. Check the dispatcher cover letter with an online program such as Grammarly. You might also ask a friend to check that it sounds like you.
- Being too informal. Dispatchers need to retain a suitable amount of formality in the role, so make sure that the cover letter isn’t too conversational.
- Telling irrelevant stories. You may well have had a varied career but make sure to only tell the stories that are directly relevant to being a dispatcher. The role demands a very specific skill set. Focus on how you will excel in the job.
Key takeaways
- Show that you can be dependable, efficient, personable and process driven. That is a pretty heady cocktail of skills to possess.
- Start with only the most relevant career story for the role in question. Talk about the things that you wish to expand upon during an interview.
- Share personality and motivation in the cover letter. Try not to repeat the facts and figures from your resume too much.
- Design an attractive dispatcher cover letter. Check out our field-tested cover letter templates for some inspiration.
