How to hire a network contractor

How to hire a network contractor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step network contractor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the network contractor you need to hire. Certain network contractor 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 network contractor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, network contractors 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of network contractors.

   Type of Network Contractor	Description	Hourly rate
   Network Contractor	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$18-37
   Information Engineer	An information engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of computer systems and network infrastructure, performing configuration to boost the optimal performance of the technology systems. Information engineers assist end-users in resolving network issues, identifying the source of inconsistencies, and create resolution reports for reference to avoid reoccurrence... Show more	$37-66
   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:

   • Customer Service
   • Service Calls
   • Provider Network
   • Medicaid
   • Network Composition
   • Contract Templates
   • Stable Network
   • Switches
   • Network Hardware
   • Troubleshoot
   • Series Routers
   • Windows XP
   • VoIP
   • Provider Contracts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage various common Linux server and web applications.
   • Experience managing the day-to-day operations of telecommunication services utilize by Astra Zeneca.
   • Segment LAN network using TCP/IP with VLAN configuration.
   • Provide desktop support to users ranging from OS and application installation and system deployment on network PCs.
   • Replace POS components at Wal-Mart locations.
   • Create client to home VPN server using firewall.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, network contractors' average salary in montana is 31% less than in west virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level network contractors earn 51% less than senior-level network contractors.
   • Certifications. A network contractor 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 a network contractor's salary.

   Average network contractor salary

   $55,845yearly

   $26.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level network contractor salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a network contractor job description

   A job description for a network contractor 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 network contractor job description:

   Network contractor job description example

   TDM Network Operations Specialist (NOS)
   *Same manager/dept as JP4777/4851/4763/4764/4435/4436/4437 - no need to submit to multiple*
   
   L3Harris is looking for a TDM Network Control Specialist who will support a large nationwide customer. This individual will be a key member of the Network Operations Control Center (NOCC), and they will closely support the geographically dispersed network and team located throughout North America. The TDM Network Control Specialist will be responsible for being the first line of support for the customer and field team to troubleshoot and assist with developing solutions and support mission-critical programs.
   
   Job Description:
   
   Provide technical support for a large nationwide network which includes monitoring, analyzing, and troubleshooting network problems within Network Operations Control Center (NOCC) utilizing network management and monitoring tools.
   Monitor the alarm conditions on the network to proactively identify and minimize disruption and impact to the FAA network, and perform root cause analysis to determine a plan of action for restoring customer services.
   Employ test methods to analyze channelized/unchanneled T1, T3, utilizing DACs equipment, Ethernet, IP, Frame Relay, ATM, WAN, LAN, SONET, and TDM.
   Assist Local Exchange Carriers (LEC), ILECs, and IXCs to resolve WAN problems, and assist onsite field technicians remotely to resolve local issues.
   Work in an onsite 24x7 network control environment where shift and workday flexibility is required.
   Periodically support short-term emergency evacuation to local or remote backup facilities.
   
   Qualifications:
   Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications, Engineering, Networking, Information Technology or related field with (2) years of prior related experience or 2 years post-Secondary/ Associate's Degree with a minimum of (4) years of prior related experience. Will consider prior work experience in place of degree.
   Demonstrated Layer 1 Troubleshooting experience.
   Willingness to learn TDM technologies.
   
   Additional (Optional) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities considered:
   Networking experience with layer 1, 2, and 3.
   Networking technologies experience with SONET and/or Time Division Multiplexing (TDM).
   Familiarity working with networking technologies such as RF, OSPF, BGP, MPLS, and HSRP.
   Experience with Network Management tools such as Cisco Prime SNMPc, Orion, and Netflow.
   Experience in UNIX and Remote Access solutions.
   Experience with call center phone systems and working with geographically dispersed teams.
   Certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right network contractor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your network contractor job on Zippia to find and attract quality network contractor 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 network contractor 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a network contractor 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 network contractor

   Once you've decided on a perfect network contractor 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

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