How to hire a deskside support specialist

How to hire a deskside support specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step deskside support specialist hiring guide:

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

Post a deskside support specialist job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a deskside support specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect deskside support specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of deskside support specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Deskside Support Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Deskside Support Specialist	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	$21-28
   Administrative Technical Support	Administrative technical support maintains every technical set-up used in a company. Their primary responsibility is to inspect a company's systems, evaluate for issues, and repair any problems immediately... Show more	$13-36
   Technical Support Engineer	A technical support engineer is responsible for responding to customer issues, providing immediate resolutions to their system issues through remote assistance. Technical support engineers must have strong knowledge of software and hardware applications to diagnose system defects and process troubleshooting... Show more	$29-57

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Troubleshoot
   • Deskside Support
   • Tcp Ip
   • LAN
   • Technical Support
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Desk Side Support
   • VPN
   • Level Support
   • Workstations
   • Software Problems
   • Remedy
   • SLA
   • Mac

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all operating end-user software including JavaScript - updating/installing Java.
   • Assist with CISCO VoIP phone system.
   • Install images via SCCM server.
   • Assist in regular preventive maintenance of floor workstations and laptops.
   • Provide onsite support for all LAN and pc-base applications offer by the firm.
   • Designate VIP technician, troubleshooting all VIP tickets and ensuring all tickets meet service level agreements.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, deskside support specialists' average salary in mississippi is 30% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level deskside support specialists 25% less than senior-level deskside support specialists.
   • Certifications. A deskside support specialist 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 deskside support specialist's salary.

   Average deskside support specialist salary

   $52,580yearly

   $25.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level deskside support specialist salary

   $45,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

4. Writing a deskside support specialist job description

   A good deskside support specialist 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 deskside support specialist job description:

   Deskside support specialist job description example

   Must be at least IAT Level 1 certified: CompTIA, A+, Net+, or CCNA-Security

   Required experience/skills:

   • 4 years' experience or 2 years experience with Associates degree
   • Hands-on LAN and System Administration experience
   • Strong interpersonal skills and teamwork skills
   • Windows Desktop Administration skills
   • Windows Server Administration skills
   • Specialized experience in:
     • helpdesk phone contact
     • deskside and LAN support
     • Windows administration
     • server administration
     • hardware maintenance
     • system and network optimization and capacity planning

   Desired experience/skills:

   • Knowledgeable in data scopes, patch panels, modems, concentrators, and associated network management terminals and security software
   • Experience with a SQL based database (Oracle, MS SQL, MySQL) a Plus
   • Experience with Video Teleconferencing Centers (VTC) and/or Audio Video (AV) equipment a Plus
   • Experienced with basic scripting (any language)

   Security Clearance Top Secret with SCI eligibility Company Information

   COVID Policy: Prospective and/or new employees will be required to adhere with OBXtek's COVID-19 policy. Employees working onsite at a customer location must comply with customer COVID-19 policy which may include any or all the following: social distancing, masks, vaccination, mandatory statements regarding one's vaccination status and mandatory testing .

   Headquartered in McLean, Virginia and founded in 2009, OBXtek is a fast-growing leader in the government contracting field. Our mission is Our People…Our Reputation. Our people are trained professionals who enhance our customers' knowledge and innovation using technology, collaboration, and education.

   We offer a robust suite of benefits including comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, matching 401K, paid time off, tuition reimbursement plans and much more.

   As a prime contractor for 93% of our current work, OBXtek pairs lessons learned across disciplines with industry standard quality practices such as CMMI-Dev Level III, ITIL, 6Sigma, PMI, and ISO. Our rapid growth has been recognized by INC500, the Washington Business Journal, and Washington Technology magazine.

   OBXtek is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, gender identity, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find deskside support specialists 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 deskside support specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level deskside support specialists 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 deskside support specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality deskside support specialist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit deskside support specialists, 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.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a deskside support specialist applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • 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 deskside support specialist

   Once you've selected the best deskside support specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new deskside support specialist. 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a deskside support specialist?