How to hire a help desk analyst

How to hire a help desk analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step help desk analyst hiring guide:

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

What does a help desk analyst do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a help desk analyst, 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 help desk analyst 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.

   Here's a comparison of help desk analyst salaries for various roles:

   Type of Help Desk Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Help Desk Analyst	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	$12-25
   Information Systems Technician	An information systems technician is responsible for maintaining the efficiency of various network systems' performance. Information systems technicians provide network troubleshooting, upgrading systems for optimization, maintaining the security of databases, managing the interaction of networks, and inspecting and troubleshooting system inconsistencies... Show more	$13-35
   Systems Support	A systems support agent is responsible for resolving system applications and network issues, performing technical configuration, and upgrading systems infrastructure. A systems support representative conducts regular maintenance and diagnostic tests on the computer applications to ensure its optimal performance and efficiency to support business operations and avoid delays in deliverables... Show more	$21-42

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Troubleshoot
   • Technical Support
   • Phone Calls
   • Remote Desktop
   • Technical Issues
   • Strong Problem-Solving
   • Help Desk
   • VPN
   • Desk Support
   • Help-Desk Support
   • OS
   • Remedy
   • Network Printers

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Used Java script for client side validations and to achieve other client-side functionality.
   • Manage TCP/IP base campus data communications facilities.
   • Manage security, reliability, and configurations for data backup and recovery for client workstations.
   • Resolve technical issues with software applications, PCs, connectivity problems, and software/hardware installations and administrations.
   • Analyze and resolve issues with Linux and Java base POS systems.
   • Provide user access support via VPN, SSL/VPN, CITRIX, for authentication and account issues.

   More help desk analyst duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, help desk analysts' average salary in new mexico is 31% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level help desk analysts 50% less than senior-level help desk analysts.
   • Certifications. A help desk analyst 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 help desk analyst's salary.

   Average help desk analyst salary

   $37,318yearly

   $17.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level help desk analyst salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average help desk analyst salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$48,621	$23
   2	California	$48,527	$23
   3	District of Columbia	$47,498	$23
   4	Maryland	$46,889	$23
   5	New York	$46,009	$22
   6	Pennsylvania	$42,552	$20
   7	Virginia	$41,452	$20
   8	Connecticut	$41,233	$20
   9	Illinois	$40,837	$20
   10	Michigan	$40,306	$19
   11	Wisconsin	$39,014	$19
   12	Texas	$38,439	$18
   13	Colorado	$38,217	$18
   14	Arizona	$37,261	$18
   15	Missouri	$36,673	$18
   16	Georgia	$36,200	$17
   17	Minnesota	$35,903	$17
   18	Utah	$35,755	$17
   19	Florida	$35,420	$17
   20	North Carolina	$35,393	$17

   Average help desk analyst salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	$75,500	$36.30	1
   2	MicroVision	$70,954	$34.11
   3	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$69,960	$33.63	95
   4	Cognizant	$65,921	$31.69	150
   5	Deloitte	$65,697	$31.59	36
   6	Kent Daniels & Associates	$60,823	$29.24	1
   7	Meta	$59,465	$28.59	38
   8	HCL Technologies	$59,033	$28.38	9
   9	Jacobs Engineering Group	$58,296	$28.03
   10	Wedbush Securities	$56,785	$27.30	3
   11	Cnsi	$56,609	$27.22
   12	Alvarez & Marsal	$56,487	$27.16
   13	Salesforce	$55,106	$26.49	5
   14	Edward Jones	$54,175	$26.05
   15	PROLIM	$51,913	$24.96
   16	Cambium Learning Group	$51,639	$24.83	1
   17	OCC	$51,437	$24.73
   18	Catholic Health East	$48,651	$23.39	1
   19	University of California-Berkeley	$47,903	$23.03	1
   20	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$47,689	$22.93	90

4. Writing a help desk analyst job description

   A help desk analyst 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. Below, you can find an example of a help desk analyst job description:

   Help desk analyst job description example

   The Help Desk Analyst I will support all users in the HSL community. The position requires basic understanding of PC hardware/software, Networking, Wi-Fi, Telecom, and other systems. Will provide technical assistance to resolve issues related to computer hardware and software, and systems. The Analyst is the first point of contact and will be responsible for providing assistance to HSL facilities in the Greater Boston area.
   PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: • Answer Help Desk calls from users; open service request tickets for all calls. Provide technical support to callers over the phone, visiting the callers, or by taking remote control of desktop.
   • Assist with technical support issues on software, applications, PCs, printers, and LAN/WAN and Wi-Fi support.
   • Escalate issues to the appropriate tier two support entity within or outside the organization as necessary
   • Document the resolution process and monitor Help Desk email box and voice mailbox.
   • Ensure that Help Desk database information is current, accurate and complete.
   • Monitor help desk database for open tickets and follows up with support analysts on open/past due calls.
   • Assist with the ongoing design and operations of the Information Technology Help Desk and related software.
   • Adhere to and reinforce help desk policies on a day-to-day basis
   • Perform other related duties as required/directed by supervisor
   KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: • Associates or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or similar field
   • Or 1 year relevant work experience in computer technology or previous IT Help Desk position.
   • Must be proficient with Microsoft Windows and Office products 2007/2013.
   • Working knowledge of personal computer hardware and peripherals.
   • Must have excellent customer support skills.
   • Must have experience with networked desktop, laptop systems, various mobile IOS/Android devices and printers.
   • Must have excellent written and oral communication; customer services; and telephone skills. Must be able to interact with management, technical staff, and users. Must be an excellent team player. Valid driver’s license required. Must be willing to travel to several local HSL sites .
   Hebrew SeniorLife requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of their employment. All new hires must be fully vaccinated, which includes any recommended COVID-19 boosters, before their start date. Any exemption requests for medical or religious reasons will be considered on a case by case basis and must be processed prior to any start date. Hebrew SeniorLife is an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and competence and not influenced or affected by race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, ancestry, marital status, military status, veterans status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law. Powered by JazzHR EM53wEbBR7

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find help desk analysts 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 help desk analysts they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level help desk analysts 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 help desk analyst job on Zippia to find and attract quality help desk analyst 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 help desk analyst 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. 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 help desk analyst 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 help desk analyst

   Once you've selected the best help desk analyst 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 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new help desk analyst. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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