Help Desk Technician
Help Desk Technician
Help Desk Technicians provide technical support for PC end-users.
Help desk technicians are vital to the IT workforce, as they keep the technologies that businesses rely on running smoothly, efficiently and without interruption.
There are two main types of computer help desk technicians: In-house and Remote. Businesses employ remote help desk technicians to support technology customers via phone, web and occasionally on-site. In-house help desk technicians provide technical support for employees working at the company’s offices. Both types of help desk technician provide technical support & troubleshooting services to end-users who need assistance with their computer hardware or software.
Help desk technicians need a comprehensive understanding of computer hardware and software. Strong communication skills are essential in order to effectively communicate solutions to both technical and non-technical end-users. IT help desk technician careers are perfect for methodical problem-solvers with a desire and aptitude for learning new skills. Patience, resourcefulness and a desire to help others are additional virtues in help desk and tech support professionals.
Many IT professionals begin their career as a help desk technician, then as they're exposed to new IT domains and technologies on the job, they discover their niche and branch out into other IT careers, such as network administrator, database administrator or IT security specialist. Other technical support specialists remain at the help desk and leverage their experience into a supervisory help desk technician role.
a.k.a. Desktop Support Technician | Technical Support Specialist | Systems Administrator | Computer Support Engineer | IT Support Specialist | Field Service Technician | Enterprise Support Technician | Tech Support Professional
Help Desk Technician Salary
Help Desk Technician Education Requirements
Help Desk Technician Training and Degrees
Help Desk Technician Certifications
Help Desk Technician Jobs
Help Desk Technician Job Outlook
Help Desk Technician Related Careers
Help Desk Technician Skills & Responsibilities
Typical day-to-day duties and in-demand skill sets for help desk technicians include:
- Help desk technicians diagnose PC errors and provide technical support.
- Help desk technicians troubleshoot software, hardware, and network issues.
- Help desk technicians train end-users how to setup and use new technologies.
- Help desk technicians can backup and restore the company's data files and folders.
- Help desk technicians install, configure, and upgrade software and operating systems.
- Help desk technicians clean and repair computer hardware, such as keyboards and printers.
- Remote IT help desk technicians provide technical support over the telephone or Internet.
- Remote help desk technicians may use specialized help desk support software to take remote
control of end-users' computers to troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve complex issues and errors.
Help Desk Technician Salary
- Help desk technician average annual salary (USA): $44,000
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Help Desk Technician Salary $44,000 |
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Average starting salaries for help desk technicians and related positions:
- Help Desk Technician salary: $44,000
- User Support Specialist salary: $53,000
- Desktop Support Specialist salary: $54,000
- Application Support Specialist salary: $63,000
- Technical Support Specialist salary: $65,000
- Information Systems Specialist salary: $65,000
- Senior Help Desk Technician salary: $66,000
- Windows Systems Administrator salary: $71,000
- Computer Help Desk Manager salary: $76,000
- Systems Software Specialist salary: $82,000
The hourly pay rate for help desk technicians ranges from $10 to $34 per hour, depending on location and experience.
Source: Indeed.comHelp Desk Technician Education Requirements
A college degree is not necessarily required for an entry-level help desk technician job, however a degree will help you get the interview and job faster - and likely at a higher pay grade - than competing candidates with no degree. For those who do pursue a college education, degree programs in computer science, computer information systems (CIS), help desk administration, technical support and networking, align well with the help desk technician career track. If you want an accredited education, but not an entire 2- or 4-year degree program, consider a vocational diploma or certificate in PC repair and/or technical support.
In-demand skill sets to look for in an IT help desk technician education program include PC repair & hardware configuration, network installation & maintenance, software & operating system configuration, information security essentials, customer service & communication skills, and desktop troubleshooting. With the recent advent of sophisticated online simulations that allow students to work virtually on PC hardware, plus actual hardware packages that are mailed to students in online courses, help desk technician training works well in an online learning format.
For help desk technicians, IT certifications offer a viable alternative or compliment to an accredited degree program, and can be completed faster and with less expense. CompTIA's A+ and Network+ certifications are an excellent place to start, as they introduce the range of fundamental IT domains, provide insight into the IT infrastructure, and the A+ curriculum includes customer service training. The next step in your help desk technician certification plan may be mastery of a popular operating system; A+ and Network+ followed by Microsoft's MCTS: Windows 7 - Configuration and MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7 is a prime example of an effective help desk technician certification track.
Research and compare the top-rated help desk technician training programs online and in your area.
Help Desk Technician Training, Certificates & Degrees
Browse the top-rated undergrad & graduate degrees, professional certificates, online training programs and self-paced courses matching the help desk technician education requirements and career path.
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IT Help Desk Training Program |
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B.S. Networks Design & Management
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A.A.S. IT Help Desk Administration
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Network Management Master's Degree
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Help Desk Technician Certificate
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Computer Networking Certificate
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Associates Degree in Computer IT
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PC Maintenance & Repair Diploma
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Bachelor Degree in Computer Science
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CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+ Certification Boot Camp
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Find Computer Training Schools
Help Desk Technician Certifications
Highly desirable certifications for help desk technicians and IT support professionals may include the following:
- CompTIA A+ Certification
- CompTIA Network+ Certification
- CompTIA Security+ Certification
- MCTS: Windows 7 - Configuration
- MCTS: Windows 7 - Deployment
- MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7
- Helpdesk Institute Support Center Analyst (HDI-SCA)
Tech Support Certification Prep
Help Desk Technician Jobs
Your IT help desk technician training, certifications and tech support experience qualifies you for a variety of positions:
- Help Desk Technician: Browse and apply to Help Desk Technician Jobs
- IT Support Specialist: Browse and apply to IT Support Specialist Jobs
- Desktop Support Specialist: Browse and apply to Desktop Support Jobs
- IT System Administrator: Browse and apply to IT System Administrator Jobs
- PC and Hardware Repair: Browse and apply to PC Repair Specialist Jobs
- Field Service Technician: Browse and apply to Field Service Technician Jobs
- Windows Administrator: Browse and apply to Windows Administrator Jobs
- Jobs for A+ certified professionals: Browse and apply to A+ certified Jobs
- Hiring Managers: Post IT help desk jobs on CareerBuilder.com at a discount
Help Desk Technician Job Outlook
Employment of help desk technicians and computer support specialists is expected to increase by 14% from 2008 to 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. Increased demand for help desk technicians will result as organizations continue to adopt the newest forms of technology. As technology becomes more complex and widespread, PC repair & computer support specialists will be needed in greater numbers to resolve the technical problems that arise. Businesses and consumers will demand greater levels of technical support, as information technology continues to become an integral part of how we live, work and play.
Source: United States Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics
Help Desk Technician Related Careers
IT Career Paths
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