Technical support analysts are responsible for resolving technical problems for customers or businesses. Support specialists provide both technical support and advice to IT users. As technology evolves, there is a growing demand for technical support analysts resulting in both in–house and ad hoc jobs.

It is advisable to have obtained a bachelor’s degree in a computer science discipline when applying for an entry-level job as this shows employers that you have an in-depth knowledge of the subject area since most coursework involves students learning programming. A university degree also demonstrates to employers that you have developed a range of transferable skills such as problem-solving skills and the ability to organise your work, which are fundamental to the role.

Regardless of if you have a degree or not, employers are especially keen to see that you have a body of work experience in the industry, particularly with fixing technical problems. Work experience can be acquired through undertaking apprenticeships in information technology or through internships during the summer months.

It is important to become familiar with the job title of a technical support analyst so that you know what duties the job entails and can research accordingly so as to gain relevant work experience in the field. Carrying out a job search will allow you to gain insight into what qualifications and experience are required for different jobs across the industries.

It is also useful to improve your skill set, particularly skills that are integral to the role such as customer service skills and to develop knowledge of the various information systems that you will use on the job.

Employers may look for candidates to hold a certificate provided by technology companies.

Being a good technical support analyst is quite a feat! In order to do the job well and keep everyone happy, technical support analysts need to boast a number of strengths, proficiencies and skills, for example:

Technical support analysts offer IT support to customers or businesses either in person, over the phone or via the Internet. They deal with a wide range of technical problems ranging from cracked iPhone screens to computers with complicated malware; therefore, no day is ever the same.

The technical support analyst job can be quite varied, with the workload also often being unpredictable. Some primary responsibilities, however, include:

There is a range of technical support analyst jobs available as various industries employ computer support specialists. Support analysts can choose what particular sector they would like their career path to lead to.

There is also potential for progression as a support analyst which can lead individuals to research or sales positions. For those who hold a degree, there is the option to undertake management or supervisory roles such as a technical support specialist.

IT support analysts can also advance their career by broadening their skills within a particular industry, or there is the option to progress to the role of a project manager.