How to hire a computer laboratory assistant

How to hire a computer laboratory assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step computer laboratory assistant hiring guide:

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

What does a computer laboratory assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the computer laboratory assistant you need to hire. Certain computer laboratory assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A computer laboratory assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, computer laboratory assistants 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.

   Here's a comparison of computer laboratory assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Computer Laboratory Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Computer Laboratory Assistant	Computer support specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software or equipment. Some, called computer network support specialists, support information technology (IT) employees within their organization... Show more	$11-18
   Trainee	Trainees' general responsibility is to familiarize themselves with the best practices and processes of their chosen careers. Some of the trainee's duties include shadowing with a tenured employee to understand various tasks, taking practical examinations to test knowledge extent, maintaining the eagerness to learn and a positive working attitude, assisting with customer inquiries, escalating concerns, and maintaining record progress... Show more	$12-26
   Lead Technician	Lead technicians are technicians who oversee the technical needs of a specific project or department. They are usually tenured employees, and their familiarity with the company's technical and technological processes, software, and hardware would be a great advantage in succeeding in their role... Show more	$32-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Computer Software
   • PowerPoint
   • Mac
   • Computer Programs
   • Windows XP
   • Technical Assistance
   • Computer System
   • Software Applications
   • Technical Issues
   • Software Issues
   • C++
   • Technical Problems
   • Computer Problems
   • Student Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage office technology equipment/machinery such as printers, scanners, PC/MAC.
   • Manage departmental computer labs, update departmental website and troubleshot relate PC/Mac applications.
   • Install CPU's, OS, drivers, and Bios.
   • Reset passwords, troubleshot as needed.
   • Provide repair services for PC's.
   • Experience with supporting multiple different OS platforms.

   More computer laboratory assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your computer laboratory assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A computer laboratory assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a computer laboratory assistant in Florida may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level computer laboratory assistant usually earns less than a senior-level computer laboratory assistant. Additionally, a computer laboratory assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average computer laboratory assistant salary

   $14.55hourly

   $30,255 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level computer laboratory assistant salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average computer laboratory assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$37,155	$18
   2	California	$35,616	$17
   3	Michigan	$34,703	$17
   4	Connecticut	$31,007	$15
   5	Indiana	$30,594	$15
   6	Illinois	$30,427	$15
   7	Virginia	$29,790	$14
   8	Arizona	$28,581	$14
   9	Tennessee	$28,423	$14
   10	Kansas	$28,024	$13
   11	Utah	$27,857	$13
   12	Florida	$26,823	$13
   13	Texas	$26,268	$13

   Average computer laboratory assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory	$38,917	$18.71	3
   2	Mount Sinai Health System	$37,214	$17.89	23
   3	The University of Kansas Health System	$33,202	$15.96	14
   4	Mills College	$30,891	$14.85
   5	Indianapolis Public Library	$29,604	$14.23
   6	Genesee Community College	$29,353	$14.11
   7	Avon Community School	$29,283	$14.08
   8	College of Lake County	$29,200	$14.04	5
   9	College of DuPage	$28,679	$13.79
   10	S.C. Department of Commerce	$28,647	$13.77
   11	University of Florida	$28,612	$13.76	46
   12	Ivy Tech Community College	$28,176	$13.55	12
   13	Wethersfield High School	$28,022	$13.47
   14	Phoenix Union High School District	$27,973	$13.45	1
   15	Liberty University	$26,835	$12.90	8
   16	Guilford Technical Community College	$26,660	$12.82	18
   17	Wayne RESA	$26,460	$12.72	1
   18	Orange County High School	$25,371	$12.20
   19	Central Texas College	$23,704	$11.40

4. Writing a computer laboratory assistant job description

   A job description for a computer laboratory assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a computer laboratory assistant job description:

   Computer laboratory assistant job description example

   DESCRIPTION OF HOURS AND WAGES:
   This is a full-time position (40-hours per week). The hourly range is $16.62 to $26.60 per hour.
   
   DEFINITION: This position performs work in the support of the Library District by providing users with software assistance in the use of computers, peripheral equipment, and applications.
   
   RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Essential and marginal functions and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:
   
   1. Schedules patron use of computer lab equipment in accordance with established Library District policies and procedures.
   
   2. Assists staff and patrons with basic assistance in computer equipment and software application use.
   
   3. Provides basic telephone support for software and peripheral equipment inquiries.
   
   4. Utilizes personal computers in the daily course of work.
   
   5. Utilizes software applications associated with computer lab equipment, as well as providing help with the Internet and e-mail for patrons and staff.
   
   6. Monitors Library District equipment for damage, tampering, or loss.
   
   7. Performs record keeping tasks in documenting computer lab statistics, equipment repair, the sales of supplies, and software issues.
   
   8. Learns efficient use of new equipment and software introduced to the Library District.
   
   9. Responds to staff and patron inquiries concerning Library District software operations and diagnoses software and operator problems.
   
   10. Recommends or performs minor remedial actions to correct software and peripheral equipment problems.
   
   11. Provides updates, status, and project completion information to supervisor.
   
   12. Refers major hardware and software problems to supervisor and Information Technology Department for correction.
   
   13. Operates office equipment including, but not limited to: copy machine, telephone, facsimile machine and cash register.
   
   Minimum Requirements
   
   COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY : The successful candidate will demonstrate support for diversity, equity and inclusiveness, as well as participate in maintaining a respectful and positive work environment. The Library District extends this commitment to diversity and equity in employment and especially welcomes applications from women, persons of color, persons with disabilities, persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and others who contribute to diversification.
   
   TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
   High school diploma OR GED equivalency required. One (1) year demonstrated customer service experience in problem solving and assisting computer users on personal computer software operations, and associated peripheral equipment required; OR an equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities.
   
   PLEASE NOTE: Meeting these posted qualifications does not necessarily guarantee an interview.
   
   PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining the physical condition necessary for standing and walking, frequent lifting and carrying objects of light weight (5 - 10 pounds) and lifting and carrying objects of moderate weight (11 - 20 pounds); frequent bending, stooping, reaching, and pushing; minimal dexterity in the use of fingers, limbs, or body in the operation of office equipment; utilizing a keyboard, and sitting or standing for extended periods of time; or the sustained operation, of such devices associated with equipment used to perform tasks required of the position. Tasks require color perception, sound perception, visual perception, and oral communications ability. Tasks are performed with infrequent exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
   
   ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS: Tasks are performed in adverse environmental conditions.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find computer laboratory assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any computer laboratory assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level computer laboratory assistants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your computer laboratory assistant job on Zippia to find and attract quality computer laboratory assistant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit computer laboratory assistants, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview computer laboratory assistant candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   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 computer laboratory assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect computer laboratory assistant 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new computer laboratory assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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