Everything You Should Know About IT Support Career Prospects
Information technologies are revolutionizing the world. When the transistor was first invented, nobody could predict technology’s rise and the advancement we will get in less than a hundred years. Think about it. A hundred years ago, World War I ended, and then everything was in ruins. That was followed by another few. Now, we live in peaceful times, but the information technologies are buzzing.
There’s going to be another revolution in it, but it won’t be of the wrong kind. There is a pot of gold for whoever is the first who will make a breakthrough in the areas of AI, machine learning, and VR. That’s why many graduates are going away from their primary majors, and they are indulging themselves in tech. This is mainly done by focusing on a single area and excelling at it.
What is considered to be technical support in IT?
The people who work in this area are primarily known as IT support officers. They are responsible for monitoring and managing all of the networks and computer systems in a given organization. This means they are responsible for configuring and installing computer systems, looking for hardware issues, and fixing those problems. These officers either fix the issues in person, but they can also do their job over the phone.
Will there be jobs in the future?
Before anyone makes a decision that will take a lot of time from their lives, they ask themselves if it is worth it. Is it worth to invest two or more years into a field without knowing whether it will pay off in the future? Luckily for you, learning any sort of tech skill will pay off huge dividends into the future.
Recent reports show that NYC needs 1.4 million people in the industry, and there are only 400 000 employees in this field. The number of people required is going to increase every year. That’s because every company and enterprise is going digital.
Everything we do is stored on computers, servers, databases, and the cloud. No company will choose to keep their records in paper form when they can do it faster, safer, and easier with the help of a program.
What are the job titles?
Ensuring that all systems of an organization work smoothly isn’t an easy job. The titles vary a lot. For example, you could be a technician, a maintenance engineer, a help desk operator, or even an application support specialist. All of these roles are subject to change in wording, and there are many alternatives.
Sometimes, the roles overlap, and one person can be doing two of these things or more. Not to mention, there is always the first line of duty, which is online support. For this, you need to understand completely how information structures work, and you will need to use a lot of knowledge regarding both hardware and software. Click here to read more.
What are the responsibilities?
There is a running joke in the IT world that those who work in support don’t do as much as the programmers or the engineers. That’s not true. Many companies experiment in switching up their roles for a single day to see how everyone will handle themselves in a completely new environment. As you might have guessed, working in support comes with a lot of challenges and responsibilities. First of all, you will be responsible for installing new computer hardware and software.
If your company has a lot of PCs, that’s going to be a long day. Alternatively, you will also be responsible for monitoring and maintaining all systems and networks. A factory which is responsible for mass production of bread, for example, can’t lose power. That will halt a ton of processes, and everything will need to reboot and start from scratch. The same thing is true in IT companies.
Every system needs to be completely operational, and you also have to do a lot of backups, so you keep all of the information safe and secure. In case any of those things fail, one of the responsibilities is to troubleshoot the issue. That involves diagnosing and solving any faults that can happen due to either software or hardware malfunction.
Of course, no one knows everything at the start, so you’re going to have to follow diagrams and many written instructions until you get to the core of the issue. This is done in both setting up new systems and also in their repair. Finally, you’re also going to do a lot of talking. This could be either the staff or new clients through a series of actions to help them and resolve any IT issues that arise.
You’ll also need to establish great relationships with both professionals, such as developers and programmers, and your clients. Finally, you’re also going to be responsible for ensuring all of the equipment is properly plugged in, and all the cables are sorted. No one wants to look at a pile of cables that look like you just pulled two pairs of headphones from your pocket, only slightly bigger.
What are the needed skills?
If you’re interested in it, you’ll learn it. That’s true for any job in the world. One of the prerequisites for working in IT is the ability to think logically. Some events are triggered by others, and since you need to problem solve, that kind of thinking will come in handy loads of times. Another essential skill is having a good memory.
It would be best if you remembered how each operating and computer system works so that you can find the core of each problem faster. Additionally, you’re going to have exceptional listening and communication skills.
The people who work in support usually serve as mediators between people who have no clue of IT, and the industry professionals. They hold the common ground for both these parties, and they need to know how to communicate fluently. Confidence plays an important factor too.
Since you’ll speak to clients, you need to be confident in your skills and your services. Teamwork is also an essential part of working in any company. Finally, you’re going to be an effective time manager and prioritize nicely. Some things are more important than others, and it’s going to be your job to pick what are the things that need to be finished first.
Career prospects
Many large corporations have teams devoted primarily to support. When you start out, it would be wise to be part of a team. You learn the most when someone is a leader and guides you through the entire process. You should know that a starting salary ranges from 23 000 dollars and up to 60 000. After you prove your skills to the company, you could rise up to a team leader’s role.
This usually involves supervising your team and being in charge of planning maintenance checks, as well as managing the operational support of your section. In time, you could control the operations of the entire company. However, self-employment is also an option. Many people don’t want to be in a corporate environment, and they want to be their own boss. Being self-employed allows you to work on a short term or long term projects.
You set your rates, and you pick your own projects. The better you get, the more paid you will be. After a certain period of time, you might want to progress even further. It’s easy to integrate into a software or network engineer’s role when you already have the experience. That might be more of a challenge, but life’s goal is always to be aiming high and strives upwards. View this link for more https://www.raise.me/careers/computer-and-information-technology/computer-support-specialists
Qualifications needed
Almost any graduate can work in IT support. However, some degrees hold more value than others. Having a degree in business information technology, systems engineering, networking and hardware, computer science, development, and engineering will definitely give you an edge over the competition.
But, in today’s world, degrees don’t mean much if you don’t have the practical experience and knowledge to back it up. Substantial knowledge of Cisco, Microsoft, and Linux is a must-have on any resume.
These three areas have the most certifications about them, and it’s easy to find courses online to sharpen up your knowledge. Make sure to have a little bit of practical experience, so you don’t get shocked on your first day of work.