How to hire a communications dispatcher

How to hire a communications dispatcher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step communications dispatcher hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a communications dispatcher job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new communications dispatcher
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a communications dispatcher do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The communications dispatcher hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A communications dispatcher's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, communications dispatchers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of communications dispatchers.

   Type of Communications Dispatcher	Description	Hourly rate
   Communications Dispatcher	Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, also called public safety telecommunicators, answer emergency and nonemergency calls.	$12-22
   Call Taker	A call taker works at a call or dispatch center, where they are primarily in charge of answering calls, identifying the callers' needs, and coordinating services to assist them right away. Although their responsibilities depend on their company or industry of employment, it usually involves answering inquiries, processing requests, arranging appointments or reservations, and handling issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently... Show more	$13-24
   Supervisor Of Communications	The communications supervisor handles all internal and external communications of the company. This supervisor focuses on ensuring all communications are disseminated efficiently throughout the company... Show more	$20-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Computer Aided Dispatch
   • CAD
   • Emergency Situations
   • CPR
   • Dispatch System
   • Good Judgment
   • Communications Equipment
   • Data Entry
   • EMS
   • Patrol
   • Two-Way Radio
   • NCIC
   • Radio Communications
   • Emergency Services

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage Facebook page and create event page for grand opening.
   • Provide first aid, CPR and emergency oxygen as required.
   • Provide telephone service on the TDD communication device for the deaf and hearing impair.
   • Respond verbally and used TDD (text telephone device for hearing or speech impair) to communicate with callers when need.
   • Maintain composure and compassion while handling emergency and non-emergency calls from a diverse community
   • Coordinate the response of ambulances and public safety units to emergency sites or in-progress crime situations.

   More communications dispatcher duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the communications dispatcher job description is a good way to get more applicants. A communications dispatcher salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a communications dispatcher in South Carolina may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level communications dispatcher. Additionally, a communications dispatcher with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average communications dispatcher salary

   $35,153yearly

   $16.90 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level communications dispatcher salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average communications dispatcher salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$54,736	$26
   2	Oregon	$49,139	$24
   3	Colorado	$39,421	$19
   4	Kansas	$37,898	$18
   5	New York	$37,701	$18
   6	Massachusetts	$37,159	$18
   7	Iowa	$34,698	$17
   8	Michigan	$34,438	$17
   9	Virginia	$33,728	$16
   10	Pennsylvania	$32,937	$16
   11	Arizona	$31,533	$15
   12	Missouri	$31,423	$15
   13	Texas	$29,668	$14
   14	Florida	$27,401	$13
   15	Alabama	$25,946	$12
   16	Tennessee	$25,627	$12
   17	Georgia	$25,290	$12

   Average communications dispatcher salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City of Richmond	$44,548	$21.42	3
   2	City of Redwood City	$43,878	$21.10
   3	City of Atlanta	$43,214	$20.78
   4	Bunker Hill Community College	$43,000	$20.67
   5	City of Center	$41,401	$19.90
   6	CityofBeverlyHills	$40,843	$19.64	1
   7	City of Dearborn	$40,820	$19.63	2
   8	City of Garden City	$40,759	$19.60	1
   9	City of Maricopa	$40,743	$19.59
   10	San Bernardino County	$40,523	$19.48
   11	Salem State University	$40,504	$19.47
   12	County of Riverside	$40,296	$19.37	3
   13	Boynton Beach City Manager	$40,144	$19.30
   14	Monroe County	$39,733	$19.10
   15	Iowa Department of Transportation	$39,700	$19.09
   16	East Bay Regional Park District	$39,532	$19.01	1
   17	MCLA	$38,879	$18.69
   18	Framingham State University	$37,998	$18.27	1
   19	City of Menlo Park	$36,372	$17.49
   20	Tenet Healthcare	$35,102	$16.88	12

4. Writing a communications dispatcher job description

   A good communications dispatcher job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a communications dispatcher job description:

   Communications dispatcher job description example

   Communications Dispatchers respond to emergency and non-emergency calls for assistance and information. They must provide dispatch and communication support services for the New Albany City Police and related emergency services for the City. This position is responsible for the day-to-day operations specific to a communications center, providing the citizens of the City of New Albany with prompt and professional service regarding any and all emergency and non-emergency calls that are received within the Center.
   Note: This is a part-time position that will have the opportunity to apply for a full-time position when one becomes available. SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: "*" denotes an essential function of the job A. *Performs all key tasks and duties of a dispatcher.
   B. *Answer all calls promptly and professionally and maintain a calm demeanor at all times.
   C. *Maintain calm in radio transmissions during hectic and/or dangerous situation and make every attempt to calm angered, distraught and/or frightened callers.
   D. *Immediately dispatch the appropriate party to respond to the caller; Fire, police and/or EMS.
   E. *Provide general information to the public and refer calls to appropriate agencies.
   F. *Maintain an accurate log of incoming calls service request and action taken.
   G. *Test and inspect all equipment as required and immediately report any problems to management.
   H. *Follow all applicable safety rules and regulations at all times.
   I. *Monitor radios and/or security cameras.
   J. Send all Media inquiries to the Chief of Police to handle.
   K. Assist with training new personnel.
   L. Performs other duties as assigned. STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE: A. Demonstrate informative and professional assistance when working with vendors, co-workers, and the public.
   B. Act independently and originate new procedures and new approaches to problems.
   C. Display excellent verbal and written communication skills.
   D. Maintain initiative to preserve the flow of work.
   E. Ensure commitment and follow through to deadlines.
   F. Sustain interpersonal relationships which encourage openness, candor and trust, both internally and with the general public.
   G. Complete projects and/or reports in accurate and timely manner.
   H. Maintain City information in a confidential manner.
   I. Work as a team member.
   J. Display professional appearance, warm demeanor and positive attitude.
   K. Be a motivated self-starter.
   L. Be accurate, efficient and organized at all times. MENTAL AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: A. Understand, respond to, and apply complex concepts, information and instructions including policies, procedures, laws and/or regulations.
   B. Engage in frequent interpersonal interactions that are stressful and sensitive in nature and do so with tact and diplomacy.
   C. Work extremely well under pressure and highly stressful situations and remain calm and in control at all times.
   D. Manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
   E. Stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl occasionally.
   F. Sit for extended periods of time.
   G. Think and apply good and reasonable judgment, discretion and initiative in accomplishing all functions.
   H. Work effectively despite sleep pattern disruptions as a result of rotational and irregular shift work and overtime.
   I. Lift and/or move up to 10 pounds occasionally.
   J. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
   K. Ability to hear, understand and respond verbal information in person, by phone and by radio, including with difficult to understand callers.
   L. Must speak clearly and concisely in English.
   M. Hear, understand and respond using radio transmitters and receivers, radio consoles, telephone and radio headsets, multi-line telephone systems and complex communications equipment.
   N. Ability to see, read, and understand written information and instructions in all forms, including handwritten, hard copy or electronic communication formats.
   O. Ability to see and use all related communications equipment including radio transmitters and receivers, radio consoles, telephone and radio headsets, multiline telephone systems, computer consoles and data communications terminals. WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND CONDITIONS: A. This position requires working in the internal environment around dispatcher and/or police equipment.
   B. This position requires a flexible work schedule; night and/or weekends may be required. EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: A. Minimum of high school diploma required; some college preferred.
   B. At least three years of progressively responsible communications dispatching experience, preferred.
   C. Knowledge of CAD and E911 equipment required.
   D. Previous customer services experience, preferred.
   E. Ability to handle a high volume of incoming calls while maintaining proper phone etiquette and a high level of professionalism at all times.
   F. Willingness to take on additional tasks as assigned. EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS: This position requires use of computers, keyboards, office equipment and similar specialized technical and electronic equipment commonly found in communication centers.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with communications dispatchers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit communications dispatchers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your communications dispatcher job on Zippia to find and recruit communications dispatcher candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit communications dispatchers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new communications dispatcher

   Once you've decided on a perfect communications dispatcher candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new communications dispatcher. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a communications dispatcher?