Graduates entering tech support roles often develop their careers by
broadening their skills within a specific industry or area
IT technical support officers monitor and maintain the computer systems and networks
of an organisation. You could be installing and configuring computer systems,
diagnosing hardware and software faults and solve technical and applications problems,
either over the phone or in person.
Depending on the size of the organisation, working as a technical support officer, your
role may span one or more areas of expertise.
Organisations increasingly rely on computer systems in all areas of their operations and
decision-making processes. It's therefore crucial to ensure the correct running and
maintenance of the IT systems.
Your job titles may vary. Alternatives include:
applications support specialist
help desk operator
maintenance engineer
technician.
You may also work within first or second-line support. The work is as much about
understanding how information systems are used as applying technical knowledge
related to computer hardware or software.
Responsibilities
IT technical support officers are mainly responsible for the smooth running of computer
systems and ensuring users get maximum benefits from them. Individual tasks vary
depending on the size and structure of the organisation, but you'll generally need to:
install and configure computer hardware operating systems and applications
monitor and maintain computer systems and networks
talk staff or clients through a series of actions, either face-to-face or over the
phone, to help set up systems or resolve issues
troubleshoot system and network problems, diagnosing and solving hardware or
software faults
replace parts as required
provide support, including procedural documentation and relevant reports
follow diagrams and written instructions to repair a fault or set up a system
support the roll-out of new applications
set up new users' accounts and profiles and deal with password issues
respond within agreed time limits to call-outs
work continuously on a task until completion (or referral to third parties, if
appropriate)
prioritise and manage many open cases at one time
rapidly establish a good working relationship with customers and other
professionals, such as software developers
test and evaluate new technology
conduct electrical safety checks on computer equipment.
Salary
Average starting salaries in IT support can range from £17,000 to £23,000.
After gaining some experience, it's possible to progress to earnings of around
£26,000 to £35,000.
Technical support managers can earn over £40,000.
The salaries for IT support work vary greatly depending on the level of the job, previous
experience and size of employer.
Income figures are intended as a guide only.
Working hours
Due to the nature of the work, you may be expected to work shifts or be on call and it
may be necessary to work extra hours to finish a job.
Opportunities for part-time work are not common, given the working hours in many large
organisations, but it may be possible in some smaller companies. There are
opportunities for self-employment in handling repairs and upgrades for home
consumers or small businesses, although this market is shrinking.
Career breaks are rare because of the need to keep up to date with the ever-changing
specific software and operating systems.
What to expect
There is often pressure to work as fast as possible to deal with problems and
achieve immediate results in all situations, either to ensure the minimum loss of
manufacturing or customer-contact time, or to enable members of staff to use
their computer again.
Considerable client contact is usually required.
If you have responsibility for hardware or networks, you may have to lift and carry
equipment and stretch to access items in awkward places. The dress code tends
to be casual, reflecting the physical nature of the work, but you are typically
expected to maintain a reasonable standard of smartness.
Travel within a working day is sometimes needed and may be required at short
notice.
Overnight absence from home may be necessary and overseas travel is only
occasionally required.
This profession is currently male-dominated, but steps are being taken to redress
the balance. For information and jobs for women who want to work in technology,
visit Women in Technology.
Qualifications
Although this area of work is open to all graduates and those with an HND or foundation
degree, the following subjects may improve your chances of getting a job:
business information technology
business systems engineering
computer networking and hardware
computer science
computer software development
information technology
internet engineering
software engineering.
The above qualifications are not always required for this work, although some
employers do prefer a degree or IT-related qualification. Employers also look for in-
depth knowledge of the programs and applications they use, typically Microsoft, Linux
and Cisco technologies.
A postgraduate qualification is not necessary for entry to this career. However, Microsoft
certification may give you an advantage. There are similarly recognised courses for
Linux, Unix and Cisco. These are currently the most widely recognised technical
certifications in the industry and are available at further education colleges and
commercial training centres.
Skills
You will need to show evidence of the following:
the ability to think logically
a good memory of how software and operating systems work
excellent listening and questioning skills, combined with the ability to interact
confidently with clients to establish what the problem is and explain the solution
the ability to work well in a team
problem solving skills
a strong customer focus
the ability to prioritise your workload
attention to detail.
Work experience
Gaining as much practical work experience during your degree course is extremely
beneficial and summer placements or year internships are highly recommended. For
local placements, check with your university careers service or apply speculatively to
local businesses. For overseas work placements, try the International Association for
the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE).
Part-time or temporary work in a relevant area will also be useful. Experience of
customer service roles will be advantageous for this job as this will demonstrate that
you have the desired communications and people skills.
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Employers
IT technical support officers may work in numerous areas, including:
computer networks - responsible for installing, configuring and maintaining the
computers in a large business
desktop support - direct user assistance
contract hardware maintenance - working for a business with contracts to
maintain and repair computer hardware
suppliers of vertical software applications - i.e. software applications for a
specific business sector, such as retail, travel or pharmaceuticals
managed hosting providers.
They are employed by a variety of organisations, in both the public and private sector,
including:
software/equipment suppliers, including application service providers (APS)
IT maintenance companies
call centres
retailing chains
financial institutions
education (schools, colleges, universities)
local government
health trusts.
There are positions for IT technical support officers in any organisation that depends on
computer systems.
Look for job vacancies at:
BCSrecruit
Computer Weekly
Computing
CWJobs
Engineering & Technology Jobs
IT Support Jobs
Technojobs
IT recruitment agencies also handle vacancies. Careers fairs may be attended by
companies with relevant vacancies.
Professional development
IT technical support officers usually undertake a combination of on-the-job learning and
short training courses. Accredited certification courses are mainly offered by IT
specialist training companies who are approved by IT vendors such as:
Microsoft (for Windows)
Cisco (for networking)
Oracle (for databases)
IBM.
These courses enable individuals to target specific technologies and develop in-depth
knowledge and expertise in those areas.
Technologies change rapidly and it is an essential part of the IT technical support
officer's job to stay up to date with any developments in hardware and software, or
specific systems applications. Continuing professional development (CPD) is therefore
very important. A range of professional qualifications and supported CPD activities are
offered by:
BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT)
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
IT technical support officers can also carry out self-directed learning, which may include
reading manuals and guides, studying online help screens and working things out from
logical principles.
Career prospects
Large companies with an extensive technical infrastructure may have separate teams
dealing with different areas of their business. With experience, a move to a specialist
area dealing with more complex technical environments is possible.
Another option is to take on the role of team or section leader. This can involve
supervising the work of a team of support staff, planning regular maintenance schedules
and, eventually, managing the complete operational support throughout the business.
Self-employment is also an option for career development. Work may involve providing
contract services to large organisations within a hardware, software or applications
environment. Short or long-term contracts are sometimes offered.
Alternatively, you may wish to progress on to other roles within IT, such as systems
developer or network engineer.
A reference model of the range of professional skills needed by people working in IT
has been produced by the SFIA Foundation (Skills Framework for the Information
Age) and may help with planning your career development.
