How to hire a network/server administrator

How to hire a network/server administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step network/server administrator 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/server administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new network/server administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a network/server administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your network/server administrator job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a network/server administrator for hire on a part-time basis or as a 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 network/server administrator 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 network/server administrator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Network/Server Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Network/Server Administrator	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.	$27-51
   Network Manager	A network manager is responsible for monitoring the efficient network connection of the company's technology systems, analyzing system designs, and overseeing installation processes and programs. Network managers inspect the efficiency of existing network management systems, upgrading network data to boost optimal performance and communication transportation... Show more	$34-63
   Information Technology Administrator	An Information Technology (IT) administrator is a professional responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of an organization's IT systems and ensuring that the systems are running effectively. IT administrators must conduct consistent analyses of the computer system and install updates when needed... Show more	$24-50

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Windows Server
   • Troubleshoot
   • Linux
   • DNS
   • PowerShell
   • Server Administration
   • Microsoft Windows
   • Disaster Recovery
   • DHCP
   • SAN
   • SQL Server
   • Server Hardware
   • Citrix

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Plan, implement and manage IBM SAN and SVC hardware and disk allocation.
   • Manage SMB/LDAP; internal/external DNS entries; DHCPD; domain registration and SSL certificates for web applications.
   • Save company many hours of manual testing and developing by engineering Java applications to automate tedious tasks.
   • Configure DHCP/File/network print server and DHCP and static TCP/IP addresses on the server and client PCs.
   • Handle planning, installation, and configuration of networks, servers, workstations, routers, and switches.
   • Provide first level support on the DHCP, mail, news, proxy, and DNS servers for all global customers.

   More network/server administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the network/server administrator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A network/server administrator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a network/server administrator in Montana may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level network/server administrator. Additionally, a network/server administrator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average network/server administrator salary

   $78,919yearly

   $37.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level network/server administrator salary

   $57,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average network/server administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$108,311	$52
   2	Nevada	$91,992	$44
   3	New York	$84,832	$41
   4	Massachusetts	$81,730	$39
   5	New Jersey	$79,655	$38
   6	Pennsylvania	$79,017	$38
   7	Virginia	$78,898	$38
   8	Texas	$78,576	$38
   9	Maryland	$78,569	$38
   10	District of Columbia	$78,338	$38
   11	New Hampshire	$78,242	$38
   12	Wisconsin	$75,486	$36
   13	Washington	$75,390	$36
   14	Oregon	$74,602	$36
   15	Colorado	$74,264	$36
   16	Ohio	$72,893	$35
   17	Florida	$72,502	$35
   18	North Carolina	$71,227	$34
   19	Alabama	$71,138	$34
   20	Illinois	$70,520	$34

   Average network/server administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Intel	$93,031	$44.73	19
   2	Allied Consultants	$92,908	$44.67	2
   3	Pinnacle Technical Resources	$92,423	$44.43	7
   4	UGI	$91,341	$43.91	2
   5	Addison Group	$87,627	$42.13	21
   6	e-Tech Solutions	$87,294	$41.97	1
   7	Salient CRGT	$85,749	$41.23
   8	Catholic Medical Center	$84,639	$40.69
   9	W.B. Mason	$84,185	$40.47
   10	NuScale Power	$83,687	$40.23
   11	CVS Health	$83,103	$39.95	65
   12	Sentinel	$80,582	$38.74
   13	Mando America Corporation	$80,047	$38.48
   14	CyberLogitec	$79,350	$38.15
   15	Randstad North America, Inc.	$79,258	$38.10	19
   16	First Community Bancshares	$78,864	$37.92
   17	CAE	$77,492	$37.26	5
   18	USM Business Systems	$77,083	$37.06	157
   19	SOS International	$76,908	$36.98	12
   20	EDC	$76,797	$36.92

4. Writing a network/server administrator job description

   A network/server administrator 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 a network/server administrator job description:

   Network/server administrator job description example

   AJANTA CONSULTING, LLC
   
   Fort Sam Houston, TX
   
   THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON BID AWARD
   
   The Server Administrator (Systems Support) will perform professional and technical task in support of Wing that delivers unparalleled capability to the Air Force through a combination of world class infrastructure and expertise of its diverse workforce of military, civilian and contractor personnel encompassing 75 occupational specialties including science and engineering, occupational health and safety, medical professions, technicians, educators, and business operations and support.
   
   Responsibilities
   
   * Provide systems-level support, encompassing both the software and hardware of all IT systems at Fort Sam Houston.
   * Software and Hardware Maintenance: Coordinating or conducting maintenance of all software and hardware in use by TSRL organizations.
   * System Administration: Handling all aspects of support of deployed operating systems (e.g., Microsoft Windows, UNIX, and Linux), including performance of upgrades, security patches, back-ups, account maintenance, and access control maintenance.
   * install, configure, update and provide assistance to users for scientific applications located on the computational resources.
   * Provide support of multi-user platforms and server-based applications.
   * conduct analyses, determining proper solutions, planning and coordinating tasks, maximizing overall system efficiency, providing for seamless integration or migration, and optimizing usability and effectiveness.
   * monitor and reviewing technical activities to ensure compatibility with the objectives, plans, and Concept of Operations (CONOPS) of all AFRL organizations.
   * Investigate hardware, software, and communications compatibility issues.
   * Keep organizational leadership apprised of state-of-the-art technologies, to include, state-of-the-art IT concepts, in terms of potential benefits to the R&D or operational missions of TSRL.
   * adhere to the IT support requests submitted through the IT Support Desk and will be assigned a priority
   * Other duties as assigned
   
   Qualifications
   
   * B.S. in a computer-related area and at least 3 years demonstrated relevant work experience
   * Or Any Bachelor's degree and at least 8 years demonstrated relevant work experience
   * Or Associate's degree in a computer related area and at least 5 years demonstrated relevant work experience.
   * Or High School diploma and 10+ years demonstrated experience in a computer-related career field, within the past 5 years.
   * Possess a minimum of a Security+ certification.
   * Possess a current Secret Clearance or demonstrate clearance is in progress by providing proof of an initiated investigation.
   
   Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
   
   * Have demonstrated experience with IT systems and software applications, to include, but not limited to, the Defense Research Engineering Network (DREN) and video teleconference (VTC) systems. May also include Cisco and Polycom VTCs, AF Teams, and Zoom.
   * Install, configure, update and provide assistance to users for scientific applications located on the computational resources.
   * Administering web-based services, assisting client users in connecting and using the centralized resources, performing backup and maintenance of the index and content database, clearing and maintenance of the system cache, and optimizing the server functions, creating content workspaces, managing document and folder areas, applying and assigning permissions.
   * Conduct analyses, determining proper solutions, planning and coordinating tasks, maximizing overall system efficiency, providing for seamless integration or migration, and optimizing usability and effectiveness.
   * Monitor and review technical activities to ensure compatibility with the objectives, plans, and Concept of Operations (CONOPS) of all AFRL organizations.
   * Analysis of development, test, and implementation plans, as well as formulating best practices for carrying out technical and developmental activities.
   
   Physical Demands (The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)
   
   * While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee may use repeated motions that include the arms, wrists, hands and/or fingers. The employee is occasionally required to walk, stand, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find network/server administrators 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 network/server administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level network/server administrators 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 network/server administrator job on Zippia to find and recruit network/server administrator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit network/server administrators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview network/server administrator candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • 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/server administrator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the network/server administrator 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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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