A combination of technical know-how,
persistence, and customer service skills
are needed to be
a computer support specialist.
They provide essential help and advice
to users of computer software
and related equipment…
in virtually every type of organization
in the country.
There are two types of specialists.
Network Support Specialists
keep computer networks running efficiently
for their organization.
They work within the IT department
to test systems, perform maintenance,
and troubleshoot local and wide area networks
and Internet systems.
Typically,
their customers are other IT professionals.
Computer User Support Specialists
—or Help Desk Technicians—
help individual employees
work through computer problems.
Talking with workers who
do not have an IT background,
specialists avoid jargon as they
ask questions to diagnose
a computer problem,
and then walk users through steps
to resolve the issue.
They also set up and repair
computer equipment and train users
on new hardware and software.
Computer support specialists
are employed in a variety of industries,
including IT, education, finance,
healthcare, and telecommunication.
Many help desk technicians
work for call centers and firms
that contract with businesses,
some work from home-based offices.
Most computer support specialists
work full time,
and many work nights and weekends.
There are many paths into this field;
a bachelor’s degree is required
for some positions,
but an associate’s degree
or related computer classes
may be enough for other jobs.