How to Hire a Dispatcher

Why hire a dispatcher?

Hiring a dispatcher for your organization can help in smoothing the communication flow between various parties.

They help maintain the consistency and accuracy of messages. Choosing the right person as a dispatcher is essential in regulating the communication flow and giving all parties more clarity. A strong dispatcher can: 

• Make and receive calls, both nonemergency and emergency, and record the information shared
• Act as a single point of contact to receive requests, address problems and provide solutions
• Dispatch and receive orders for deliveries and products

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance dispatcher

Companies that don’t require full-time dispatcher services can hire freelancers to take care of their limited needs. Freelance dispatchers can be paid on a percentage basis or flat fees per load. This saves the company money when compared to a full-time dispatcher. The company also doesn’t have to provide the freelancer with benefits, including health insurance and vacation time. 

For larger companies with more mobile units, a full-time dispatcher may be required. It can be cheaper to hire full-time employees than independent freelancers if the workload is high. Some fields that may require full-time dispatchers include law enforcement, emergency health care and trucking.

What are the types of dispatchers?

There are different types of dispatcher in various industries that fill specific roles in the community, such as: 

• Emergency dispatchers: Emergency dispatchers send help to individuals who are having an emergency. They may send firefighters, EMTs and/or police officers to the scene. These dispatchers may also be trained to walk people through emergency procedures, such as CPR, childbirth and first aid. 
• Truck dispatchers: Trucking dispatchers coordinate delivery and pickup schedules for truck drivers.
• Flight dispatchers: Flight dispatchers help plan flight paths for airlines. They’re trained to take into account winds, storms and the weight of the aircraft. Additionally, they’re responsible for alerting pilots of changing conditions and paths. 
• Bus dispatchers: Bus dispatchers keep track of the bus schedule for their assigned vehicles and keep an eye on problems that may occur during the route. 
• Tow truck dispatchers: Tow truck dispatchers help individuals whose cars have broken down on the road.

Where to find dispatchers

To find the right dispatcher for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Hang up help wanted flyers: Posting help wanted signs around the community can raise awareness of the position and potentially attract quality candidates.
• Promote or hire from within: There may be employees already in your company who have the required skills and certifications to become a dispatcher. Conduct interviews to see if any of your employees are a good fit for the job. 
• Search the internet: Many available candidates advertise themselves online on specific social media websites, such as Linkedin, to find jobs. Search these sites and communicate with potential candidates. 
• Post your job online: Try posting your dispatcher job on Indeed to find and attract quality dispatcher candidates.

What are the types of dispatchers?

There are different types of dispatcher in various industries that fill specific roles in the community, such as: 

• Emergency dispatchers: Emergency dispatchers send help to individuals who are having an emergency. They may send firefighters, EMTs and/or police officers to the scene. These dispatchers may also be trained to walk people through emergency procedures, such as CPR, childbirth and first aid. 
• Truck dispatchers: Trucking dispatchers coordinate delivery and pickup schedules for truck drivers.
• Flight dispatchers: Flight dispatchers help plan flight paths for airlines. They’re trained to take into account winds, storms and the weight of the aircraft. Additionally, they’re responsible for alerting pilots of changing conditions and paths. 
• Bus dispatchers: Bus dispatchers keep track of the bus schedule for their assigned vehicles and keep an eye on problems that may occur during the route. 
• Tow truck dispatchers: Tow truck dispatchers help individuals whose cars have broken down on the road.

Writing a dispatcher job description

It’s vital to create a detailed job description with a list of duties, responsibilities and required skills to find suitable dispatcher candidates.

When writing your dispatcher job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on dispatcher jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Dispatcher
• Customer service
• Dispatch
• Logistics
• Remote work from home
• Hiring immediately
• Data entry
• Emergency dispatcher
• Truck dispatcher
• Overnight

Interviewing dispatcher candidates

In the interview process for suitable dispatcher candidates, comparing the skills and qualifications of all potential candidates is essential. It may be helpful to look for the following:

• Proficiency in emergency situations and procedures and suggested solutions to handle them
• Knowledge and experience in receiving and transmitting communication in a clear manner
• How they’ve excelled at handling past cases and improved situational outcomes

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of dispatcher interview questions for examples (with sample answers).