How to hire a switch technician

How to hire a switch technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step switch technician hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your switch technician 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 switch technician 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

   A switch technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, switch technicians 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 shows salaries for various types of switch technicians.

   Type of Switch Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Switch Technician	Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, also known as telecom technicians, set up and maintain devices or equipment that carry communications signals, connect to telephone lines, and access the Internet.	$36-64
   Cable Installer	A cable installer installs and maintains telecommunication systems and equipment such as telephone lines, cable television, or internet services at homes or commercial areas. In some companies, a cable installer may also handle complaints and concerns, conduct inspections, troubleshoot problems, and fix or replace components when necessary... Show more	$16-23
   Tower Hand	A tower hand is a professional who climbs towers or poles to install, repair, and perform routine maintenance on electrical equipment. Tower hands are required to climb up very tall structures to perform maintenance on equipment such as power lines, cell tower components, or radio antenna equipment... Show more	$12-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Switches
   • Routine Maintenance
   • T1
   • RF
   • Technical Support
   • Trouble Tickets
   • DACS
   • HVAC
   • DS3
   • VoIP
   • Test Equipment
   • T3
   • BSC
   • Preventive Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage LAN as an administrator for NATO HQ network.
   • Assist in managing CDMA network, Voice/EVDO circuit's layouts, CDM circuit inventory and roll over's for cell sites.
   • Configure Veraz switch for TDM and IP services.
   • Coordinate installation, testing, and troubleshooting of transmission facilities (OC48, T3, T1, and DSO).
   • Work with management team to develop a comprehensive and successful IP and TDM base network infrastructure and unify communications plan.
   • Circuit switching (DMS-250 and Alcatel DEX-600E).

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your switch technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A switch technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, switch technicians' average salary in minnesota is 51% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level switch technicians 43% less than senior-level switch technicians.
   • Certifications. A switch technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a switch technician's salary.

   Average switch technician salary

   $101,377yearly

   $48.74 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level switch technician salary

   $76,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a switch technician job description

   A job description for a switch technician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a switch technician job description:

   Switch technician job description example

   Job Description BAE Systems is seeking layer one switch Technicians to be part of our experienced technical team at the Surface Combat Systems Center (SCSC) Wallops, Island, VA. This job will require working within a team to evaluate and correct various problems on Navy baseline interconnections. SCSC is located on a barrier island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and is a tenant of the NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. SCSC provides live combat systems suites with platform specific radars and sensors and supports the following functions: combat system lifetime support engineering, platform certification, operational and technical evaluation, combat system training, interoperability testing and participates in Live at-sea and air exercises. SCSC provides a high-fidelity combat systems capable of replicating the configuration of every ship in the AEGIS and Ship Self Defense System (SSDS) fleet today, as well as future ship platforms.
   Responsibilities
   
   1) Perform correcting maintenance on the switching system.
   
   2) Perform engineering tasks to update and activate new switches as necessary. This to include updating AutoCAD drawings, writing and executing test plans.
   
   3) Fiber troubleshooting, dressing, and cable management.
   
   4) Troubleshoot paths to include, NTDS serial, NTDS parallel, and RJ45 Ethernet.
   
   5) Troubleshoot a layer 2 network to maintain a GUI for the various layer 1 operating systems.
   
   6) Maintain a database called NGSC to include site equipment and site stored configurations.
   
   7) Successful candidate must be willing and able to perform in a variety of 40 hour work-week configurations to possibly include evenings and weekends on a rotating basis.
   
   8) Participate in the Navy Lock Out Tag Out and audit process, including SCSC Blue Tag program and audits Required Education, Experience, & Skills Minimum education and years of related/relevant experience required: High School/GED and at least 2 years demonstrated experience assessing, troubleshooting, and performing corrective/preventive maintenance on electrical and/or mechanical systems and/or equipment, or an Associate's Degree in a technical discipline.
   
   Security clearance requirement: This position requires the successful candidate to be able to obtain a Secret level clearance. The criteria for obtaining and holding a clearance are driven by US government requirements. You must be a US citizen to obtain a security clearance. If selected candidate is not in possession of an active Secret clearance, then he/she will receive a contingent offer and start date will be delayed until an interim Secret clearance is granted.Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills CompTIA Security+ or equivalent
   
   Active DoD clearance
   
   PQS 301 qualification
   
   Aegis Experience (systems school)
   
   SSDS ExperienceAbout BAE Systems Intelligence & Security BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it's what we do at BAE Systems. Working here means using your passion and ingenuity where it counts - defending national security with breakthrough technology, superior products, and intelligence solutions. As you develop the latest technology and defend national security, you will continually hone your skills on a team-making a big impact on a global scale. At BAE Systems, you'll find a rewarding career that truly makes a difference.
   
   Intelligence & Security (I&S), based in McLean, Virginia, designs and delivers advanced defense, intelligence, and security solutions that support the important missions of our customers. Our pride and dedication shows in everything we do-from intelligence analysis, cyber operations and IT expertise to systems development, systems integration, and operations and maintenance services. Knowing that our work enables the U.S. military and government to recognize, manage and defeat threats inspires us to push ourselves and our technologies to new levels.
   
   Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
   
   At BAE Systems, we work hard every day to nurture an inclusive culture where employees are valued and feel like they belong. We are conscious of the need for all employees to see themselves reflected at every level of the company and know that in order to unlock the full potential of our workforce, everyone must feel confident being their best, most sincere self and be equipped to thrive. We provide impactful professional development experiences to our employees and invest in social impact partnerships to uplift communities and drive purposeful change. Here you will find significant opportunities to do meaningful work in an environment intentionally designed to be one where you will learn, grow and belong.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find switch technicians for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your switch technician job on Zippia to find and recruit switch technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit switch technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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.

   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 switch technician

   Once you've selected the best switch technician 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.

   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.

   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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