How to hire a desk officer

How to hire a desk officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step desk officer hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The desk officer 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a desk officer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a desk officer that fits the bill.

   This list presents desk officer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Desk Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Desk Officer	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$18-49
   Ranger	A ranger is responsible for protecting and conserving natural resources and environmental conditions. Rangers coordinate with environmental institutions and landowners to identify land conservation strategies to prevent destructible threats of wildfires and calamities... Show more	$11-21
   Patrol Sergeant	A Patrol Sergeant oversees and performs security operations on an assigned shift. They conduct vehicular patrol of an assigned area, investigate the scenes of accidents, and make arrests, when required.	$21-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Intelligence Community
   • Government Agencies
   • Policy Issues
   • National Security
   • HUMINT
   • DOD
   • Direct Support
   • Law Enforcement
   • Equities
   • AOR
   • Foreign Policy
   • Situational Awareness
   • Incident Reports
   • Government Officials

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and track status of requests for information and responses between multiple offices in NSA and request originators.
   • Utilize JWICS, SIPRNET M3, and DoD PERNET databases to research backgrounds and develop leads for counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations.
   • Manage confidential information and documentation, including financial data, and credit card information and payroll checks.
   • Educate both incoming USAID and other USG staff about USAID's programs in Afghanistan.
   • Monitor cctv and fire system.
   • Travele overseas in support of DoD elements.

   More desk officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your desk officer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A desk officer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, desk officers' average salary in arkansas is 56% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level desk officers 62% less than senior-level desk officers.
   • Certifications. A desk officer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a desk officer's salary.

   Average desk officer salary

   $63,652yearly

   $30.60 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level desk officer salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

   Average desk officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$91,390	$44
   2	District of Columbia	$78,246	$38
   3	Maryland	$75,418	$36
   4	Virginia	$64,100	$31
   5	Indiana	$60,062	$29
   6	Florida	$46,342	$22

   Average desk officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Human Rights Watch	$87,744	$42.18	1
   2	Logistics Management Institute	$87,437	$42.04	1
   3	Jacobs Engineering Group	$85,364	$41.04
   4	Xator	$76,659	$36.86
   5	BAE Systems	$76,572	$36.81	19
   6	Praxis	$74,921	$36.02
   7	General Dynamics	$74,227	$35.69	40
   8	ManTech	$72,370	$34.79	14
   9	CACI International	$71,210	$34.24	17
   10	Pacific Architects and Engineers	$70,327	$33.81
   11	Vencore	$66,542	$31.99
   12	KBR	$65,780	$31.63	5
   13	Peraton	$65,746	$31.61	18
   14	Defense Intelligence Agency	$64,147	$30.84
   15	Jacobs Enterprises	$63,315	$30.44	1
   16	Prescient Edge	$62,593	$30.09	3
   17	Indiana State Police	$39,779	$19.12	27
   18	Sunstates Security	$37,001	$17.79	136
   19	Allied Universal	$36,815	$17.70
   20	DHS Group	$31,755	$15.27

4. Writing a desk officer job description

   A good desk officer 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 desk officer job description:

   Desk officer job description example

   Allied Universal , North America's leading security and facility services company, provides rewarding careers that give you a sense of purpose. While working in a dynamic, diverse and inclusive workplace, you will be part of a team that fuels a culture that will reflect in our communities and customers we serve. We offer medical, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401K, employee assistance programs, company discounts, perks and more for all full-time positions!
   Payrate: $16.47
   
   39 month Motor Vehicle Record will be run for this position
   
   $1000 sign on bonus for individuals with active guard card at the time of interview
   
   Visible tattoo's on arms/hands/neck/face must be approved by client. Anything drug/gang/profane related will not be accepted.
   
   As a Security Guard, you will serve and safeguard clients in a range of industries such as Commercial Real Estate, Healthcare, Education, Government and more.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   * Provide customer service to our clients by carrying out safety and security procedures, site-specific policies and when appropriate, emergency response activities
   * Respond to incidents and critical situations in a calm, problem solving manner
   * Conduct regular and random patrols around the business and perimeter. Working environments and conditions may vary by client site.
   
   Minimum Requirements:
   
   * Be at least 18 years of age for unarmed roles; 21+ years of age for armed roles
   * Possess a high school diploma or equivalent, or 5 years of verifiable experience
   * As a condition of employment, applicants will be subject to a background investigation in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. Allied Universal will consider qualified applications with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable laws.
   * As a condition of employment, applicants will be subject to a drug screen to the extent permitted by law.
   * Licensing requirements are subject to state and/or local laws and regulations and may be required prior to employment.
   * A valid driver's license will be required for driving positions only
   
   Perks and Benefits:
   
   * Health insurance and 401k plans for full-time positions
   * Flexible part time and full-time schedules that fit with your personal life goals
   * Ongoing paid training programs and career growth opportunities
   * Employee discounts through our perks program to your favorite restaurants, entertainment venues and much more…
   
   Allied Universal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or relationship/association with a protected veteran, or any other basis or characteristic protected by law. For more information: www.aus.com
   
   If you have any questions regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, have difficulty using the online system and require an alternate method to apply, or require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment and/or employment process, please contact our local Human Resources department. To find an office near you, please visit: www.aus.com/offices.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right desk officer 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 desk officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit desk officers 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 desk officer job on Zippia to find and recruit desk officer 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 desk officers, 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 desk officer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the desk officer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new desk officer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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