How to hire a senior help desk analyst

How to hire a senior help desk analyst, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior 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

   A senior help desk analyst's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior help desk analysts 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior help desk analysts and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Help Desk Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior 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	$17-34
   Desk Support Technician	A desktop support technician is responsible for assisting end-users with their network issues, grant authorization requests, and create user accounts. Desktop support technicians maintain the safety and security of networks, preventing unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of database information... Show more	$12-29
   Technician Support Team Leader	The Technician Support Team Leader is tasked with leading and training the technical support team. As a team leader, you will be required to organize scheduled staff reviews and communicate new procedures and policies with them... Show more	$30-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Troubleshoot
   • Desk Support
   • Phone Calls
   • Technical Support
   • Help-Desk Support
   • VPN
   • Remedy
   • Customer Service
   • Help Desk
   • Citrix
   • Network Printers
   • SQL
   • User Accounts
   • Level Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Improve efficiency and reduce risk by developing managing concepts and projects for ITIL process development for service delivery.
   • Support Citrix base applications, PeopleSoft applications; IBM mainframe, IBM-POS, and various UNIX base applications.
   • Resolve DNS issues and internet portal connections.
   • Provide trouble-shooting support on both Macintosh OS 8 , 9 and OSX.
   • Aid in the installation of Citrix software for remote access to the MHS network.
   • Install operating systems, SQL or SBS, configure servers, workstations and networks.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior help desk analysts' average salary in mississippi is 44% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior help desk analysts earn 50% less than senior-level senior help desk analysts.
   • Certifications. A senior help desk analyst 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 senior help desk analyst's salary.

   Average senior help desk analyst salary

   $51,327yearly

   $24.68 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior help desk analyst salary

   $36,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a senior help desk analyst job description

   A senior 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior help desk analyst job description:

   Senior help desk analyst job description example

   The primary purpose of this position is to assist our students, faculty and colleagues, while providing
   
   guidance and support to the Help Desk team/analysts. Assist with identifying, researching, and resolving
   
   technical issues using critical thinking and problem resolution skills. Performs deep analysis of tickets,
   trends, SLA's, problem management.
   
   + Answer all Help Desk calls, chats, tickets, voicemails and emails within a timely manner.
   
   + Limited shift responsibilities including handling of escalation calls from Help Desk analysts when
   
   no management is available, escalation of technical issues to the NOC when necessary.
   
   + Creates IT Communications about impairments, outages and resolutions when necessary.
   
   + Escalate issues to Help Desk management team when appropriate.
   
   + Act as new hire mentor and provides training on use of Incident Management System.
   
   + Recommend changes in policies/procedures.
   
   + Monitor ticket queue daily; assign and/or resolve tickets.
   
   + Identify opportunities to reduce incidences or error occurrences and present analysis and reports to manager.
   
   + Identify opportunities to increase first call resolution.
   
   + Create and update knowledge base articles.
   
   + Perform user acceptance testing and document results per SDLC guidelines.
   
   + Completes other duties as assigned.
   
   #LI-RB1
   
   + BS/BA degree in Computer Science,.
   
   + Minimum three (3) years enterprise experience in Helpdesk Lead role.
   
   + Deep Knowledge of ITIL Framework and use of Incident Management Systems.
   
   + Knowledge of Windows and MacOS networking including DHCP, DNS, WINS, TCP/IP.
   
   + Knowledge of hardware component repair (desktop, notebook, printer, audio visual technologies, other).
   
   + Working Knowledge of the major client software packages (Latest MS Office Productivity Suite,
   
   MS Teams, Zoom, Anti-Virus, VPN, FTP , Adobe, Cisco Jabber, ServiceNow, audiovisual
   
   technologies, etc.).
   
   + Experience using (LogMeIn Rescue and Configuration Manager).
   
   + Experience troubleshooting Windows and Macintosh OS. Experience with PowerShell and Scripting.
   
   Experience supporting mobile devices (iPad, Android, Apple iOS).
   
   + Knowledge of Microsoft Exchange mailbox management.
   
   + Strong customer service and excellent written and oral communication skills along with the ability to work well with others in a team environment.
   
   + High level of understanding of the organization's business systems and processes.
   
   + Technical aptitude and competency, ability to balance multiple priorities, strong ability to quickly learn software and solve problems with minimal training.
   
   + Ability to work independently, analytical skills, critical thinking skills, proficient in MS office applications.
   
   We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. At Adtalem, we welcome everyone and have a strong commitment towards diversity and inclusion. We encourage our Colleagues to be their true authentic selves and support laws that prohibit discrimination everywhere we do business. We also maintain a drug-free workplace.
   
   Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE) is a leading healthcare educator and provider of professional talent to the healthcare industry. With a dedicated focus on driving strong outcomes that increase workforce preparedness, Adtalem empowers a diverse learner population to achieve their goals and make inspiring contributions to their communities.
   
   Adtalem is the parent organization of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University. Adtalem and its institutions have more than 10,000 employees and a network of more than 275,000 alumni.
   
   Adtalem was named one of America's Most Responsible Companies 2021 by Newsweek, and one of America's Best Employers for Diversity in 2021 and 2022 by Forbes. Follow Adtalem on Twitter @adtalemglobal, LinkedIn or visit Adtalem.com for more information.
   
   Req Number: 2022-123788
   
   Department: Information Technology
   
   FLSA U.S./Global Status: U.S. - Non-Exempt

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

   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 senior 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 senior help desk analyst

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior help desk analyst 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior 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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