Crisis Specialist, 988 Lifeline

Someone's most difficult day could become their turning point because you answered the phone.

FirstLink is looking for compassionate, resilient individuals to join our team as 988 Crisis Specialists, providing life-saving support through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Every day, our specialists answer calls, chats, and texts from people experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, substance use concerns, grief, loneliness, and other behavioral health crises.

As the local 988 answering center for North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, we believe people deserve to speak with someone who understands their communities and the resources available close to home. Every interaction is an opportunity to reduce risk, restore hope, and remind someone they don't have to face life's hardest moments alone.

Now Hiring for ALL Shifts!

We're currently hiring for Day, Evening, and Overnight shifts.

• Day Shift: 8am-4pm
• Evening Shift: 4pm-12am
• Overnight Shift: 12am-8am

All full-time schedules include:

• At least one weekend day
• Two consecutive days off each week
• Every other federal holiday

During the application process, you'll be able to indicate your preferred shift(s) and whether you'd prefer to work Saturday, Sunday, or both weekend days (full-weekend schedules include a wage incentive!)

Specific schedules will be discussed during the interview process and matched whenever possible based on operational needs and your availability.

Compensation Offered:

• Day & Evening Shift - starting at $20/hourly
• Overnight Shift - starting at $21/hourly

Team members who work full-weekend schedules receive an additional $0.50 per hour. All team members are eligible for up to an additional $1/hour after 90 days of successful independent service delivery!

What You'll Do:

You don't need to have all the answers, you only need to know how to listen.

Successful candidates are compassionate, emotionally steady, and genuinely curious about the people they serve. They remain calm under pressure, ask thoughtful questions, and are comfortable sitting with difficult emotions without feeling the need to immediately "fix" them.

Ideal candidates have experience in customer service, contact centers, behavioral health, healthcare, human services, crisis intervention, or other helping professions. More importantly, they demonstrate empathy, professionalism, strong communication skills, and a desire to continue learning and growing.

Training & Career Growth:

You won't do this work alone.

Before answering conversations independently, you'll complete comprehensive training that includes the national 988 Lifeline Core Clinical Training, suicide safety assessment, chat and text response, simulations, roleplays, live observation, and ongoing coaching from experienced leaders.

FirstLink is committed to helping team members grow professionally through certification opportunities, monthly coaching, quality improvement, and internal advancement. Many of our leaders began their careers answering interactions just like the ones you'll answer every day. Whether you're interested in becoming a Response Mentor, exploring training and quality improvement, or pursuing leadership opportunities in the future, we'll support your professional development every step of the way.

Join FirstLink!

If you're looking for meaningful work where compassion, teamwork, and purpose come together every day, we'd love to hear from you. Join FirstLink's 988 team and help ensure that every person reaching out in crisis is met with empathy, respect, and the support they deserve.