IT technical support officer
In an increasingly competitive world, BCS membership gives you an important edge; it shows you are serious about your career in IT and committed to your own and the IT community's professional development. Become a member of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
IT technical support officers monitor and maintain the computer systems and networks of an organisation. They may install and configure computer systems, diagnose hardware/software faults and solve technical and applications problems, either over the phone or in person. Depending on the size of the organisation, a technical support officer’s 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. Failure of mission-critical IT systems can lead to a complete inability of the organisation to deliver its services.
Technical support officers are sometimes known as help desk operators, technicians, maintenance engineers or applications support specialists. The work is as much about understanding how information systems are used as applying technical knowledge related to computer hardware or software.
In essence, technical support officers are responsible for ensuring the smooth running of computer systems and ensuring users get maximum benefits from them. Tasks vary depending on the size and structure of the organisation, but may include:
In an increasingly competitive world, BCS membership gives you an important edge; it shows you are serious about your career in IT and committed to your own and the IT community's professional development. Become a member of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
IT technical support ranges from basic PC and desktop support through to highly trained and skilled individuals maintaining enterprise global networks. The qualifications demanded and the salaries commanded will therefore vary widely from A’level to graduate level and depend on the knowledge, skills and experience required.
In an increasingly competitive world, BCS membership gives you an important edge; it shows you are serious about your career in IT and committed to your own and the IT community's professional development. Become a member of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
Although this area of work is open to all graduates, Diplomates and foundation degree graduates, the following degree and HND/foundation degree subjects may improve your chances:
The above qualifications are not always required for this work, although some employers do ask for an IT-related qualification or appropriate work experience to ascertain applicants' levels of technical knowledge. Employers 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, but either the Microsoft Certified Software Engineer (MCSE) qualification or the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) qualification may give you an advantage. There are similarly widely 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.
Gaining as much practical work experience during your degree course is extremely beneficial, and summer placements or year internships are highly recommended. Look for opportunities at Graduate Talent Pool , the new Government initiative for gaining work experience. For local placements, check with your university careers service, or for overseas work placements, go to IAESTE (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience) .
The level of competition for IT support positions is not as high as for other areas of IT, but the current (2009) recession has seen a marked decline in the number of IT jobs available. To track the IT market see JobStats .
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
In an increasingly competitive world, BCS membership gives you an important edge; it shows you are serious about your career in IT and committed to your own and the IT community's professional development. Become a member of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
The most beneficial training involves a combination of on-the-job learning, discovering how systems work and dealing with clients to gather required information, along with specific in house or external technical courses. New recruits will be encouraged to apply knowledge gained from specific courses under the guidance of more senior members of staff.
Other training is self-directed and includes:
Technologies change rapidly and it is an essential part of the technical support officer's job to stay up to date with any developments in hardware and software or specific systems applications.
Accredited certification courses are mainly offered by IT specialist training companies who are approved by IT vendors such as:
These courses enable individuals to target specific technologies and develop in-depth knowledge and expertise in those areas.
BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) offer a range of professional qualifications in addition to providing a career development tool to allow employers and individuals to assess appropriate training needs.
In an increasingly competitive world, BCS membership gives you an important edge; it shows you are serious about your career in IT and committed to your own and the IT community's professional development. Become a member of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
Many graduates entering technical support develop their careers by broadening their skills within a specific industry. 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 leader. This involves 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 organizations within a hardware, software or applications environment. Short or long-term contracts are sometimes offered.
e-skills UK - The Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology have developed the SFIA Foundation (Skills Framework for the Information Age) , a collaborative effort of all the key bodies involved in the development of skills in the IT sector. This gives an overview of typical skills required for individual roles and will help with the planning of career development.
In an increasingly competitive world, BCS membership gives you an important edge; it shows you are serious about your career in IT and committed to your own and the IT community's professional development. Become a member of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
The main areas in which technical support officers are employed are:
Technical support officers work in a wide range of organizations, in both the public and private sector, including major manufacturing firms and service areas, such as:
There are positions for technical support officers in any organisation that depends on reliable computer systems. They are also employed by small businesses that offer a maintenance and repair service.
Search graduate jobs on this site.
IT recruitment agencies also handle vacancies - visit the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) to search for agencies by type of vacancy and location. Visit IT recruitment fairs, held nationwide, which may be attended by companies with relevant vacancies.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
In an increasingly competitive world, BCS membership gives you an important edge; it shows you are serious about your career in IT and committed to your own and the IT community's professional development. Become a member of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
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