How to hire a senior network consultant

How to hire a senior network consultant, step by step

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

What does a senior network consultant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior network consultant 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 network consultant 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 senior network consultant 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior network consultants.

   Type of Senior Network Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Network Consultant	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.	$34-65
   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
   Network/Server Administrator	A Network Administrator ensures an organizations' network is operational and up to date. They solve problems that arise within computer networks, maintaining computer networks, interacting with clients, and consulting with them to determine their system requirements... Show more	$27-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Visio
   • Firewall
   • Project Management
   • BGP
   • Nexus
   • Switches
   • Servers
   • IOS
   • Technical Support
   • EIGRP
   • Lan Wan
   • VoIP
   • TCP/IP
   • DNS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage design of DNS gTLD architecture.
   • Lead and supervise team of 15 staff members through complex-wide efforts to port-map network switches in over 100 residential dormitories.
   • Excele at managing major network-wide upgrades; improve speed and predictability of multicast and order-routing data.
   • Configure NAT solution's on Cisco IOS routers.
   • Monitor and troubleshoot the protocols EIGRP, OSPF and MPLS.
   • Implement Infoblox DDI (DHCP, DNS & IPAM) for proof of concept and migration in corporate environment.

   More senior network consultant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the senior network consultant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A senior network consultant 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 senior network consultant in Mississippi may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level senior network consultant. Additionally, a senior network consultant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average senior network consultant salary

   $98,825yearly

   $47.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior network consultant salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average senior network consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$139,625	$67
   2	Washington	$121,128	$58
   3	New York	$116,262	$56
   4	Nevada	$111,439	$54
   5	Connecticut	$105,286	$51
   6	Utah	$100,224	$48
   7	Minnesota	$98,065	$47
   8	Texas	$96,981	$47
   9	Ohio	$96,920	$47
   10	Florida	$95,871	$46
   11	South Carolina	$91,329	$44
   12	Pennsylvania	$90,914	$44
   13	Arizona	$90,488	$44
   14	Michigan	$86,783	$42
   15	Illinois	$86,224	$41
   16	North Carolina	$85,675	$41
   17	Missouri	$83,839	$40
   18	Georgia	$82,834	$40
   19	Colorado	$77,898	$37
   20	Puerto Rico	$58,003	$28

   Average senior network consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Amazon	$133,308	$64.09	136
   2	AT&T	$117,228	$56.36	36
   3	Citrix	$117,106	$56.30
   4	Ernst & Young	$116,725	$56.12	303
   5	Nokia	$114,250	$54.93	7
   6	Urban Science	$113,725	$54.68
   7	Thrupoint	$111,265	$53.49
   8	netxar	$110,107	$52.94
   9	World Wide Technology	$109,182	$52.49	71
   10	Comcast	$107,880	$51.87	14
   11	Windstream	$107,018	$51.45	5
   12	Satyam	$105,436	$50.69
   13	Blue Cross & Blue Shield	$105,436	$50.69	4
   14	Temp1	$105,397	$50.67
   15	CompuCom Systems Inc	$105,169	$50.56	7
   16	Telmex USA	$103,348	$49.69
   17	Optum	$102,603	$49.33
   18	Litmus7	$102,310	$49.19
   19	HCSC	$99,758	$47.96	5
   20	Amyx	$98,113	$47.17	22

4. Writing a senior network consultant job description

   A good senior network consultant 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 senior network consultant job description:

   Senior network consultant job description example

   Long View. A career that helps you get more out of life.
   
   A Long View career helps you get more out of life. We don't just say it, we prove it. Every day. We're proud of our reputation as one of North America's most dynamic IT providers - and we're even prouder of our culture that allows our people to live life to its fullest. At Long View, we create an environment of collaboration and support, of innovation and enthusiasm, of inclusion and belonging. As a member of the Long View team, you'll see how our company's core pillars - Integrity, Competence, Value, and Fun - resonate through the workplace. And in a recent survey, 90% of Long View team members rated Long View as a good or great place to work!
   
   Are you passionate about providing solutions for clients and interested in working for a company that values fun?
   
   We are looking for an energetic and client-oriented Senior Network Systems Consultant for our Vancouver branch! In this role, you will act as a subject matter expert to build trusted relationships with clients and internal stakeholders, while providing consultancy services for the design and implementation of industry leading network solutions.
   A Day in the Life: Develop network technology solutions to ensure solutions resolve clients' requirements and challenges Design and/or implement standard or custom technical solutions Participate in operational escalations to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, or other network and system problems, and replace defective components when necessary Contribute to the implementation of network and system security measures to protect data, software, and hardware Create relevant documentation as required including but not limited to conceptual design, logical design, physical design, bill of materials, as-built diagrams, knowledge transfer materials, FAQs, and transition to operations information Gather data pertaining to customer needs, and use the information to identify, predict, interpret, and evaluate the system and network requirements Recommend changes to improve systems and network configurations in client environments, and determine hardware or software requirements
   What You Bring: 5+ years of experience with network support, design and deployment Experience with security Ability to provide ongoing support, maintenance, and training on implemented systems Capability to perform network assessments and design recommendations Strong troubleshooting skills to resolve network issues Knowledge and experience with: --> Firewalls, IPS/IDS-->VMware SD-WAN--> TCP/IP, IPSEC Site to Site VPN, GRE, DMVPN, Client VPN, NAT, VRF technologies-->Data Center technologies such as VPC, VDC, FcoE, FC, virtual switching--> Cisco IOS and NXOS--> Cisco Meraki--> Layer 2 technologies such as switching, VLAN, spanning tree--> Layer 3 routing protocols including MPLS, BGP, EIGRP, OSPF--> Software-defined networking (SDN)--> Wireless design and configuration--> Network monitoring solutions--> Cisco Voice/Call Manager
   What Makes You Extra Awesome: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
   Why Work at Long View? Great people and culture Flexible environment - A workplace that values the importance of flexibility for personal/professional growth, happiness and wellness Interesting work - Be part of exciting projects while accessing all the latest technologies
   
   Want to learn more about our culture and life at Long View? Check us out on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram!
   
   Long View's mission of building the best and most sustainable team-driven organization requires dedicated and ambitious people. Through employee resource groups, impactful and effective conversations, townhalls and various company-wide training, including how to reduce unconscious bias, we are fostering an inclusive environment. We are committed to taking consistent, positive and lifelong action to be a diverse and equitable workplace because we know that the most effective companies are made up of people with varied identities, experiences and backgrounds.
   
   Long View is an equal opportunity employer. If you have any accommodation requests for your interview or the role, please let your friendly Recruiter know.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior network consultant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior network consultant job on Zippia to find and recruit senior network consultant 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

   During your first interview to recruit senior network consultants, 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a senior network consultant 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 network consultant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior network consultant 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.

   To prepare for the new senior network consultant 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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