Duties and responsibilities in an Information Technology (IT) Support job

IT jobs and duties
Duties and responsibilities in an Information Technology (IT) Support job
You’ll be part of the IT crowd if you work in a technical support job or as a Helpdesk Operator, so you’ll be monitoring and maintaining the computer systems as well as the networks within an organisation.
You’ll be at the very busy front-line, dealing directly with employees or customers who have technical issues such as forgotten passwords, viruses or email issues. Tasks may include:

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  Installing and configuring computer systems
  
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  Diagnosing and solving hardware/software faults
  
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  Logging customer/employee queries
  
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  Analysing call logs to spot trends and underlying issues
  

With many doors open to you, there’s plenty of opportunities and varied roles available, so you’ll never be bored or feel like you’re stuck in a dead-end job.
So whether you fancy working for software or equipment suppliers providing after-sales support, or specialising in providing IT maintenance, or even working in-house, supporting the rest of the business with their ongoing IT requirements, the sky is the limit.
Information Technology (IT) Support work hours
Your working hours will change depending on your job. If you’re solving customer issues you’re likely to be working shifts on a helpdesk. If you’re supporting employees then normal office hours generally apply and you’re unlikely to face pressure to do more.
In terms of career progression, you can get promoted to senior technical support, and from there to a team, section or department leader. Technical support is also a good way in for many IT jobs, such as programming, technical sales or systems administration.
How much do you make in an Information Technology (IT) Support job?
A typical starting salary for technical support roles ranges from £15k to £21k. As a technical support manager with 10 to 15 years of experience you could bring home up to £47k.
To see the average Information Technology (IT) Support salary in the UK, use the Totaljobs Salary Checker.
Reasons for working in an Information Technology (IT) Support job
“It’s a good way to get to know people in other parts of the business. It’s a pretty low pressure role too: the hours are regular and when you’re trying to solve a technical issue for someone, they can’t know how long it should take to get fixed, which has its advantages!,” says ex-BBC IT Support employee Charlotte Gonella.
Hardest part of an Information technology (IT) Support job
“It’s not the cleanest job! IT support staff often have to use other people’s filthy equipment – keyboards are the worst. I also had to spend a lot of time crawling around under people’s desks.”
What qualifications do you need for an Information Technology (IT) Support job?
You can start training to work in a technical support role straight from school if you have good GCSE grades in English, Maths and IT or Science. Or, give yourself the competitive edge with a computing course, such as:

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  BTEC (Edexcel) National Certificate and Diploma IT Practitioners
  
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  City and Guilds (E-Quals) IT Practitioners Certificate and Advanced Diploma
  
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  OCR (iPRO) Certificate for IT Practitioners.
  

Ongoing training is a good idea to keep up with new technology. If you have a degree in a computing subject, you could enter a graduate trainee scheme; you’ll receive a high standard of on-the-job training and you can look forward to swiftly moving up the ranks.
Need additional qualifications? Find a course on our Courses site
Skills needed for an Information Technology (IT) Support job?
If you’re…

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  Able to talk about technology in simple terms
  
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  A logical thinker
  
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  An excellent problem solver with strong analytical skills
  
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  Like to keep up to date with the latest technology. (if you don’t know your Ipod from your Ipad, then it’s time to swot up)
  

…then you’re perfect for the role. But it’s not all about being good with computers – customer service and interpersonal skills are just as important, so personality still counts.
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