What does a desktop support job professional have to study?

The job of a Desktop support requires a certain amount of educational qualifications as their career deals with the technical aspects and requires an in-depth understanding of computer systems and operations.

Following are the educational qualifications of a desktop support professional:

Educational Requirements:

• The minimum acceptable education for the post of a desktop support is a two-year degree or an associate degree in the field of Computer Science from any technically accredited college.
• Entry-level jobs can be offered to students with an associate degree.
• To become a desktop support one may also take up a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer science which covers aspects such of fundamental computer engineering, mathematics, statistics and software and hardware applications.
• Further, students may also pursue their Master’s degree for management positions in this field.
• A master’s degree is any day helpful as it has added benefits which provide great employment prospects combined with good remuneration.
• Internship or training programs taken up during college level under an experienced desktop support technician will improve your skills and act as platforms for showcasing your theoretical skills.

What is the certification and licensure given to a desktop support professional?

• Desktop Support technicians are given a certificate by the Microsoft Company which is referred to as Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician.
• This certification can be acquired after passing an examination that tests your skills and abilities with the troubleshooting procedures, operating systems and on other applications of the operating systems.
• To acquire this certification, students must take up training programs which focus on supporting on users and troubleshooting applications on a Microsoft Windows Operating System.
• After the completion of the training program, students may appear for an examination.
• After passing this examination, candidates are awarded the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST).

What does a desktop support job mandate?

A Desktop Support professional has a large amount of duties and responsibilities as part of his position in the company.

The duties remain the same for this professional who is employed in any industry.

Following are some of the duties and responsibilities of a desktop support:

Duties:

• The primary duty of a desktop support is to assist the staff with the configuration, installation and ongoing computer operations within the set standards and guidelines of the company.
• It forms the duty of this professional to provide computer support services which includes both the software and hardware applications for all the employees of the organization.
• An important duty of a desktop support professional is to test the computing software to ensure that they are functioning properly and efficiently.
• It is the duty of the desktop support team to connect all the computers with the help of networking within the same organization as it enhances the communication flow inside the organization.
• Another duty of this professional is to maintain the networking systems, upgrading the computer systems by offering recommendations to the employees and also to make them free from problems.
• It is the duty of a desktop support technician to identify and solve the problems the employees may be facing regarding the computer operating systems.

Responsibilities:

• The primary responsibility of a desktop support is to hire and train staff on how to use the computer systems and also educating them about the company’s regulations and standards of working.
• They are responsible for purchasing computer system equipments by working closing with the supplies and the purchasing department.
• Desktop Support Engineers are responsible for maintaining computer related peripherals such as the printers, scanners and also to solve any problem that arises within these systems.
• It is the responsibility of desktop support technicians to coordinate with other information technological professionals which include the Network Operations department for the efficient working of the organization.
• They are responsible to ensure that the computers are interconnected seamlessly without any problem in the file and email servers, applications etc.

What skills does a desktop support job need?

Apart from educational requirements, a desktop support job requires a certain set of skills and abilities which will enable them to perform and excel in their field.

Following are some of the skills and duties of a Desktop Support:

Skill Set:

• Knowledge about software and hardware applications: The core job duty of a desktop support is to have a good knowledge about all the latest hardware and software applications in the market. He needs to be updated with the latest trends as they may prove beneficial for the efficiency of working operations.
• Ability to observe details: Desktop Support professionals must develop the ability to grasp concepts and problems easily when the customers are reporting to them about troubleshooting errors.
• Decision making skills: These professionals must have good analyzing skills which enable them to take decisions without supporting any association or person.
• Communication Skills: Communications skills form an important skill for a desktop support professional as he is given the responsibility to coordinate with other departments for networking process and this task would require considerate amount of communications skills. He must be able to tell his thoughts in a precise and understandable manner.

Other Skills:

• Reasonable knowledge about customer service procedures and ethics.
• Ability to solve troubleshooting problems.
• Ability to work under supervision.
• Ability to multi-task with good organizational skills.
• Ability to take initiatives with leadership qualities.

What is the salary package for a desktop support job?

• The salary of a desktop support professional is fairly lucrative considering the amount of duties and responsibilities given to him and also his contribution to the organization.
• However, salary of the professional depends on factors such as experience in the industry, area of employment, geographical location of employment etc.
• The average median salary of a desktop support professional is estimated to be $51,686 for a year.
• The top ten percentile of professionals earn salary more than $57,270 annually, the lowest ten percentile of desktop support receive salary up to $36,167 annually.
• Experience plays an important factor in determining the salary of a desktop support.
• It is seen that a professional with experience of less than one year in the industry earns a salary ranging around $45,000 per annum while on the other hand, a professional with experience of one to five years in the industry gets paid a salary of $62,180 annually.
• Desktop professionals employed in the state of Virginia earn salary of $46,475 for a year. Whereas, a similar professional employed in the state of Texas receives an income of $45,860 annually.
• The difference in salary is because of the variation in the economic rate between the states and also the demand for desktop support professionals in that area.
• A desktop support who is employed with a large company receives an income of $44,610 per annum.
• Similar professional who works in local, state government departments gets paid $42,978 annually and those professionals who are employed in universities and colleges earn an income of $42,561 per annum.
• Apart from the traditional salaries, these professionals are also given incentives such as health and life insurance policies.

An overview of a Desktop Support Job:

Desktop support engineers are professionals who provide technical assistance to various departments in a company ensuring that their work is quickly and efficiently completed with the help of a desktop computer. They are individuals who assist with the operations of the computer systems, applications and other related computer technology. They are also involved in the installation, testing and specification of peripherals of the computer system. Desktop Support engineers frame guidelines and standards which help them to diagnose and resolve problems occurring with the operating systems. These professionals connect all the computers in a network which enables them in the transfer of data from department to the other. Missing out of files and delay in transferring information may be avoided when the data is transferred through the system of networking. Desktop Support job also involves that these professionals check the software and hardware applications periodically to make them free of troubleshooting, as this may lead to a delay in computing procedures.

Desktop support engineers offer a one-on-one communication method to interact with their end users and to evaluate the working of servers combined with the associated equipment. In short, the primary duty of a desktop support technician is to provide technical support to the staff members and also to its users with regard to their desktops. His initial activities include installation, testing and repairing of computer hardware systems. The operations of a desktop support are preformed under supervision from authorities and they demand initiative and judgment abilities from the technician. The position of a desktop support requires candidates who are capable of independent analyses supplemented with communication and problem skills. This professional, is also referred to as an information technology professional who is employed in any size of the organization across the industry. A desktop support technician may be a direct employee to an organization or may also be hired on contract basis to fill this position in an organization.

The employment growth for this professional is bright after gaining a good amount of experience in the profession. Salary increases with hierarchal positions and also with experience.