Searching for a dispatching job when you don’t have experience in the field can seem daunting. You may easily get discouraged when you scroll through online job postings only to see the requirements listing “seasoned” as mandatory. As you start your search, keep your chin up and hold onto your confidence. You can still prove you have the skills you need for dispatching calls in your county’s emergency center.
Our writing tips and sample 911 dispatcher resume with no experience will show you how to showcase your strengths by pulling from the work experience you do have. Every job has taught you something you can use for work in an emergency call center setting. Follow our tips for demonstrating your qualifications and building a stellar resume.
911 Dispatcher Resume With No Experience Sample
David Villanova
Asheville, NC 11111
E: dvillanova@anymail.com T: 555-372-9285
Asheville, NC 11111
E: dvillanova@anymail.com T: 555-372-9285
Summary Statement
Customer service expert with ability to prioritize immediate needs and suggest alternative means of solving problems. Excellent responsiveness to requests for service in a fast-paced environment and ability to make effective decisions quickly. Digital native comfortable with learning new technologies and adapting familiar innovations to new settings.
Skills
• Attentive server, responsive to customer needs
• Dependable and flexible employee
• Exceptional ability to maintain quality standards of service
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Aptitude for collaborative partnerships
• Devoted supporter of employing organization, supervisors, and colleagues
• Willingness to learn a new industry
Education
Associate in Arts in Criminal Justice Technology – 2017
Southwestern Community College – Sylva, NC
Relevant Courses: law enforcement operations, crisis intervention, introduction to communication
Achievements
• Received Student of the Year Award – Department of Legal Programs, 2016
• Appointed to President’s List, 2015 – 2017
Work Experience
Server: May 2014 – current
Harper’s Café and Gift Shop, Asheville, NC
• Assist customers in choosing entrées, serve them in an appropriate time frame, and attend to their needs throughout the dining experience
• Provide top-quality service to encourage return business
• Adhere to food industry sanitation and safety standards to maintain cleanliness and protect consumers
• Work a flexible schedule, opening and closing the café on weekdays and rotating weekend shifts to balance responsibilities for all servers
• Contribute to a collaborative workplace by assisting colleagues during busy periods and working extra shifts when emergencies arise
• Mentor new employees, helping them prioritize client relationships and contribute to the café’s long-term growth
Volunteer: Summer, 2012 and Summer, 2013
Haywood Regional Medical Center, Clyde, NC
• Delivered supplies throughout the hospital to ensure various departments had adequate inventories
• Assisted in administrative tasks such as filing and copying to update public records
• Answered phones and directed visitors to their destinations throughout the facility
• Created a Google Drive database for summer staff to collaborate, increasing the overall effectiveness of the program and the ability to recruit others
• Participated in all volunteer staff meetings, providing feedback to the program leaders for future projects
• Filled in as necessary in several departments to cover when absences left them understaffed
Tips for Creating a 911 Dispatcher Resume With No Experience
1. Play to your strengths
Your resume’s summary statement is a chance to grab the attention of the hiring manager, so use it to focus on your strengths. For example, a dispatcher needs good communication skills, which include the ability to serve customers well. Any prior serving experience will reveal your effectiveness in assisting others.
Your background may be in the restaurant business or in afterschool childcare, but don’t be afraid to include either as part of your work history. Both show a propensity for working well in settings where pleasing the customers (or in childcare, pleasing the parents) takes top priority. When you sit down to write your summary statement, think of your previous work in terms of skills rather than tasks, and then play to the first.
2. List only your highest level of education
In the 911 dispatcher resume above, the applicant spelled out the details of his associate degree with its title plus the college’s name and his graduation date. Note that he did not add information about his high school diploma, because employers assume someone with an associate degree has also completed high school.
When you outline your educational history, you may follow this example. List any credentials beyond a high school diploma, if you have them. For dispatching positions that only require the completion of high school or its equivalent, there’s no need to mention anything other than that.
3. Show your versatility
As you outline the job responsibilities you have taken on in each role you have held, be sure to focus on your ability to adapt and learn new things. In the customer service job, for instance, did you take orders, fulfill them, check on customers, and clean up at the end of the day? Were you flexible enough to work daytime or evening hours?
A 911 dispatcher’s hours are long, and many departments work rotating shifts. To let the center manager know you feel confident about the hours they require employees to work, emphasize your flexibility, whether in a previous schedule or past responsibilities. Let the supervisor know you are a versatile employee who’ll do what it takes to perform well and contribute to the success of the organization.
4. Include your volunteer experience
Notice in the sample 911 dispatcher resume with no experience, the applicant added a summer volunteer role as part of his work history. Volunteer positions are significant aspects of an applicant’s background; they speak volumes about an individual’s willingness to gain knowledge rather than financial advantage in exchange for time.
Non-paid opportunities also show the level of commitment someone is willing to make to an organization or a cause. If you have invested a significant amount of time without pay to an association you care about, don’t forget to include it in your resume. Even if the position was not related to a dispatching job, your dedication to complete a volunteer assignment gives hiring managers a clearer picture of who you are.
The Most Important 911 Dispatcher Resume With No Experience Takeaways
Drafting your 911 dispatcher resume with no experience doesn’t have to be intimidating. Remember to play to your strengths when you write your summary, outline your skills, and summarize your previous job responsibilities. Some of the qualities that may make you a top-notch dispatcher are those you have already developed in prior assignments.
Focus on those while letting your truest self shine through in your volunteer accomplishments and creative versatility. If you’re still not sure where to start, be sure to check out our resume builder. Remember, a well-crafted resume may just be the key you need to open the door to an emergency services career.
