What Is a Technical Support Specialist and How to Become One

A technical support specialist provides computer, electronics, or software support for a company or individual users. Their duties include working with the support team of a company and offering specialized support services for hardware, software, and network concerns. Responsibilities may include removing viruses, setting up new accounts, uploading software, and general troubleshooting.

To become a technical support specialist, you need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, though some jobs may only require an associate degree with on-the-job training and certification. You should study computer systems and software to work in this career. You may also choose to test for your A+ credential from The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), to show proficiency in installing and troubleshooting computer systems, hardware, and applications.

Job Summary

We are looking for a new Technical Support Specialist to become a part of our help desk support team. In this position, you answer complex questions about our hardware, so you should have several years of experience in a related field or a degree in information technology or computer science. You will deal with customers on a daily basis, and may occasionally deal with frustrated individuals, so you must be able to remain calm as you help them solve the problem. You should be comfortable using a ticket system and Microsoft Active Directory and Outlook to deal with clients.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Help customers troubleshoot issues with their hardware
• Transfer customers to another department or specialist when necessary
• Order replacement products or components
• Track customers helped in our support database

Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in IT or computer science preferred
• Communication skills
• High computer proficiency
• Desktop support experience