How to hire a senior information technology specialist

How to hire a senior information technology specialist, step by step

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

What does a senior information technology specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior information technology specialist 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 senior information technology specialist 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior information technology specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior information technology specialist that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior information technology specialists.

   Type of Senior Information Technology Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Information Technology Specialist	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	$37-65
   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
   Information Technology Supervisor, Information Technology	An information technology supervisor of information technology is primarily in charge of overseeing a company's IT operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. It is their duty to spearhead projects, set goals and objectives, coordinate staff, manage budgets and timelines, perform installations and upgrades, and develop strategies to optimize operations... Show more	$39-70

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Database
   • Technical Support
   • Project Management
   • Lifecycle Management
   • SR
   • Linux
   • Cycle Management
   • Java
   • SAN
   • SQL Server
   • PC
   • SharePoint
   • Commercial Off-The-Shelf

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Install and manage the local area network (wire and wireless), switches connect to that network and network printers.
   • Manage DNS, SSL certificate renewals/additions, add FTP accounts and rights management for client's web and application hosting servers.
   • Manage and implement security solutions, including firewalls, anti-virus solutions, and intrusion detection systems.
   • Lead in-house and consultant team in large-scale Linux server upgrade for multinational consulting firm, which significantly enhance system performance.
   • Lead disaster recovery exercises, infrastructure hardware/software decommissioning initiatives and redeployment of legacy application retirements/migrations for Fannie Mae (client).
   • Deploy applications and OS's as requested using SCCM.

   More senior information technology specialist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior information technology specialists' average salary in south dakota is 34% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior information technology specialists earn 43% less than senior-level senior information technology specialists.
   • Certifications. A senior information technology specialist 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 information technology specialist's salary.

   Average senior information technology specialist salary

   $103,478yearly

   $49.75 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior information technology specialist salary

   $78,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average senior information technology specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$131,881	$63
   2	District of Columbia	$104,015	$50
   3	Michigan	$102,782	$49
   4	New York	$102,673	$49
   5	Pennsylvania	$101,903	$49
   6	North Carolina	$101,654	$49
   7	New Jersey	$101,464	$49
   8	Virginia	$100,732	$48
   9	Massachusetts	$100,371	$48
   10	Maryland	$99,178	$48
   11	Ohio	$98,208	$47
   12	Minnesota	$95,062	$46
   13	Texas	$94,465	$45
   14	Missouri	$92,240	$44
   15	Illinois	$92,182	$44
   16	Arizona	$92,161	$44
   17	Florida	$91,895	$44
   18	Kansas	$89,872	$43
   19	Georgia	$89,762	$43
   20	Utah	$86,784	$42

   Average senior information technology specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ropes & Gray	$140,593	$67.59	7
   2	Tesoro	$130,388	$62.69
   3	Marathon Petroleum	$124,052	$59.64	16
   4	Neiman Marcus Group	$123,207	$59.23
   5	Pacific Gas and Electric	$122,968	$59.12
   6	Avon Product	$122,612	$58.95
   7	Parsons	$122,143	$58.72	61
   8	Pacifi	$121,536	$58.43	2
   9	Novo Nordisk	$121,134	$58.24	1
   10	Edwards Lifesciences	$120,816	$58.08	4
   11	Clario	$120,128	$57.75	1
   12	Citi	$119,865	$57.63	37
   13	BuzzFeed	$119,471	$57.44	1
   14	Hess	$119,265	$57.34
   15	Lattice Semiconductor	$119,034	$57.23	1
   16	Mercy Corps	$118,885	$57.16
   17	Merck	$118,196	$56.83	7
   18	Federal Deposit Insurance	$117,221	$56.36
   19	AbbVie	$117,125	$56.31	2
   20	CyberGrants	$116,910	$56.21

4. Writing a senior information technology specialist job description

   A senior information technology specialist 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. Below, you can find an example of a senior information technology specialist job description:

   Senior information technology specialist job description example

   The Sr. Specialist - Information Technology (Regional Service & Support) is responsible for being the sole IT representative stationed in one of our regional offices. The core focus areas: ticketing/KPI/SLA management, first level support of regionally-based topics not covered by other processes, RDC/Store IT support including on-site visits at Stores, on-site IT work for expansion of stores and other properties, asset management, and process improvement. This individual will work collaboratively and in close coordination with headquarters IT departments for execution of IT projects and processes.
   What You'll Do Accountable for on-site inventory of all hardware needed for onboarding, daily operations, projects, etc. Monitoring and tracking recurring regional issues while engaging with HQ support in efforts of improvements and quality control Support grand store openings by following up and providing on-site support Ensuring smooth onboarding of new colleagues into company Participate in necessary Vendor Inventory Management Processes including vendor oversight Organization and assurance of on-site work with internal employees or external partners Additional responsibilities as assigned What You'll Need
   
   Essential Functions Accountable for on-site inventory of all hardware needed for onboarding, daily operations, projects, etc. Monitoring and tracking recurring regional issues while engaging with HQ support in efforts of improvements and quality control Support grand store openings by following up and providing on-site support Ensuring smooth onboarding of new colleagues into company Participate in necessary Vendor Inventory Management Processes including vendor oversight Organization and assurance of on-site work with internal employees or external partners Additional responsibilities as assigned Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite Ability to explain complex IT concepts in simple terms Competency in PC repair, troubleshooting, deployment, and liquidation Understanding of server and networking fundamentals: DNS, DHCP, HTTP(S), SSL, OSI Model, and TCP/IP Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities KPI Management Presentation skills, particularly with PowerPoint Experience with ServiceNow ticket management solution Experience with ServiceNow asset management solution JIRA as ticketing/project management solution Required Education, Certifications/ Licenses, Related Experience Associate degree in related field 2 years of experience in IT support role In lieu of degree, a combination of education and years of experience in IT Support will meet the education and related experience requirements listed above Preferred Education, Certifications/ Licenses, Related Experience ITIL Certification A+, Network+, Security+ Physical Job Requirements Ability to work a variety of shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed Ability to work in a fast-paced working environment, including the store(s), distribution center(s), warehouse(s), and/or corporate office(s) with the capability to switch job functions/roles quickly Ability to work in situations that involve prolonged sitting, standing, walking, squatting and/or bending more than half the time Ability to maneuver cases of product (lift, move, carry, slide, etc.) up to 50 lbs. and reach above head to heights greater than 10 inches frequently in accordance with safety regulations Ability to operate equipment that requires the constant use of hands/fingers/wrists more than half the time Ability to spend more than half the time viewing computer monitors Ability to identify and distinguish between colors more than half the time Travel Requirements This position commutes between stores, regional offices and/or distribution centers up to 25% of the time What You'll Receive
   
   At Lidl, we know that in order for our people to do their best, they must be at their best. That's why as a company, we offer one of the most generous benefits packages in the industry.
   
   All our Lidl employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Medical Dental Vision coverage Paid Holiday & Paid Time Off (PTO) 401k Plan (+ 5% company match and no vesting schedule) And so much more, visit our benefits page for more details and the latest updates
   
   In addition to the great benefits above, our Full-Time employees receive these additional benefits: Group Term Life & AD&D Insurance, Short & Long-Term Disability Insurance, Voluntary Critical Illness and/or Accident Insurance, Parental Leave 100% pay for birth mothers and non-birth parents, Additional Paid Time-Off & Sick Time.
   
   #LI-MN1
   
   #LI-OnSite
   
   RequiredPreferredJob Industries Retail

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right senior information technology 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 senior information technology specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit senior information technology 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 senior information technology specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality senior information technology specialist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior information technology 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview senior information technology specialist 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 senior information technology specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior information technology 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior information technology specialist. 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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How much does it cost to hire a senior information technology specialist?