How to Escape Your Entry-Level IT Role

Mike has been involved in the computer and network repair industry since 1987 as a technician, instructor, author, consultant, and speaker. He has authored several popular bestselling PC books and videos, and has taught over 2 million people including U.S. senators, U.S.

The Director of the I/T Department has identified the need for a new network for the headquarters facility. A help desk organization is only as good as the information available. Does your help desk application enable other departments to feed information directly into the knowledge base?

Find a School

This is a free beginner level course that introduces learners to the role of an IT Support agent, including core priorities and key responsibilities. It teaches learners how to interact with other roles and master specific performance skills. You can learn to successfully protect a computer network and gain useful skills in risk management, cybersecurity, and cryptography with Alison’s free online Network and Security courses. They have computer networking classes that teach about LANs and WANs as well as introduce the network architecture and protocols used in security. You can also take courses to understand the basic structure of both wired and wireless networks and their protocols. There also have Microsoft Digital Literacy courses that can teach you the risks and threats to computer security and privacy, and more. With more than 2 million users worldwide, it has the fastest-growing catalog of trainings and classes in the field of IT.

An unwillingness to admit that a problem can’t be solved will lead to frustration. If you want to annoy your callers, ask them for information they gave on the last call, or have them go through steps they have already performed. Or, if it’s a call that’s been passed around a few people, go ahead and ask them to tell you what the problem is. Some ticket tracking and help desk applications make it easier than help desk engineer others to follow an issue through to completion without driving the callers crazy. Yet many organizations don’t provide sufficient training to avoid good intentions going bad when a difficult call is under way. One thing that’s true of all help desk professionals is that they know both sides of the story. You’d think this experience would make providing good help desk experiences an instinctive task.

Online Tech Schools

Many employers require help desk analysts to have one to five years of work experience. Individuals gain experience in an entry-level help desk position, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that many companies provide on-the-job training for new employees. While a formal education may help you get the job, a college degree is not necessary to become a help desk technician. IT certifications will prove that you have the skills to handle the job. CompTIA A+is a widely recognized certification held by help desk technicians. Welcome to ITCareerFinder, a world-class web portal designed to help IT pros advance their careers.

Those in these positions often work in the IT department of an organization but can also be employed by a software company or other vendors that sell computer-related products and services to businesses. Admissions advisors can provide more info about technical support programs & curriculum, admissions & start dates, certification tracks, career placement, tuition costs and personalized financial aid options. Other technicians will remain at the help desk and leverage their experience to become a help desk technician manager. Computer support specialists enjoy the variety of work they encounter each day.

Related Careers in the Information Technology Industry

The truth is, most entry-level positions are pretty much the same in this sense. All you do is spend your time helping with minor issues without getting enough exposure to what really matters. To be a successful help desk technician, you should be well-versed in all aspects of computer systems configuration, set up, and maintenance. You should also have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. In some cases, the support help desk staff acts as a liaison between the IT department and customer. They may not provide hands-on assistance, but they need enough of an IT background to communicate effectively. Organizations are constantly implementing, updating and upgrading their technology.

Therefore, there are plenty of positions for help desk support people. Learn about programs in science, technology and society, which focus on how scientific and technological advancements affect… When IT pros choose to be patient with themselves as well as with others, they are better able to quickly get to the bottom of issues and find solutions. 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.

How to Become Help Desk/IT Support Specialist

This course provides Level 1 IT administrators with an overview of the most common end-user support requests related to Office 365. Get a quick recap of Office basics, including the features of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, OneNote, Access, Publisher, Sway, and Power BI. This customer service course covers industry best practices on collecting ITSM metrics for the purpose of monitoring performance and customer satisfaction in a service-focused environment. This course teaches how to implement the latest service management best practices and processes to ensure that your IT services remain customer-focused and process-driven.

As companies upgrade their computer systems and implement new applications, the need grows constantly for Help Desk Engineers, also called Technical Support Specialists. A help desk technician career can be a great way to get started in the IT field. It’s a chance to learn about different technologies and systems, as well as how businesses operate. You’ll also have the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life, which is important for building your skillset.