Help Desk Technician

What is a Help Desk Technician?

A help desk technician assists business and personal computer users with their technical questions and difficulties. They may do this over the phone, through email, live chat, or by making a visit to the customer’s home or place of business. Help desk technicians help resolve user’s problems with software, hardware and peripherals, as well as internet connectivity.

Job Responsibilities

Depending on your employer, you could be responsible for any of the following:

• Pay attention to customers’ descriptions of their computer problems
• Ask customers questions to properly diagnose the problem
• Walk customers through the recommended steps to solve the problem
• Set up or repair computer equipment and related devices
• Train users to work with new computer hardware or software, such as printers, word-processing software, and email
• Oversee the daily performance of computer systems
• Read technical manuals, confer with users, or conduct computer diagnostics to investigate and resolve problems or to provide technical assistance and support
• Develop training materials and procedures
• Refer major hardware or software problems or defective products to vendors or technicians for service
• Enter commands and observe system functioning to verify correct operations and detect errors
• Maintain records of daily data communication transactions, problems and remedial actions taken, or installation activities
• Prepare evaluations of software or hardware and recommend improvements or upgrades

Help Desk Technician: Career Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of computer support specialists is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. About 66,500 openings for computer support specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.Although you must have some computer knowledge, becoming a help desk technician does not require a degree. However, those with the best qualifications will set themselves apart early. Obtaining an information technology assistant diploma from Bryant & Stratton College could be exactly what you need to set yourself apart from your competition.

Additional Training/Requirements

In addition to your educational achievements, how do you show prospective employers your qualifications? The answer is, through certifications. The CompTIA A+ is a certification that is respected in this field. It shows an employer that you have the skills to troubleshoot and solve problems. Technicians who successfully complete this exam show that they understand a wide array of issues, including networking, operating systems, mobile devices and security, to name a few. Also, it shows that no matter what device someone uses, technicians can get that user connected to the data they need.

There are many more certifications you can obtain, through CompTIA and several other well-known entities. In fact, some employers may want you to be certified in the products that they use.There are opportunities for advancement in this field as well. You could also enhance your career by continuing your education at Bryant & Stratton College. The credits you earn in the information technology assistant diploma program may be applied toward an associate degree in networking technology.