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How to hire a senior system support specialist

Senior system support specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring senior system support specialists in the United States:

  • There are currently 27,566 senior system support specialists in the US, as well as 108,134 job openings.
  • Senior system support specialists are in the highest demand in Pittsburgh, PA, with 4 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a senior system support specialist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new senior system support specialist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a senior system support specialist, step by step

To hire a senior system support specialist, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a senior system support specialist:

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

    The senior system support specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

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

    This list presents senior system support specialist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Senior System Support SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Senior System Support SpecialistComputer 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$28-57
    Supervisor, Technical SupportA supervisor of technical support oversees the technical support operations in a company, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. It is their duty to set guidelines and timelines, monitor the daily operations of staff, coordinate with managers and engineers, delegate tasks among teams, and liaise with potential business partners... Show more$29-58
    Support LeadA support lead is typically in charge of overseeing the performance of a technical support team, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction. Their responsibilities revolve around assessing the performance of the workforce, resolving complex issues, identifying customer needs and sales opportunities, and training new team members... Show more$30-56
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • SQL
    • Technical Support
    • Linux
    • Application Software
    • Customer Service
    • Unix
    • OS
    • Windows Server
    • Application Support
    • Printers
    • SharePoint
    • Level Support
    • Desktop Support
    • DNS
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Maintain Internet and VPN connectivity.
    • Support development team by providing SQL and PL/SQL review.
    • Support hardware and software upgrades on operating system (OS).
    • Maintain and write custom UNIX shell scripts for automate processing by customers.
    • Support the local Lync EV, VOIP and digital Nortel/Avaya telecommunications systems.
    • Walk pre-open hotels through setting up LAN hardware for dial up connection.
    More senior system support specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    Average senior system support specialist salary

    $84,043yearly

    $40.41 hourly rate

    Entry-level senior system support specialist salary
    $59,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 15, 2025

    Average senior system support specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Texas$99,948$48
    2New Jersey$93,463$45
    3Massachusetts$91,428$44
    4Nevada$89,452$43
    5Ohio$88,451$43
    6Pennsylvania$88,184$42
    7Georgia$86,937$42
    8Arizona$86,412$42
    9Illinois$85,541$41
    10West Virginia$77,117$37
    11Alabama$76,968$37

    Average senior system support specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Valero Energy$116,934$56.221
    2Novartis$109,870$52.82
    3Beckman Coulter$109,055$52.43
    4Ansys$100,403$48.27
    5EVO Payments$99,054$47.62
    6Swift Denim Services Inc$82,053$39.45
    7LogixHealth$78,139$37.57
    8Dow Jones$75,632$36.363
    9TemperPack$75,183$36.15
    10The PNC Financial Services Group$72,708$34.9644
    11PNC$67,681$32.5433
    12Maine$39,936$19.205
  4. Writing a senior system support specialist job description

    A senior system support 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior system support specialist job description:

    Senior system support specialist job description example

    REEDS Jewelers proudly celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2021, and our corporate headquarters has been in Wilmington, NC, since the beginning. We're a proud family company running many retail stores from Texas, to Florida, to Pennsylvania, and everywhere in between.

    In this role you will be responsible for the delivery of Workday solutions as part of ERP Technology roadmap to address Finance & HR needs as well as supporting OMS implementation. In this capacity, you will actively participate in and lead the planning and scoping of projects to recommend best practices, implement new features and enhance existing processes in a multitude of applications to create a seamless and engaging employee experience. The role must have hands-on subject matter expertise in Workday Finance, HCM and Order Management platforms.

    The role will be a key player in defining applications security strategy and the consolidation of roles. In addition, you will be maintaining/running the Workday project backlog/sprints to deliver solutions in agile framework. This role needs someone who is passionate about optimizing Finance & HR processes through technology enablers. This role must be able to work and adapt in a fluid and fast-paced environment. A strong level of comfort working with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels of seniority and displaying a high degree of judgment and discretion for handling sensitive data.

    Supporting application end users by walking through business processes, answering questions, and troubleshooting issues. Record and update support tickets with a level of detail and escalating issues where appropriate. Assists with configuration updates as needed. Assists with updating training materials. Assists with end-user training as necessary. Provide input and knowledge sharing with Workday Team Lead, HR & Finance Team Members, and other stakeholders as the appropriate Participate in scheduled and ad hoc training in order to improve policy and process acumen.

    Job Responsibilities:

    • Provides technical leadership to all segments of the business relative to Workday HR & Finance Modules and Order Management Systems.
    • Leads and manages HR & Finance Technology projects.
    • Evaluate new software versions, enhancements, and plans for upgrades, assist in review and management of bi-annual Workday releases, and train others, as needed
    • Work with SMEs, technical teams, and business process owners to research and evaluate alternatives, citing evidence in support of and making recommendations
    • Work with the HR & Finance teams to gather user requirements, design, preconfigure, coordinate user testing, and implement modifications to Workdays modules
    • Ensure data integrity through aggregate analysis and an understanding of the processes deployed
    • Review business procedures and workflows to ensure system features are being fully utilized and identify features that may improve efficiency
    • Work with functional users to provide solutions for unique business needs within a consolidated business process
    • Coordinate with PMO on implementation of new releases, fixes, and upgrades with technical teams and users
    • Recommend changes to configuration or adoption of new functionalities
    • Guide functional users on the adoption of new processes
    • Ensure we always maintain a secure and SOX-compliant Workday estate
    • Provides support to the HR and Finance teams through reporting, data analysis, and process design.
    • Facilitates the HR & Finance change management process by developing and maintaining communications with stakeholders and ensuring quality control during the implementation life cycle.
    • Must be able to plan, document, communicate, and execute work products.
    • Ensures system documentation is up to date and accurate
    • Develops training materials and trains HR and business stakeholders as necessary.
    • Establish and maintains relationships with third-party vendors to support effective collaboration.
    • Facilitates user acceptance testing with HR teams and performs testing where applicable.
    • Manage and diagnose issues through ticket management and on-call support
    • Understand the details of the Workday system and educate end users on best practices

    With our strong foundation, we continue to grow and welcome talented, hard-working team members to join our dynamic company. We look forward to reviewing your application!


    Requirements

    • Bachelors degree required
    • 3+ years of hands-on Workday administration experience
    • Certification in Workday Finance, HCM, and Security preferred
    • 3+ years working in a Workday production support environment supporting Workday integrations preferably between HR, Payroll, Benefits Partners, CRM and CMS using Workday tools
    • Experience with Workday Integrations and Workday Adaptive Planning is a plus
    • Experience administering Workday in an SOX-compliant environment
    • Ability to own the design and configuration of recruiting, onboarding, human resources and finance business processes using Workday
    • Solid knowledge of Agile methodologies
    • Ability to manage multiple initiatives and requests simultaneously

    Benefits

    REEDS Jewelers offers a comprehensive compensation program, merchandise discounts, 401(k), and paid time off. Full-time team members are also eligible for our benefits program including health/dental/life/LTD insurance, and more!

    REEDS Jewelers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value the diversity of our team, and employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. REEDS provides a smoke and drug-free environment.

  5. Post your job

    To find the right senior system support 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 system support specialists they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit senior system support 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 system support specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality senior system support 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 system support 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.

    While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a senior system support 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 senior system support specialist

    Once you've selected the best senior system support specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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 system support specialist?

There are different types of costs for hiring senior system support 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 senior system support specialist employee.

Senior system support specialists earn a median yearly salary is $84,043 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find senior system support specialists for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $28 and $57.

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