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Table of contents

Dispatcher resume examples
Related resume examples
Choose the right resume format for your dispatcher resume
How to write a dispatcher resume in 5 simple steps
Add a cover letter
Key takeaways for your dispatcher resume
Commonly asked question about resume writing

As a dispatcher, you’re a pro at managing the flow of information, resources and tasks required to get the job done. Whether you’re answering calls for emergency assistance, coordinating transportation requests or managing logistics, your work is critical in connecting people with the services they require and monitoring the status of those services.

If you’ve been looking for a new job without success, it may be time to turn your attention to the status of your resume. A solid dispatcher resume is your key to unlocking your next big role and it’s easier than you think to create one.

With the help of some easy-to-follow instructions on how to write a resume for your career as a dispatcher and some excellent resume examples for reference, the task can be much simpler than you think. Here, you’ll learn exactly what you need to know to write an impressive dispatcher resume in a matter of minutes.

Here you’ll find:

Examples of dispatcher resumes for applicants with and without experience
Detailed explanations about what features make a dispatcher resume example great.
Tips and tricks for writing your resume, including how to study a dispatcher job description for resume keywords.
What to include in every section of your dispatcher resume.
How to choose the right resume template and format for the role.

Ready to write a dispatcher resume now? Use our professional AI Resume Builder for step-by-step help writing every section.

Dispatcher resume examples

Entry-level dispatcher resume example

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What makes this a great entry-level dispatcher resume sample:

Strong career objective
While this applicant doesn’t have extensive work experience, he does have enough that he has gained some transferable skills and relevant training. He outlines those succinctly in his Career Objective, which is also called a resume objective.
Use of multiple skills sections
With only a short employment history to share, this applicant dedicates the bulk of his resume’s real estate to highlight his related skills. By creating two different types of skills sections, he makes it easy to see that he has the background required to perform the duties of the role.
Separate certification section
Being a dispatcher isn’t for the faint of heart — it’s stressful work. By putting his EDC certification under its own header, he clearly shows hiring managers that he understands the demands of the role and has been trained appropriately.

Experienced dispatcher resume example

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What makes this a great experienced dispatcher resume sample:

Strong professional summary
This resume kicks off with a professional summary that is packed with the applicant’s critical skills and experience. She starts by highlighting that she has 13 years of direct work experience, which will make recruiters take notice.
Detailed work experience section
This applicant has a very strong work history. To showcase the most critical parts of her background, she uses multiple detailed bullet points — complete with data and metrics — to highlight her past professional experience.
Includes special sections
By placing her CDP certification under a dedicated heading, she draws attention to this critical qualification.

Choose the right resume format for your dispatcher resume

In every job search, you want to put your best foot forward. So, to land the dispatcher job you want, you need to get the right information in front of a recruiter. How do you do that? By choosing the resume format that puts your most impressive credentials front and center.

Here’s how to decide which one is right for you:

The chronological resume format is perfect for applicants with little to no direct dispatcher work experience.
The combination resume format is great for midlevel applicants who have a few years of work experience as a dispatcher.
The functional resume format works best for experienced dispatcher applicants who have five or more years of relevant experience.

Visit our guide to learn more about how to format a resume for more information on how to best showcase your skills, training and experience.

Now that you’ve chosen the perfect format, it’s time to pick your resume template.

Choose the right resume template for your resume

Create your resume

While every dispatcher resume you write will have the same basic sections — a professional summary or resume objective, skills, work history and education — you can customize the look and feel of your resume by selecting the right resume template.

While there are many different resume designs, a versatile simple resume template may be the way to go. Its minimalist design makes your skills and experience stand out instead of having the eye go to over-the-top design elements.

Another option is to try a modern resume. These have a sleek look that is more stylish but still appropriate across industries. Or, for a more colorful resume, try a creative resume template. These have more flair and allow you to show off your personality.

Now let’s dive into the writing process.

How to write a dispatcher resume in 5 simple steps

If writing a new resume has become a 911 emergency, you’ll want to get started on writing one. While there are some basic rules for writing a great resume, savvy applicants for competitive dispatcher jobs know that the key to getting noticed is to write a resume that is specific to the industry and the role they seek. Let’s go through how to accomplish just that, step by step.

Step 1

Study the dispatcher job description

A well-written dispatcher resume is customized to include keywords that show employers that you have what it takes to perform the role. Why is this important?

Many employers run resumes through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen out unqualified candidates based on preset keywords. If your resume doesn’t contain the right keywords, you’ll be eliminated before a human ever sees your resume. To make your resume ATS-friendly, you’ll need to customize it to include critical keywords in order to improve your chances of landing a job interview.

But how do you know which keywords to use? Don’t worry — it’s easy. All you have to do is study the dispatcher job description.

While every dispatcher role is different, a good job ad should tell you everything you need to know about which keywords to add to your dispatcher resume. The key to success is to study the job description and make a list of critical keywords.

For example, if the job description for the dispatcher role you seek asks for driver log monitoring and recordkeeping experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to follow established protocols and guidelines, you’ll want to be sure to use those exact words in your dispatcher resume. Look for opportunities in your professional summary, skills section and work experience section to add the keywords you’ve identified. Then, go through your resume and make sure what you wrote matches the wording in the job description so that the ATS recognizes it.

It may sound like a lot, but once you get used to the process, it should only take you a few minutes to do and will get your dispatcher resume better results than if you don’t tailor it.

Step 2

Write a professional summary or resume objective

Tailoring your dispatcher resume to your level of experience is crucial. Begin with either a professional summary or a resume objective. Consider this resume section as your resume profile, where you offer prospective employers a concise overview of your key skills, experience and noteworthy accomplishments.

Less experienced applicants should choose a resume objective, which states your transferable skills and your career goals. Applicants with direct dispatcher experience should use a professional summary, which outlines your skills and experience and highlights some of your most notable professional accomplishments.

Let’s look at how each of these read on a dispatcher resume.

Dispatcher professional summary example:

Detail-oriented dispatcher with six months of hands-on experience coordinating taxi service in San Francisco. Proficient in prioritizing riders, coordinating resources and maintaining clear communication channels with drivers. Demonstrated ability to navigate and utilize advanced dispatching systems effectively. Eager to apply my skills and certification to support the seamless operations of Yellow Cab to ensure exceptional customer service.

Dispatcher resume objective example:

Seasoned emergency services dispatcher with a decade of hands-on experience in efficiently coordinating critical response efforts. Possess a comprehensive understanding of emergency protocols and procedures, bolstered by both Emergency Police Dispatcher (EPD) and Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT) certifications. Expertise in swiftly assessing situations, prioritizing responses and deploying appropriate resources. Proficient in the operation of advanced dispatching systems and skilled in maintaining composure in high-pressure scenarios.

Step 3

Highlight your most relevant dispatcher skills

Regardless of your experience level, hiring managers will be looking closely at the dispatcher resume skills you list. Skills for a dispatcher resume should be added to your resume skills section and peppered into your professional summary (or resume objective) and your work experience section.

It’s critical that you provide employers with a solid mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the measurable skills needed to perform a job, like dispatching the appropriate team members. Soft skills, like clear communication and active listening skills, are behaviors and personality traits.

Below, we provide a side-by-side list of hard and soft skills to help you see the difference between the two.

Key skills for a dispatcher resume

Hard Skills

Technical proficiency
Emergency protocol knowledge
Advanced dispatching system operation
Resource allocation
Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) certification

Soft Skills

Communication
Critical thinking
Problem-solving
Stress management
Team collaboration

Here’s an example of a strong resume skills section for a dispatcher:

Technical proficiency
Active listening
Customer service
Quick decision-making in high-stress environments
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Problem-solving

Pro tip

When writing your skills section, adding computer skills and other technical abilities are great. However, as a dispatcher, your soft skills count, too. Try to find a mix of hard and soft skills to show that you’re a well-balanced applicant who has the interpersonal skills to do the job.

Step 4

Write a strong dispatcher work experience section

While the required background and experience will be different for each role, the key to getting noticed is writing a work experience section that demonstrates what you will bring to the table.

Think about your work experience in terms of projects that challenged you, obstacles you’ve overcome and professional wins you’ve enjoyed over the course of your career. Describing your work experience in these terms helps show off the impact of your work rather than just your job duties.

Sample dispatcher work history entry:

Lead Dispatcher, GreenLight Ambulance Service
Dayton, OH
June 2018 – February 2022

Coordinated emergency response efforts for Dayton, OH and surrounding areas, ensuring timely deployment of resources and accurate communication with field personnel.
Managed high call volumes averaging 50 calls per shift, demonstrating exceptional multitasking abilities under pressure.
Demonstrated strong communication skills, providing clear instructions to first responders and effectively relaying critical information to callers.
Employed active listening and critical thinking to assess the urgency of each call and prioritize responses accordingly.
Conducted regular training sessions for new dispatchers, focusing on enhancing soft skills such as empathy and customer service.

Pro tip

Make your dispatcher credentials pop by using action words, data and metrics to capture the attention of a hiring manager.

Step 5

Showcase your education and training

To be hired as a dispatcher, you’ll need to show employers that you have the required education and training. The educational requirements to become a dispatcher can vary depending on the specific agency or employer, as well as the jurisdiction. However, most dispatchers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent (such as a GED) as a minimum educational qualification.

In addition to a high school diploma, some employers may require candidates to have specific certifications. These can be listed under Education or in a special section.

How to list your education:

EDUCATION

Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice
San Francisco City College, San Francisco, CA
May 2021

CERTIFICATIONS:

Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD)
Certified Public Safety Telecommunicator (CPST)

Optional sections for your dispatcher resume

Hobbies and interests

Featuring personal projects or hobbies can give potential employers a more comprehensive view of you as a person. It’s okay to add any hobbies or pastimes you enjoy, as long as they aren’t political or religious in nature, which could introduce bias into the hiring process.

How to feature hobbies and interests on your resume:

Coach Little League baseball
Enjoy transcendental meditation

Awards and honors

Adding honors and awards to your resume is a smart way to show off your abilities, achievements and qualifications. Success as a dispatcher relies on a variety of factors, including call volume, accuracy, customer service and more. Including awards for exceptional performance can be a real boon to your resume by showing the employer areas where you excel and that you are capable of making significant contributions to their organization, which ultimately will increase your chances of landing the job.

How to showcase awards and honors on your resume:

Teamwork Award, Yellow Cab, 2020
Excellence in Customer Service Award, Jones Moving & Trucking, 2019

Languages

Knowing more than one language is highly prized in today’s job market. Since being a dispatcher relies on strong communication, being multilingual expands your communication abilities significantly, giving you the ability to effectively interact with a wider range of people.

Therefore, if a job opening comes down to two candidates and one of them lists multiple languages on their resume, the multilingual candidate will be more attractive to the employer.

How to showcase languages on your resume:

Fluent in Spanish and English
Conversational French

Add a cover letter

Create your cover letter

Adding a dispatcher cover letter to your application can help you stand out. Why? Because it gives you extra space to convince the employer that you’re the right person for the job.

Learning how to write a cover letter for a dispatcher job starts with studying our cover letter examples to learn how to express your unique candidacy in a compelling way and how to format your cover letter for success.

Or, if you want a job-specific cover letter in a matter of minutes, use our professional Cover Letter Builder, which offers professionally written text suggestions for every section. Use the wording as-is or customize it to suit your needs.

Key takeaways for your dispatcher resume

Study the dispatcher job description for each opportunity

Review the specific qualifications outlined in the job ad and tailor your resume to align with the specific requirements of each. Take note of the critical skills and experience outlined in the job description and list those prominently on your resume.
Select the appropriate resume format

Decide what you’d like to emphasize the most on your dispatcher resume — such as strong skills, an impressive work history or both — and then select the format that will help you put your best foot forward.
Choose an appropriate resume template

If you’re applying for a job at a conservative company, you’ll want to choose a conservative resume design. For less traditional work environments, your resume template can be more colorful and creative.
Follow our steps for a standout resume

Take care to write all five sections of your resume in a way that is specific to the job you seek. Your professional summary, skills, work experience and education section should all contain information that is targeted to the job ad.
Include both hard and soft skills

Being a dispatcher requires a mix of technical and personal skills to do the job well. Study our list of hard and soft skills to be sure that you include a balance of both types in your resume.
Make your work experience section shine

Accomplish this by using action verbs, data and metrics to show the impact of your work.
Go the extra mile

Including a well-written dispatcher cover letter can increase your chances of landing a job interview, so take the chance to include one with your application.

Commonly asked question about resume writing

Last Updated: May 30, 2024

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Heather is the Content Strategy Manager for Resume Now and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with more than ten years of experience writing about job search and career topics. She is based in San Francisco.