How to Escape Your Entry-Level IT Role

Each company will have their own criteria for vetting candidates as well as their own set of questions. However, you can usually expect them to about any previous training, experiences with customers, and experiences with technology. There may be tech-specific questions or tests that will gauge your knowledge on hardware, software, and coding basics. Training can be completed in as little as a few months and it involves gaining a thorough understanding of computer hardware and software. Additionally, these roles also benefit from courses and experiences that work on building strong communication skills. To perform these technical tasks, help desk technicians often must employ non-technical skills like communication, customer service, problem solving and more.

A willingness to learn takes humility and the ability to accept constructive criticism from your peers. This characteristic is very attractive to employers; virtually every company wants to hire employees who are lifelong learners. Think of yourself as a detective who must glean the right information to properly analyze any given technical issue. And remember, analytical thinking is a transferable skill that will help you succeed in other job roles. To be a successful help desk technician, you must have business awareness. This means immediately asking an end user where they are calling from and about their role within the company.

Be willing to learn

If you work as a liaison between an IT department and the employees of an organization, you may earn a higher salary than a computer user support specialist. Computer network support specialists earn a median annual wage of $65,450. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual pay for computer support specialists in 2020 as $55,510. Professionals who are just starting out are often the first point of contact between a user and an IT department.

They may be responsible for fixing the problem themselves or relaying the solution for the customer to implement. Answer queries about hardware, software, and applications either in person or over the phone. As companies upgrade their computer systems and implement new applications, the need grows constantly for Help Desk Engineers, also called Technical Support Specialists. Moreover, with the exponential adoption of mobile devices, there will be a need for more Service Desk Engineers to provide support services. Engineers handle several scheduled tasks for clients with the intent to see to it that their systems are functioning uninterruptedly.

Services

Many companies offer certification programs that train individuals on specific products so that they have all the knowledge necessary to assist customers with problems regarding those items. This saves time because there will be less time spent on the phone, and it also saves money because those who are highly skilled may be able to answer most questions without transferring callers to other technicians. People who work in IT are usually passionate about all things related to information technology. They don’t limit themselves to only learning about the things they need to do their current job. They are always interested in reading about, learning and trying out new technology.

Glassdoor has millions of jobs plus salary information, company reviews, and interview questions from people on the inside making it easy to find a job that’s right for you. This entails asking an end-user where they are phoning from and what their job is inside the organization right away. Knowing this provides the help desk professional with an idea of how serious the end user’s situation is.

Motorcycle Service Technician Job Description

While not a prerequisite to getting a job, many organizations want certified or trained help desk analysts. Certification demonstrates a baseline understanding of IT user support, computer software and customer service. This course will prepare you to become a Certified Support Performance Tier-1 Support Specialist (SPC-T1SS). Your help desk technician job description should include a strong skills and qualifications section.

Help desk technicians are the first line of defense for any technical-related customer issues. Help desk technicians are usually the first point of contact for customers who are trying to work through any technical problems, and they can typically be reached through phone, live chat, or even in person. Help desk workers that are empathetic can connect with their customers and make them feel understood. Active listening abilities are the easiest method to become more sympathetic. When actively listening, you should be able to repeat what has just been spoken.

Communication Skills

Voluntary certification can lead to further job opportunities as well. Engineers manage issues throughout their lifecycle, beginning from the first point of contact until it is resolved. During this process, they need to keep their clients abreast of the progress. Included in the Service Desk Engineers tasks are installing, upgrading, supporting, and resolving issues relating to PCs or laptops, printers, scanners, phones, VoIP, besides the Intranet, LAN, and WAN, hardware, and software.

• Many of the skills you’ll learn can qualify you for a number of positions.
• In fact, many employees say the biggest challenges of working remote is setting up or troubleshooting software issues without an on-site IT support professional.
• As for job outlook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the employment of all computer support specialists to increase by 9% from 2020 to 2030.
• In some cases, the support help desk staff acts as a liaison between the IT department and customer.

The better the mood of the group, the more likely it will be that the team enjoys and likes their job. Positive attitudes and a fun work environment foster positive work relationships, better teamwork, higher job satisfaction, better service to end users and ultimately a more successful organization. This is also very helpful when working help desk engineer in high pressure environments like an IT call center, where high call volume or irate customers can occur. The desire to help people is not just limited to end users, but also to your co-workers. The ability to be a team player and support your team members when they need help is a trait that will set you aside from other candidates.

These individuals usually have experience solving more challenging questions or problems that computer users face, and are often looked upon as experts. Some larger computer support organizations also have a “tier three” technician to handle the most difficult questions.

VARs are constantly engaged in highly technical projects, which can provide you with amazing hands-on experience and new skills. You can also work for a customer and still perform projects, but you won’t get as much experience as you would working for a VAR. Service providers provide WAN, Internet connectivity, and other services to customers. Usually, VARs advise customers on which service provider and type of connectivity to use for their specific needs. All these roles have a lot of churn so there should be plenty of opportunities to move up in your company –no need to get your resume out there yet. So if you’re already there, just make sure your name is “in” so it can be considered for upcoming openings.

Some technicians also work for computer manufacturers and Internet service providers directly. These professionals are often more concerned with a general subset of common problems, but may also be specialists in remotely diagnosing more nuanced issues. In all cases, though, typical responsibilities include troubleshooting specific computer issues, working one-on-one with members of the public, and filing work tickets to help track the problem-solving process. A college degree is not typically required for entry-level help desk positions, however it may help you get the interview and job faster — and at a higher pay grade — than candidates with no degree. If you want a college education, but not the time and expense of a 2- or 4-year degree program, consider a specialized certificate in PC repair or IT/help desk support. Help desk support professionals are the go-to individuals for the computer system, hardware, and software technical help and support.

Such awareness means understanding the needs of their customers so they can get their problems solved as quickly as possible. This IT Help Desk Technician job description template is optimized for posting on online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize for your https://remotemode.net/ company. Learn about the job description and duties and read the step-by-step process to start a career as a help desk analyst. If you are looking forward to being placed as a freelance Service Desk Engineer in the Top Freelance Marketplace, visit Fieldengineer.com.