Is anyone here an emergency call handler?

[Nailest]

If so, please could you give me your top interview tips?!

I have an online assessment first for which I apparently need to type my answers and do a typing test - my typing speed isn’t great so bit worried about this.

And then if I get through that, there’s an interview with questions.

I didn’t really think I’d get so far as an interview so I’m excited but scared!

Bumping hopefully :)

I used to be, left last year.

They'll ask you about how you've dealt with difficult scenarios in life, examples of when you've gone above and beyond, examples of your resilience and quick thinking etc, sacrifices you've made, character based questions.

Thank you @Patienceisntvirtuous, that’s helpful to know. Did you enjoy the job?

my friend was a call taker/dispatcher for london ambulance service for a few yerars. The turn over of staff was huge apparently!

I used to do this job. The interview process was fine, don't worry too much about typing speed, mine isn't great, it was more about accuracy. If you get the job then it definitely improves your typing quickly!
Interview questions were as PP mentioned, situations and how you respond. We also had to do a fake call to see how we handled it. Having decent knowledge of your local area / city/ County is also very helpful, so brush up on that in case they ask - main motorways, roads, tourist areas, major events in your area etc, large venues.
It wasn't the job for me, very long shifts, and it was emotionally extremely draining and stressful, but some people loved it.
Good luck!

Thanks both for further replies. Useful info about knowledge of the area @CatFacePoodle. I suspect this might be a dealbreaker but I’ll see how it goes!

Yes I did. :) I left for reasons to do with how they treated staff, rather than the job itself.

Emotional resilience is required.

Yes, I did 999 and radio comms for the police for 11 years. Still my favourite job. Left for external reasons.

Typing is as much about accuracy as it is speed. Check your work.

They'll probably want to talk about prioritisation and how you decide what needs to be dealt with first. The primary thing to remember is risk to life, then damage to property, then everything else.

Be prepared to to discuss the shift work and how you'll cope with a range of working hours.

How you have remained calm under pressure. Some calls are very distressing, but you still have to get specific information from the caller - location, what's happening, injuries etc - so you can get the right people there including other emergency services as required. Lots of reassurance, keeping people calm on the phone, talking them down from hysteria or aggression etc.

We had to do a prioritisation exercise with brief written scenarios and you had to say which order they should be handled and justify it. You can be wrong, just make sure your justification is good!

Good luck, I loved the work.

@SilverHairedCat thanks so much for this information, really helpful :)

Just thought I’d update - I got the job. Thank you for the helpful replies :)

Congratulations OP. I'd like to do this job in future, as a single parent with little childcare support it's not possible for me right now. Hope it goes well for you!

Ah thank you @Waxonwaxoff0, that’s kind of you. My dc are older now so I can handle the shifts but, yes, it would be tricky with younger ones. I hope you get to do it some day :)

Hey sorry I'm late to the party but wondered if you took the job how you are finding it ? I got offered the job today and I currently work council 9- 5 every weekend off office job. I have zero progression here and crap wage with no room to improve on that. I'm wondering if this is the right choice . Shift work has me abit nervous. How are you finding the job?

Hi @LCScotmum :). Congratulations on getting the job. I had to delay my start date for various reasons so don’t start until Monday - can’t really be of much help to you yet!

Once I’ve completed my training I’m only wanting to do part time - so I’ll only be doing 2 long (11 hour) shifts a week, and I don’t know yet how that will work. Ie, whether it’ll be the same shifts every week, whether I can choose which shifts etc.

I’ll update when I know a bit more - I’m sorry not to have been much help! I think it’ll be a rewarding (but at times difficult) job, but have to say the pay isn’t great.

Hi,

Congratulations.

I have my assessment tomorrow. I am really worried as my typing speed!

How long after your assessment did you have to wait to hear if you had an interview?

Good luck with the 5 week course.

Well done on getting the job! This was interesting for me to read as my 16 year old has decided she wants to do this job for the ambulance service when she leaves school!

Just wanted to say congratulations and good luck. I'm hoping to pursue this in the near future.

I had my assessment this morning. I really messed up on the speed typing! My hands were shaking so much that I just kept hitting the wrong letters!

I think I did OK on the other tests, so I've just got to hope that it will be good enough!

Hope the course is going well. They haven't got space on the next course so if I do get through I wouldn't start till November! 🙄🤷🏼‍♀️

I know this was a while ago but could you describe the sort of things you had to do in the computer tests? Thanks v much

@Becamira Not the OP but when I was assessed for this job I had to do a typing speed test, a listening test (combinations of numbers in sequence to listen to and then tick the correct combination on a paper), a 'mock' emergency scenario where I had to pretend I was already doing the job-and another one that slips my mind at the moment-there were four tests altogether.

Thanks so much for getting back to me, that’s really helpful.

Hi there,

could you please anyone help me to pass Assessments test and I am bit curious about Audio test, comprehension test and memory test. I have got 4 test over all and I am well on typing speed but I don’t know how to practice on comprehension and memory test.

I have got an email stated that after clearing Assessment you have to wait for a 2 to 3 hours to get interviewed and I don’t know when they gonna announce results.

is there any one who fresh attempted 999 call handler test and interview. Could you please reply and help. I booked my Assessments test and interview on next Tuesday. So, waiting for your response to feel positive and confidence.

your quick response is highly appreciated.