How to hire an escalation specialist

How to hire an escalation specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step escalation specialist hiring guide:

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

What does an escalation specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an escalation 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an escalation specialist 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 an escalation specialist that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of escalation specialist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Escalation Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Escalation 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	$9-30

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Process Improvement
   • Customer Complaints
   • Inbound Calls
   • Outbound Calls
   • Technical Support
   • Customer Calls
   • Customer Care
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Quality Standards
   • Customer Support
   • Customer Accounts
   • Technical Issues
   • SharePoint
   • Issue Resolution

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage pipeline of complaints per OCC guidelines, which result in proper and timely resolution.
   • Install, upgrade, manage, troubleshoot all spectrum of Nortel/Avaya blue product line, SME on Avaya Blue/Nortel systems.
   • Manage loan modifications including income net present value calculations for reinstatement into HAMP.
   • Maintain SharePoint data to include updates for reporting.
   • Analyze operational and logistics requirements, and adapt, formulate and implement logistic policies and procedures to ensure mission accomplishment.
   • Respond to all agency (BBB, FCC, etc . )

   More escalation specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your escalation specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An escalation specialist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, escalation specialists' average salary in idaho is 54% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level escalation specialists earn 69% less than senior-level escalation specialists.
   • Certifications. An escalation specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an escalation specialist's salary.

   Average escalation specialist salary

   $36,240yearly

   $17.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level escalation specialist salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average escalation specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$60,404	$29
   2	Massachusetts	$59,453	$29
   3	California	$53,724	$26
   4	Maryland	$50,685	$24
   5	Virginia	$50,337	$24
   6	Texas	$43,808	$21
   7	Nevada	$43,303	$21
   8	North Dakota	$40,497	$19
   9	Florida	$40,066	$19
   10	Arizona	$39,968	$19
   11	Minnesota	$38,697	$19
   12	Washington	$38,563	$19
   13	Tennessee	$36,096	$17
   14	Ohio	$35,090	$17
   15	West Virginia	$34,426	$17
   16	South Carolina	$33,747	$16
   17	Georgia	$33,689	$16
   18	Alabama	$33,607	$16
   19	Missouri	$33,106	$16
   20	Indiana	$32,915	$16

   Average escalation specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$122,552	$58.92	11
   2	SCIEX	$61,095	$29.37
   3	Spectrum	$48,752	$23.44
   4	Danaher	$48,434	$23.29	71
   5	Citi	$48,332	$23.24	5
   6	2U	$46,404	$22.31
   7	Centene	$46,274	$22.25
   8	Viasat	$44,887	$21.58	2
   9	Tempur Sealy International	$44,123	$21.21
   10	ezCater	$40,001	$19.23
   11	Powur	$39,929	$19.20
   12	ACV Auctions	$39,920	$19.19
   13	Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC	$39,514	$19.00
   14	Envoy	$39,171	$18.83
   15	Expedia Group	$39,059	$18.78	3
   16	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$38,454	$18.49	39
   17	Alteva	$38,027	$18.28
   18	Snap Finance	$37,958	$18.25
   19	Aflac	$37,683	$18.12
   20	Regions Bank	$36,959	$17.77	16

4. Writing an escalation specialist job description

   An escalation specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an escalation specialist job description:

   Escalation specialist job description example

   Do you want to join a fast-growing organization where you can learn a new craft or build upon your current one? Do you like to have fun and be part of team that cares about you and your success? Then you should consider joining Window Nation!
   
   At Window Nation, we're third-generation window replacement experts who have been lucky to serve communities across the country for over sixteen years. We're proud to be a family-owned business started by two brothers looking to help families improve their most important asset: their home. Since we opened our first showroom in 2006, our company has grown to include 17 showrooms in twenty-one states. We're proud to be the fifth largest window replacement company in the United States - but we're not stopping there. Our company continues to grow each year, and it's all thanks to our team of dedicated, driven employees who make up Window Nation.
   
   When you work at Window Nation, you'll join a team of awesome professionals with hobbies ranging from screenwriting to rock climbing. We're a group of foodies, music enthusiasts, talent scouts, costume makers, pilots, wine makers, community volunteers - oh, and we also sell and install windows, doors, and siding. No matter what you're interested in, you'll find your fit at Window Nation. We don't take your decision to start or further a career with us lightly - and we won't let you down when you do. Don't just take our word, listen to what our employees have to say! Meeting the Window Nation Team!
   
   Reporting to our Escalation Specialist Team Lead, the Escalation Specialist is responsible for receiving, owning, and working toward a resolution on all client and interdepartmental escalations; including, but not limited to, escalated client phone calls, BBB and other Executive complaints, social media reviews, and proactive follow up on outstanding work orders. Utilizing all resources available, the Escalation Specialist ensures a proper resolution while maintaining relationships between departments and ensuring customer satisfaction.
   Core Job Responsibilities
   Anticipate and swiftly respond to escalated customer issues
   Monitor and move forward the facilitation of service orders in all markets
   Ensure accuracy of the data entered in our system and assist with reports
   Take ownership of any customer situation that is escalated
   Perform root cause analysis of escalated scenarios to remedy and enhance procedures
   Utilize reporting and logic to determine deficiencies in processes
   Leverage PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) models with departments to monitor success
   Promote a culture of trust, clarity, and ownership between departments
   Basic Qualification
   High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent
   3+ years of experience focused in direct customer service
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   Call center experience is highly preferred
   Experience with Salesforce is preferred
   Ability to multitask amidst a demanding workload
   Maintain a high level of courtesy, empathy, and understanding in every interaction
   Commitment to personal and professional standards of excellence
   Strong working knowledge of MS Excel
   Window Nation cultivates a culture of inclusion that respects our employees' individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe our differences make us a better team - one that makes good decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better business results.
   
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, status as a military veteran or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with escalation specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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.

   If your interviews with escalation specialist applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you 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 escalation specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the escalation specialist 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

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

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