How to hire a telecom technician

How to hire a telecom technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The telecom technician 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?

   Yes

   No

   A telecom technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, telecom 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 telecom technicians.

   Type of Telecom Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Telecom 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.	$15-42
   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:

   • Fiber Optic Cables
   • VoIP
   • Switches
   • IP
   • Ladders
   • Technical Support
   • Telecommunication
   • RF
   • Routers
   • Phone System
   • Analog
   • Lan
   • IDF
   • CAT5

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and report on SLA's and work with vendors for any corrections or necessary actions.
   • Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
   • Pull CAT5e, CAT6, coax cable, install patch panels and connect network devices including routers and switches.
   • Work with passive equipment such as: RF cable, connectors, twist pair cable, CAT5 and CAT6.
   • Create new, augmenting, or deleting trunks in the Nortel DMS switch.
   • Install and repair coax cable, CatV, and fiber optic and copper lines.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, telecom technicians' average salary in alabama is 43% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level telecom technicians earn 63% less than senior-level telecom technicians.
   • Certifications. A telecom technician 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 telecom technician's salary.

   Average telecom technician salary

   $54,352yearly

   $26.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level telecom technician salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a telecom technician job description

   A good telecom technician 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 telecom technician job description:

   Telecom technician job description example

   Type of Requisition:
   
   Regular
   
   Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:
   
   None
   
   Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:
   
   None
   
   Suitability:
   
   No Suitability Required
   
   Public Trust/Other Required:
   
   Job Family:
   
   Telecommunications
   
   Job Description:
   
   Installs, removes, maintains, modifies, troubleshoots, and repairs telecommunication equipment . This includes running, pulling, terminating, and splicing cables; installing routers, switches, multiplexors, cable trays.
   
   Provides reports, completes requests for new service, and determines methodology for installing telephone service or other telecommunication technology.
   
   Under direct supervision, determines appropriateness of moderate equipment changes or modifications including call switches, test trunks and test links, and installs communication circuits.
   
   Assists with responding to emergency calls in the event of a system failure.
   
   Makes minor precision adjustments on switches, relays, and other electrical control devices for maximum operating efficiency.
   
   Assists with verifying services by testing circuits, equipment, and alarms; and identifying, correcting, or escalating problems.
   
   DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: HS/GED, 0+ years of experience
   
   Scheduled Weekly Hours:
   
   40
   
   Travel Required:
   
   50-75%
   
   Telecommuting Options:
   
   Onsite
   
   Work Location:
   
   USA WA Kent
   
   Additional Work Locations:
   
   COVID-19 Vaccination: GDIT does not have a vaccination mandate applicable to all employees. To protect the health and safety of its employees and to comply with customer requirements, however, GDIT may require employees in certain positions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination requirements will depend on the status of the federal contractor mandate and customer site requirements.
   
   We are GDIT. The people supporting some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We deliver. Bringing the expertise needed to understand and advance critical missions. We transform. Shifting the ways clients invest in, integrate, and innovate technology solutions. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. We are there. On the ground, beside our clients, in the lab, and everywhere in between. Offering the technology transformations, strategy, and mission services needed to get the job done.
   
   GDIT is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit telecom 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 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.

   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 telecom technician

   Once you've found the telecom technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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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