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How to hire a network services specialist

Network services specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring network services specialists in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a network services specialist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per network services specialist on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 31,797 network services specialists in the US, and there are currently 118,047 job openings in this field.
  • Syracuse, NY, has the highest demand for network services specialists, with 2 job openings.

How to hire a network services specialist, step by step

To hire a network services specialist, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a network services specialist:

Here's a step-by-step network services 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 network services specialist job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new network services specialist
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a network services 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?

    A network services specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, network services specialists 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.

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

    Type of Network Services SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Network Services SpecialistComputer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.$31-56
    Technical Support EngineerA 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
    Network EngineerA network engineer is responsible for managing a network system, monitoring its performance, and upgrading its features to optimize performance and boost efficiency. Network engineers also create new systems, designing them based on clients' specifications and business needs... Show more$29-53
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Network Infrastructure
    • IP
    • Tcp Ip
    • Network Connectivity
    • Firewall
    • VPN
    • Network Services
    • Switches
    • Routers
    • Medicare
    • Network Security
    • Lan Wan
    • Windows Server
    • VoIP
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage the IP database covering both IPv4 and IPv6 address pools.
    • Install and manage PBX voice network & secure video-teleconferencing services as necessary using military-grade & commercial VoIP hardware and software.
    • Experience in working with various network devices, hubs, wireless routers.
    • Maintain network equipment stability with update firmware of various Cisco routers and switches.
    • Assist in upgrade of campus switches from CatOS to IOS.
    • Install CAT5 cabling, troubleshoot, and activate network data ports.
    More network services specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, network services specialists' average salary in nebraska is 41% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level network services specialists 44% less than senior-level network services specialists.
    • Certifications. A network services 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 network services specialist's salary.

    Average network services specialist salary

    $87,621yearly

    $42.13 hourly rate

    Entry-level network services specialist salary
    $65,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 15, 2025

    Average network services specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$118,494$57
    2New York$96,749$47
    3District of Columbia$93,923$45
    4New Jersey$93,458$45
    5North Carolina$90,869$44
    6Massachusetts$89,721$43
    7Hawaii$89,147$43
    8Michigan$84,535$41
    9Georgia$83,583$40
    10Missouri$80,089$39
    11Colorado$78,828$38
    12Illinois$77,192$37
    13Texas$76,314$37
    14Minnesota$74,713$36
    15Arkansas$74,703$36

    Average network services specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Sophos$102,167$49.12
    2Nokia$96,529$46.415
    3Pinnacle Technical Resources$92,771$44.606
    4HealthPartners$88,842$42.7116
    5Cincinnati Bell$88,182$42.407
    6Alcon$87,372$42.01
    7Sharp$87,004$41.833
    8Softmart$85,958$41.33
    9IBM$85,582$41.1595
    10Orange County Business Bank$85,194$40.96
    11Children's National Medical Center$83,458$40.1218
    12Raytheon Technologies$69,669$33.4931
    13Texas Department of Transportation$45,305$21.782
  4. Writing a network services specialist job description

    A good network services 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 network services specialist job description:

    Network services specialist job description example

    Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an Aerospace and Defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises four industry-leading businesses - Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

    To realize our full potential, Raytheon Technologies is committed to creating a company where all employees are respected, valued and supported in the pursuit of their goals. We know companies that embrace diversity in all its forms not only deliver stronger business results, but also become a force for good, fueling stronger business performance and greater opportunity for employees, partners, investors and communities to succeed.

    As a Remote Access Network Specialist, you will u tilize your experience and knowledge of networking and security engineering to expand and secure the remote access systems that protect our expanding and evolving environment. This position will focus on delivering remote access solutions to our businesses, programs, and the enterprise. This position is hands on and requires cross functional framework collaboration while remaining focused on target initiatives and deliverables. The candidate will possess strong technical skills focused on infrastructure build and integration. The candidate will be responsible for maintaining documentation, diagrams, change control processes, infrastructure build delivery designs and ensuring the environments are within RTX compliance mandates.
    Job Duties & Responsibilities

    + Installs, configures, builds, and maintains remote access devices. Participates in researching, defining, and testing next generation remote access infrastructure components.

    + Installs, configures, and builds network devices and components

    + Troubleshoots network issues, as required, in support of our partners and in alignment with businesses, programs, and the enterprise at a tier 4 level

    + Participate in on-call rotation is support of enterprise and business infrastructure

    + Aligns with network architecture in design, feasibility, and cost studies. Collaborates with network architecture on network optimization.

    + Implements new solutions per architecture design in support of Corporate and BU initiatives

    + Transitions support to Network Operations and NOC within the development of play books for operational sustainment

    + Performs network traffic analysis and recommends upgrades or configuration changes

    + Reconfigures and upgrades network elements, systems, and facilities in support of network compliance and business requirements

    + Responsible for cross functional and partner collaboration within network troubleshooting, fault detection, isolation, repair, and restoration for one or more Business Units

    + Defines, documents, and enforces standards

    + Prepares network documentation, technical papers and reports as required

    + Secures network systems by establishing and enforcing policies while defining and monitoring access

    + Availability to provide On Call support out of normal working hours on a rotational basis

    + Written and spoken collaboration with colleagues in other countries required for successful completion of duties and responsibilities

    + Flexibility to work later hours for collaboration with US/Global counterparts in different time zones will be required at times

    Qualifications

    + Advanced knowledge of various remote access technologies, Cisco AnyConnect, Pulse, Citrix etc.

    + Working knowledge of network automation technologies.

    + Experience designing, deploying, and troubleshooting Cisco, Pulse, Citrix Technologies

    + Experience configuring and managing Cisco ISE (802.1x, RADIUS and TACACS)

    + Analytical skills - diagnosing problems and defining root cause analysis

    + Excellent communication skills (oral/written) and ability to work in a team, cross framework collaborative environment

    + Cisco certifications or equivalent industry certifications

    + Proven experience or demonstrated capability in leading IT transformational initiatives in complex, dynamic environments where agile was applied at scale

    + Excellent decision making and critical-thinking skills

    + Ability to learn and support new technologies and train others

    + Highly motivated self-starter with a positive attitude

    + Outstanding organizational and communication skills

    + Fluent in written and spoken English

    Education/Experience

    + Typically requires a university degree or equivalent experience and minimum 7 years prior relevant experience or an advanced degree in a related field and minimum 5 years experience.

    + IT Specialty Certification (CCNA, Security +, or similar) preferred

    Location:

    + Remote or any US RTX location

    + On-Site data center work to be expected occasionally

    Required Status: US Citizen

    Raytheon Technologies is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.

    Raytheon Technologies is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.
  5. Post your job

    To find the right network services specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with network services specialists they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit network services specialists who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your network services specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit network services specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit network services 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.

    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 services 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 network services specialist

    Once you've decided on a perfect network services specialist 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.

    To prepare for the new network services specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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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How much does it cost to hire a network services specialist?

There are different types of costs for hiring network services specialists. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new network services specialist employee.

You can expect to pay around $87,621 per year for a network services specialist, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for network services specialists in the US typically range between $31 and $56 an hour.

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