A great dispatcher resume helps prospective employers see your people skills, sense of urgency, and ability to multi-task—traits of an excellent dispatcher. Wondering how to create an optimal resume for dispatcher work and impress your next boss? We’ve got you covered.
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Resume.io is a powerful resource, providing job seekers with resume guides and resume examples for 250+ professions, as well as a simple-to-use resume builder. We’re here to help you express yourself with a dispatcher resume that gets results.
This resume guide, along with the corresponding dispatcher resume example, covers the following topics:
- What does a dispatcher do?
- How to write a dispatcher resume
- The best format for a dispatcher resume
- Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional resume layout and design suggestions
What does a dispatcher do?
A dispatcher handles communication, logistics, and scheduling of services. These services could be related to emergency or public safety (police or 911, for instance), transportation (including towing and public transit), or HVAC and utilities.
Daily dispatch work includes receiving information, such as emergency calls or service requests, and connecting relevant professionals to address the issue. For instance, a 911 dispatcher may receive a call for assistance, then find the appropriate first responder to send to the site.
How much do dispatchers earn?
Dispatchers are typically paid an hourly wage. Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), non-emergency dispatchers earn a mean annual wage of $48,350 per year. Those who focus on emergency services, like fire or police dispatchers, earn an average of $49,370.
According to Salary.com, a 911 dispatcher earns between $38,100 and $48,500 per year, with customer service (non-emergency) dispatchers coming in from $34,162 to $43,163 annually.
How to write a dispatcher resume
The very first step in writing your dispatcher resume is understanding what information to include. Your CV should contain the following:
- A resume header
- A resume summary
- Employment history
- Skills
- Education
A dispatcher job is about connecting people and information and doing so quickly, so your resume must show off your ability to work accurately at a fast pace, communicate effectively, and execute with a sense of urgency.
Find information about the job and company: who will your work be helping? Is the work urgent—such as emergency dispatch—or focused on timely service but not life and death? Think of roles where you’ve exhibited these qualities and bring them to life in your resume.
Use this formula while creating your dispatcher resume:
- Craft each line with the employer in mind, adapting your communication accordingly.
- Use a polished, professional template.
- Include relevant keywords and phrases to prove you have the required experience.
Choosing the best resume format for a dispatcher
For most job seekers, the best dispatcher resume format is a standard reverse chronological format. Reverse chronological means listing your employment experience from most recent to earliest, with your resume beginning with your current or most recent job.
No individual is the same, so some job seekers, like those who are new to the workforce or transitioning careers, may instead desire a format like one of the following:
- A functional resume format emphasizes skills and competencies over work history, using a more detailed skills section and sharing less employment history.
- A hybrid resume format offers the best of both worlds, mixing both types.
Ultimately, we recommend most dispatch resume writers start with a reverse chronological resume format.
Regardless of which format you choose, you’ll need a resume header. This is the first part of your resume, where you identify yourself and display your contact information. A simple, clear header makes your resume easier to follow and gives recruiters and hiring managers the best way to reach you.
Resume summary example
A resume summary—also referred to as a profile—should be placed under your resume’s header. This introduces you to the prospective employer and summarizes your skills and expertise right off the bat.
Remember that a dispatcher must be efficient, so your summary should be concise and easy to read. This is your chance to make an immediate impression. Use action verbs that pack a punch, like “achieved,” “initiated,” or “demonstrated.”
If you need inspiration for your summary, you may be interested in some of our administrative resume examples, particularly:
Strive to strike a balance between a sales pitch and humility—you want to state your value proposition confidently without seeming overconfident. Below, check out our dispatcher resume example summary.
Dedicated and results-driven dispatcher with extensive experience in high-pressure environments. Proven talent for ensuring seamless coordination and communication in emergency and non-emergency situations. Demonstrated track record of improving response times and enhancing overall efficiency through adept multitasking and excellent problem-solving abilities.
Employment history sample
When drafting your dispatcher employment history, describe your experience and accomplishments in concise bullets under each job heading, avoiding use of pronouns like “I” or “my.” Make your experience clear and easy to understand.
Be as specific as possible, remembering to “show, not tell” by focusing on proven results or impact. You may want to include the number of calls you handled in an hour or a day; your average response time; or customer satisfaction results.
The reader wants to see how you fit the role; what better way to help than by giving them all the evidence they need?
You can find a dispatcher employment history resume sample below.
Dispatcher at Philadelphia Police Department: 3rd District, Philadelphia, PA
July 2016 - Present
- Rapidly, efficiently dispatch emergency services in response to community calls.
- Coordinate with multiple emergency response teams to ensure swift and appropriate response to emergency situations.
- Maintain detailed, accurate records of calls received and actions taken for continuing improvement and lessons learned.
Customer Service Representative at Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA
January 2014 - June 2016
- Provided excellent customer service by addressing customer inquiries and resolving issues.
- Created a customer service dashboard to provide real-time customer service metrics.
- Collaborated across departments to ensure exceptional customer satisfaction and optimal customer experiences.
CV skills example
While an employer can likely pick up on your skills by reading your work experience, help them by including a dedicated skills section on your CV.
This CV section should include demonstrable hard skills or technical skills that show you are an excellent fit for the role. Think about hard skills as those that are easy to measure or test, like using a specific dispatch system.
Check out a dispatcher skills resume sample below:
- Customer Service
- Emergency Response Coordination
- Multi-line Phone Systems
- Detail-oriented
- Computer-aided Dispatch Systems
- CPR and First Aid
- Customer Experience
- Issue Resolution
Dispatcher resume education example
The education section for a dispatcher job is likely straightforward, a simple matter of listing your college, high school, or GED information. If you’re over a few years past school, avoid extraneous details like GPA. Instead, add recent certifications or continuing education.
On-the-job training counts, too! Customer service training or first responder certifications emphasize your ability to thrive in a dispatcher role.
See below for an education section from a dispatcher example resume.
Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, University of Pennsylvania, Springfield, PA
September 2011 - June 2013
Resume layout and design
Help hiring managers and recruiters find relevant information quickly with a simple, clean resume.
Don’t get caught up in flashy graphics or fancy designs. You want the reader to focus on your accomplishments and impact, not your design skills (or lack thereof!).
If you’d rather avoid this part of the process, consider using one of our resume templates, which handle the design and formatting for you.
Key takeaways for a dispatcher resume
- Working as a dispatcher requires accuracy, strong communication, and a sense of urgency.
- The skills required for the job will serve dispatchers well when creating and tailoring their resume.
- Resumes for dispatchers should include a header, summary, work experience, skills, and education, ideally in reverse chronological format.
- A crisp, clean resume design helps your experience stand out. For quick and easy help, use our online resume maker.
