How to hire a network support administrator

How to hire a network support administrator, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your network support 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 support 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 support 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of network support administrators and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Network Support Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Network Support 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.	$20-44
   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
   Administrative Technical Support	Administrative technical support maintains every technical set-up used in a company. Their primary responsibility is to inspect a company's systems, evaluate for issues, and repair any problems immediately... Show more	$13-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Windows Server
   • Switches
   • PC
   • Desktop Support
   • Technical Support
   • Network Printers
   • Routers
   • VPN
   • Lan
   • Troubleshoot
   • User Accounts
   • Network Administration
   • OS
   • Lan Wan

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage VoIP and Cisco phone systems and set up Cisco lab for Cisco/CCNA program.
   • Manage cloud base hosting for clients including client's network DNS, office 365 and Google Apps.
   • Manage OS and hardware installations and configurations.
   • Support DNS and DHCP configuration for corporate and remote locations.
   • Monitor VMWare virtual machine's performance and disaster recovery replication jobs to Colo.
   • Perform dual functions within the company: PC and network support for internal staff and ISP support for external customer base.

   More network support administrator duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, network support administrators' average salary in florida is 46% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level network support administrators 54% less than senior-level network support administrators.
   • Certifications. A network support administrator 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 support administrator's salary.

   Average network support administrator salary

   $62,851yearly

   $30.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level network support administrator salary

   $42,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average network support administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$95,573	$46
   2	Texas	$70,857	$34
   3	New York	$70,095	$34
   4	Utah	$68,039	$33
   5	District of Columbia	$60,888	$29
   6	Maryland	$59,979	$29
   7	Virginia	$57,708	$28
   8	Illinois	$55,216	$27
   9	Arkansas	$52,767	$25
   10	Minnesota	$52,254	$25

   Average network support administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Hologic	$109,438	$52.61	5
   2	City of Baltimore	$71,980	$34.61
   3	HAKS	$69,991	$33.65
   4	Community Health Systems	$69,136	$33.24	38
   5	General Dynamics	$67,798	$32.60	369
   6	NANA	$64,572	$31.04	44
   7	Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City	$62,547	$30.07	1
   8	Disability Rights Texas	$58,178	$27.97
   9	Nes Holdings	$58,122	$27.94
   10	THE RIGHT STAFF	$53,521	$25.73
   11	GPM Investments	$45,426	$21.84

4. Writing a network support administrator job description

   A job description for a network support administrator 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 support administrator job description:

   Network support administrator job description example

   THIS POSITION ALLOWS FOR UP TO 2 DAYS REMOTE WORK A WEEK

   We are GDIT. The people supporting and securing some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. Our work has meaning and impact on the world around us, but also on us, and that's important.

   GDIT is your place. You make it your own by embracing autonomy, seizing opportunity, and being trusted to deliver your best every day.

   GDIT has an opening for a Network Administrator - Service Desk position supporting the Army National Guard (ARNG) in Chantilly, VA. This is an IT Service Management contract in support of the operation, modernization, expansion, and further evolution of the ARNG's global Information Technology (IT) services including networking, compute, storage, infrastructure, applications, hosting, and program management services. The GECOS program supports the ARNG enterprise IT infrastructure, its Wide Area Network (WAN), authentication and directory services, cybersecurity, application hosting, and associated services. GECOS uses ITIL best practices framework as the basis for IT Service Management (ITSM) model.

   The Network Administrator - Service Desk will:

   • Provides Tier 2 IT operations control support using ITSM ticketing system such as BMC Remedy and/or ServiceNow in the form of systems and as a technical generalist that resolves incidents and requests independent of further escalation to dedicated technology SMEs.

   • Provides Help Desk ticket escalation support to the Army and DISA for all DODIN-A(NG) and DODIN-A(NG)-S issues above or outside the direct O&M of the RCC-NG, including mobile device support.

   • Independently provides advanced level technical interpretation and solutions in the management of networks, software, hardware, configurations, and architectures.

   • Troubleshoots system hardware and software-specific issues using Cisco, Palo Alto, and Microsoft tool sets.

   • Trains end users on the proper use of hardware and software.

   • Applies practical knowledge of job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience.

   • Authors and updates job aids, technical documentation, and procedures.

   QUALIFICATIONS:

   Required Skills and Experience:

   • A minimum of five years of relevant IT experience including hands-on service desk / Tier 2 support

   • Possess the appropriate baseline certifications to achieve DoD 8570.01-M Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II. (CompTIA Security+ or higher)

   • Possess the appropriate computing environment certifications to achieve DoD 8570.01-M Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II. (IE Cisco or Microsoft Certification)

   • An active Secret security clearance.

   #GECOS

   Scheduled Weekly Hours:

   40

   Travel Required:

   Less than 10%

   Telecommuting Options:

   Hybrid

   Work Location:

   USA VA Falls Church

   Additional Work Locations:

   COVID-19 Vaccination: GDIT does not have a vaccination mandate applicable to all employees. To protect the health and safety of its employees and to comply with customer requirements, however, GDIT may require employees in certain positions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination requirements will depend on the status of the federal contractor mandate and customer site requirements.We are GDIT. The people supporting some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We deliver. Bringing the expertise needed to understand and advance critical missions. We transform. Shifting the ways clients invest in, integrate, and innovate technology solutions. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. We are there. On the ground, beside our clients, in the lab, and everywhere in between. Offering the technology transformations, strategy, and mission services needed to get the job done.GDIT 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, or any other protected class.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right network support administrator 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 support administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit network support administrators 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 support administrator job on Zippia to find and recruit network support 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

   Recruiting network support administrators requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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.

   If your interviews with network support administrator 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 network support administrator

   Once you've found the network support administrator candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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 support administrator 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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