How to hire a service desk agent

How to hire a service desk agent, step by step

Here's a step-by-step service desk agent hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a service desk agent job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new service desk agent
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a service desk agent do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your service desk agent 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 service desk agent 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 service desk agent 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 service desk agents and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Service Desk Agent	Description	Hourly rate
   Service Desk Agent	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$9-14
   Information Technology/Support Technician	An information technology (IT) support technician is a professional who is responsible for providing support and troubleshoots software and hardware problems faced by customers. As for larger organizations that have their own IT department, technicians must work together internally with their IT staff members... Show more	$14-31
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Service Desk
   • Technical Support
   • Data Entry
   • Troubleshoot
   • Phone Calls
   • SLA
   • Password Resets
   • ITIL
   • VPN
   • Software Applications
   • Remedy
   • Network Troubleshooting
   • Problem Resolution

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage OS re-imaging and data recovery for rent equipment.
   • Monitor tickets to ensure SLA response and resolution.
   • Create tickets in a proprietary environment using ITIL.
   • Image Lenovo tablet PCs and add users to company domain.
   • Process e-mails from assign in-boxes throughout the day while maintaining e-mail SLA.
   • Interface directly with end-users to accurately troubleshoot and correct hardware / software issues.

   More service desk agent duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your service desk agent job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A service desk agent salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a service desk agent in Pennsylvania may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level service desk agent usually earns less than a senior-level service desk agent. Additionally, a service desk agent with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average service desk agent salary

   $11.84hourly

   $24,629 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level service desk agent salary

   $19,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average service desk agent salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$39,477	$19
   2	Massachusetts	$31,635	$15
   3	Washington	$31,354	$15
   4	Rhode Island	$31,244	$15
   5	Maryland	$29,466	$14
   6	Connecticut	$29,455	$14
   7	New Hampshire	$28,900	$14
   8	North Dakota	$28,780	$14
   9	California	$28,097	$14
   10	Nevada	$27,976	$13
   11	Delaware	$27,850	$13
   12	Colorado	$26,763	$13
   13	South Carolina	$26,509	$13
   14	Alaska	$26,479	$13
   15	Arizona	$24,652	$12
   16	Michigan	$24,432	$12
   17	Wisconsin	$24,101	$12
   18	Florida	$23,787	$11
   19	Indiana	$23,577	$11
   20	Tennessee	$23,530	$11

   Average service desk agent salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Stanford Health Care	$27,864	$13.40	8
   2	HCL Technologies	$27,849	$13.39	1
   3	Live Nation Entertainment	$27,740	$13.34	2
   4	Strategic Staffing Solutions	$27,409	$13.18
   5	Citizens Alliance	$27,360	$13.15
   6	DigitalGlobe	$27,180	$13.07
   7	Encompass Health	$27,004	$12.98	1
   8	GalaxE.Solutions	$26,739	$12.86
   9	Randstad North America, Inc.	$26,695	$12.83	4
   10	Epsilon	$26,454	$12.72	3
   11	Prosum	$26,241	$12.62	2
   12	PDS Tech	$25,787	$12.40	1
   13	Constellation Brands	$25,775	$12.39
   14	Science	$25,762	$12.39
   15	TEKsystems	$25,646	$12.33	42
   16	Montage Hotels & Resorts	$25,625	$12.32	35
   17	Kelly Services	$25,601	$12.31	13
   18	VitalSource	$25,533	$12.28
   19	LeasePlan Corporation	$25,216	$12.12
   20	The Connection	$25,122	$12.08	8

4. Writing a service desk agent job description

   A service desk agent 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 service desk agent job description:

   Service desk agent job description example

   • AAS in Information Technology or related field (may substitute 2 years computer experience)
   • Minimum of one year business experience working with computer systems in an office environment
   • Ability to work a minimum of one day per week as designated customer support contact (company transportation provided)
   • Clean driving record
   • Open to alternate work schedules and occasional after-hours, off-shift work to meet customer needs
   • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
   • Excellent ability to multitask and maintain high-levels of quality
   • Must be able to work as a valued member in a customer environment

   Why IP Pathways?

   • Work/life balance. IP Pathways believes in enabling families to be families. We proudly offer flexible and accommodating work schedules to meet your family’s needs and obligations.
   • Technical training. Looking for a company who will consistently invest in developing your technical skills? We’ll not only cover your job related training costs, but also all of your exams.
   • Company bike rides. Don’t own a bike? Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you get one. A helmet, too. Leave work early… enjoy free food and drinks along the way… need we say more? Did we mention the free IPP Cycling Club t-shirt?
   • Company BBQs. The IPP President cooks… you eat and drink. It’s actually not that bad of a deal if you think about it. Play some bags, throw the football or just sit in a chair in the shade and relax.
   • Quarterly team outings. Join us for a BBQ crawl, a friendly game of laser tag or paintball, maybe enjoy a couple frames of bowling, or try your luck in the arcade, no tokens needed! The venue always changes.
   • Birthday celebrations. Who doesn’t like warm chocolate chip cookies baked fresh and delivered to them for their birthday? Don’t worry – we won’t sing… too loud.
   • Health club reimbursement. Yeah, so, after all of the… free beverages, snacks, cookies, etc… it just seems like the right thing to do. We’ll help cover a percentage of your health club membership.

   Next Steps

   If this position sounds like the challenge you have been looking for and if you’d like to join the IP Pathways culture of being the industries finest and most technically skilled individuals who will DO WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR THE CUSTOMER, please send us your resume. Be sure to tell us why you think you’d be a great fit for the role and also IP Pathways. We are also hiring for normal business hours so let us know what works for you.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find service desk agents 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 service desk agents they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level service desk agents 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 service desk agent job on Zippia to find and recruit service desk agent candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting service desk agents 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.

   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 service desk agent

   Once you've decided on a perfect service desk agent 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.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new service desk agent. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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