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10 Tips to Land Your First Technical Support Job
Breaking into the tech industry and securing your first technical support job may seem challenging, especially as a fresh graduate. However, don’t let the difficulty discourage you from pursuing a rewarding career in IT. In this article, we will guide you through the essential steps to land your first tech support job. Whether you’re a recent graduate or know someone who fits the description, these top 10 tips will provide valuable insights and help you make your mark in the technical support field. Get ready to embark on your journey towards a successful tech career!
Technical Skills Alone are Not Enough in the IT Industry!
Are you an aspiring IT professional? Wondering what soft skills you need to succeed in the industry? Check out our blog post on the importance of soft skills for IT professional aspirants. From communication and problem-solving skills to adaptability and teamwork, we list the top soft skills you need to succeed in the IT industry. Don’t miss out – read our blog post now!
How to Prepare for a Technical Support Job Interview: Tips and Tricks
As you embark on your journey to land your dream technical job, it is important to note that technical interviews can be a bit tricky to navigate. However, with proper preparation and an understanding of the skills required for the job, you can ace any technical interview. In this article, we will outline how to prepare for a technical job interview and provide you with some tips to help you excel.
The Benefits of a Career in Technical Support
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Technical support job may not be the first choice that comes to mind when anyone considers getting into the tech industry, but it is a great career option. Here we are making a case for technical support jobs and why it is the perfect entry to the tech industry. If you are interested in starting your career in tech, you’re at the right place.
10 Must Have Soft Skills for A Techie
For building a career in tech you definitely need to have strong technical skills, but equally (if not more) soft skills are important deciding factor for your selection in your dream tech job. In order to increase your chances of selection and a successful career, you need to equip your self with these soft skills. Here we look at the top ten soft skills you must posses for a thriving career as a techie.
When you start on your first job
Starting your first job is exciting and it also comes with a lot of uncertainty, It is natural for us to be nervous with all information overload and expectations. Here we list some of the things that you can do to overcome these challenges and build strong foundations for a successful career.
10 best entry level tech jobs and skills required to get hired
In today’s world of technology, IT is the most flourishing field. In fact, industry body NASSCOM has recently pointed out that before the pandemic, Indian IT companies were reporting annual growth rates of around 6-7%, which have now increased to around 15-20%. [1]
IT industry is one sector which is growing very fast worldwide. It helps to provide jobs and opportunities for professional success. It can really be a source of quick employment, opportunities in all sectors, numerous career paths, and well-paid salaries. Here we describe the 10 entry-level IT positions while you search for a job.
It is important to note that some roles do provide entry-level positions but some of these are specialized roles and generally companies do look for knowledge of systems and networks as well as prior experience, so it is a good idea to start with roles 1-5 and then opt for the other roles based on your interests and experience.
1. Help Desk Technician
Help Desk technician forms the first level of IT support, a help desk technician provides technical support/assistance, whether on the phone /in-person/ or remotely. When an employee/computer user (within the organization or at a client’s end) has problems with hardware, software, or a network, they call on a help desk to assist. As a help desk technician, your main responsibility is to receive the requests and be responsible for responding to email, chat, or phone queries, and offering technical support to customers using the tools available.
The title for the role may vary, help desk technicians may also be called, help desk analysts, desktop support, service desk technicians, etc. collectively referred to as help desk positions. Many IT professionals start their career in help desk roles, it is a good position to consider if you don’t know where to start in IT, you get the necessary exposure to the domain and as you gain experience and knowledge you can further decide your career path.
Skills required: Help desk roles need basic IT / Troubleshooting skills, normally organizations don’t as for certifications. Even non-IT graduates are eligible for these roles. You will need good communication and process handling skills for these roles.
2. Technical Support / IT Technician
Technical Support roles are similar to help desk technician in way that they also support the technical issues faced by end users, but while help desk job is to support user issues, technical support works on actual technical issues that cause the problem. Technical support is a trained person who has the knowledge of operating systems and networks and is able to troubleshoot the issues that arise due to them.
IT technicians can also be called IT associates, IT analysts, or IT specialists. Some companies may have IT technicians do help desk work as well. This position is a very good start to enter in IT sector jobs and later when you gain experience, you can enter other fields such as network administrator, DBA, or IT security specialist.
Skills required: Technical Support / IT technician roles need to be from IT background, companies seek good knowledge of operating systems, Networking, and in some cases SQL as well. Good communication skills and troubleshooting skills are also needed for this role.
3. Application Support Engineer
Application support engineer role is similar to IT Technician, as they also need to work on technical issues, but in this case in addition to the general operating system and network issues they actually support the applications issues as well which is a product of the company or for which company offers the services.
Here in addition to the operating system and network knowledge, additional knowledge on SQL, HTML, and Scripting may also be required, the organizations also provide product-specific training to those who join in these roles. Similar to IT Technician, this position is a very good start to enter in IT sector jobs as this provides the necessary exposure and once you gain experience, you can enter other fields such as network administrator, DBA or IT security specialist.
Skills required: Companies look for candidates from IT backgrounds with good knowledge of the operating system, Networking, and SQL. Apart from these companies also seek knowledge in web technologies. Good communication skills and troubleshooting skills are also needed for this role.
4. System Administrator
System Administrator is a very important person in the organization as he is responsible for the smooth working of the IT systems on day-to-day basis. He looks after servers, network performance, security tools, operating systems etc. Unlike tech support roles system administrator roles are more specialized in ensuring systems within the organization function smoothly. Their roles can overlap with the Network Administrators.
System Administrator’s should have full knowledge about hardware and software and have plans to resolve any issue. They should also have good communication with management employees so that they can reach out to them whenever required. This role also provides opportunities to grow, as you gain experience and expand your skill set you can advance to roles like systems engineer or systems architect.
Skills required: Companies look for candidates from IT backgrounds with experience and sound knowledge of networking. Companies look for certifications and associated degrees. Good communication skills and troubleshooting skills are also needed for this role.
5. Network Engineer / Network Support Engineer
Network Engineer / Network support engineer role is similar to technical support role, but the focus here is limited to networking knowledge and troubleshooting of network / “network device” related issues, In a way, this is a more specialized role.
Here you need limited knowledge of operating systems, and hardware but sound knowledge of networking concepts and specialized certification for any of network hardware vendors like cisco is needed., and they support the technical issues in the network or network devices.
Skills required: Companies look for candidates from IT backgrounds with experience and sound knowledge of networking. Companies look for certifications and associated degrees. Good communication skills and troubleshooting skills are also needed for this role.
6. Database Administrator
Database Administrator is responsible for the business aspects of the organization. They manage and maintain company databases. They monitor the database performance and take corrective action, address any issues related to the database, and ensure security and backup of databases as per company policies.
It is a specialized role generally companies look for experience candidates, basic knowledge of operating systems, networking, etc is also required as databases are also a part of the systems. Database is offered by different vendors ( MS SQL, Oracle etc or NoSQL databases or opensource database like mysql and postgresql). Companies either look for skills in a specific database technology or in some cases general skills across databases.
Skills required: Again, this is a specialized role and companies do look for experience and IT background with solid knowledge of systems, operating systems, servers, cloud technologies, and networking. Apart from this companies look for the ability to program in high-level languages like python, knowledge of microservice architecture (Docker, Kubernetes) ability use Devops / CICD tools
8. Information Security Analyst
In this era when everything is online and tech-based, a lot of companies have faced the problem of breaches. An Information Security Analyst is a person who helps to protect you from such issues.
Their job is to detect the different aspects of security like network security and software security. He also makes sure that data is available to the authorized people in the company. They conduct security audits, are responsible for conducting security assessment tests, and coordinate with key stakeholders to ensure remediation activities are performed.
Skills required: This is a specialized role and companies do look for experience and IT background with strong knowledge of systems, operating systems, servers, cloud technologies, and networking. Apart from this companies look for a sound knowledge of penetration testing principles, tools and techniques, knowledge system and application security threats and vulnerabilities, and skills in scripting languages.
9. Cloud Engineer
Cloud Engineer is someone who deals with cloud computing. This includes managing, planning, architecting, and monitoring cloud systems. He should also know how to implement the best practices to deploy an application on the cloud.
Sometime back cloud computing was considered a luxury but today it has become a necessity. There is a lot of scope and high salary in this field.
Skills required: This is a specialized role and companies do look for experience and companies not only look for skills in cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, Oracle) but also the knowledge of operating systems, networking, and fundamentals of hardware (cpu, storage, RAM etc)
10. Web Developer / Software Developer / Mobile Developer
Requirements: Ability to program / Experience with programming languages. Associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees may be requested.
Web Developers / Software Developers need programming skills, and depending upon the role the expertise may wary. Web developer roles in generally attributed to those building websites, whereas software developers build the applications/ software products and applications, with a lot of businesses having their web portals as their prime products these roles also overlap.
Skills required: Companies look for skills in front end technologies, back end technologies or full stack developers, with proficiency in programming languages. For web development, you will need skills in HTML, CSS, and Javascript while for backend you will need skills in python, Ruby or PHP. For software development, you will need skills in programming languages like Java, C++ etc . While for mobile development you will need skills in specific mobile app development languages
How a Tech Support job can lead you to multiple career options
When we start our careers, many of us aspire to become programmers or move straight into specialized roles like DevOps or database administrators. These are high-demand jobs that offer good salaries, so it’s understandable why we would want to pursue them. However, if you’re unable to break into these fields right away, don’t let that discourage you from building a strong career in tech support.
Tech support is a great way to get your foot in the door of the tech industry and learn about different technologies. It’s also a great way to develop your problem-solving and customer service skills, which are essential in any tech role. In addition, tech support can be a stepping stone to other, more specialized roles in the future.
So if you’re not sure where to start your tech career, don’t rule out tech support. It could be the perfect way to launch your journey into the world of technology.
What is a technical support engineer profile?
A technical support engineer is a professional who provides technical support to customers and users of software, hardware, and other technology. They troubleshoot problems, provide advice, and help customers resolve issues. Technical support engineers work in a variety of industries, including IT, telecom, healthcare, and finance.
From job opportunities point of view, the great part is that almost every medium and large company have its own IT or support department either providing technical support to the organization or its employees or providing support to the clients on the product and services offered by the organization
Responsibilities of a Technical Support Engineer
The responsibilities of a technical support engineer vary depending on the specific role and industry. However, some common responsibilities include:
- Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues
- Providing technical support to customers and users
- Documenting and tracking technical issues
- Keeping up-to-date on new technologies
- Developing and maintaining relationships with customers and users
The roles range from helpdesk to L3, Organizations also have different roles with similar job specifications like tech support engineer, application support engineer, support engineer, system administrator, system engineer etc.
Skills and Qualifications for a Technical Support Engineer
The skills and qualifications required for a technical support engineer role vary depending on the specific role and industry. You can read more about 10 best entry level tech jobs and skills required to get hired. However, some common skills and qualifications include:
- Strong technical knowledge
- Excellent problem-solving skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to work under pressure
Benefits of a Career in Technical Support
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Working in a technical support role can provide you with the opportunity to learn about different technologies, processes, and practices. If you are focused and willing to put in the effort, you can become an expert in any of these areas and build a strong career.
For example, if you are providing support for a particular application, you will gain experience working on the daily issues that users face. You will also learn how to resolve these issues and coordinate with customers to understand their pain points. This experience can give you the opportunity to grow into a consultant or product manager role in the future.
Even if you don’t choose another career path, you can expect to advance to the senior technical support level in 1-2 years. With continued experience, you can then grow to become a technical lead, manager, or other senior-level position.
If you are technically inclined, you can grow into roles such as tech lead, solutions engineer, QA engineer, or software developer. You can also build your career in DevOps or SRE roles. If you enjoy interacting with people and coordinating with customers, you can grow into roles such as customer success manager, account manager, or solution consultant. The possibilities are truly limitless.
How to Get Started in a Career in Technical Support
There are a few things you can do to get started in a career in technical support:
- Get a degree in computer science or a related field
- Get certified in a technical field
- Gain experience working in a technical support role
- Network with people in the tech industry
If you’re interested in a career in technical support, I encourage you to learn more about the field and explore your options. It could be the perfect way to launch your journey into the world of technology.
At Upspir we are on a mission to help young professionals build a successful career in tech support domain, Our programs train candidates on both technical and non-technical skills to prepare them for the jobs and interviews.
We have partnered with leading companies in India’s thriving tech market, and we can help you get hired in one of these companies.
In case you are interested in exploring our programs please feel free to fill the inquiry form here.
We will be happy to hear from you and address your queries.
Tech support role - Challenges
Yes, initially starting in a tech support role is challenging and so is learning and growing in these career paths. The role itself can be challenging and will need a lot of patience and belief to sustain in these roles. Learning on the job will be the key, and you will have to put additional effort in building your skills while at work to get the chances to progress further.
While you select your strength area, you will again have to put additional effort into enhancing your skills and knowledge and putting your strengths to work. Apart from the effort, you will also need a to have a career plan and a process (within the organization or outside) in place for you, to follow the career plan, and a support mechanism that pushes you to follow the same.
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Author
Nikhil Kumar Ahluwalia
Founder Upspir
Nikhil has over 16years of experience in the industry, before starting UPSPIR he was heading the support, services, and delivery function at Ameyo/Exotel as vice-president, and he has vast experience in managing and leading technical support and delivery teams, With Upspir he aims to take his passion of developing and mentoring people to next level by sharing his experiences and learning with those who want to build their career in the tech support domain.
Building a strong career journey starting in tech support
Whenever we think of a great career in tech the focus is on software engineering / programming jobs, which is true and recently with rapid need of digitization and strong SAAS product ecosystem the opportunities for these roles and demand have increased multi-fold.
But with this advancement, the doors have also opened for people who are not in core development profiles, as the words move towards the digital era post covid, more and more opportunities are also available for someone starting their career in the tech support career path.
A career in tech is not linear, you start as an individual contributor, working as a team member, as you grow and gain experience, either you grow as subject matter expert or consultant or solution architect, and remain an individual contributor (IC), or you grow as team lead, manager and so on. An IC role will require building depth in your core domain, where as a people manager role requires more breadth and people skills. Tech support also allows you to move in different domains so apart from above you also get a choice to to choose your stream
Where do you start and the journey
Developing your career working in tech support has its challenges, one of the most important expects is to start strong, which means having the right fundamentals and knowledge about the work that you do, tech support itself is not same in every organization it can take multiple forms like
- Helpdesk Engineer
- L1 Engineer
- L2 Engineer / Technical Support Desk
- Desktop Engineer
- Network Engineer
- System Administrator
Your organization and environment also play a major role how you develop, learn and grow in your roles, large organizations have refined processes, and very well defined roles, that need specific and documented actions on your daily tasks, at times limiting your ability to learn more, but they provide a good exposure to processes and practices, on the other hand smaller organizations and startups provide a dynamic environment where you have to go beyond your defined tasks and deliver, this promotes lot of exposure on the technologies and gaining new skills in short amount time.
Which ever place you are in the start, it is important to have clear concepts, understand your daily tasks and focus on them, at the same time understanding your organizations policies around growth and promotions, this will give you an idea around the skills you need to acquire to move ahead. In case you feel restricted by the opportunities available in your organization then you should be able to assess the other organization to understand the areas of focus.
Importance of functional and soft skills
At times these skills are undervalued, your ability to communicate effectively has an immense influence on your growth, your ability to think critically about say your own career and positoin will determine your actions, your ability to write a correct email and document an incident or proposal will influence your seniors and other stakeholders to judge your capability and position you for promotions and opportunities. Lacking these skills slows down your growth much much more than you can imagine. At jobs we work in teams, even for an IC role, interpersonal communication becomes huge factor in our success, similarly it also becomes a huge factor when some one considers us for a team lead role in future, so even if you are good in technical skills but not so good in these skills you will find it challenging to grow beyond a certain level. You do develop these skills as you gain experinece but it is important to develop them. These skills become more and more important as we reach senior levels,
Choosing the right stream for growth
As mentioned above tech support role will allow you to gain the breadth of the technical landscape, as well allow you to developer customer handling skills, it is very important to assess your skills and fit, and decide the domains where you can grow further. It is very important to note that you will get more opportunities to grow as you gain more experience and knowledge and this journey just continues.
Summary
Working in this industry for the last 16 years gave me firsthand experience where people who joined as tech support were able to grow into strong project managers, technical managers, and as well as product managers,
A career in itself is not just about starting it is about how you build after you start. Growing in your career doesn’t only mean your proficiency in functional skills but as you reach senior levels it will also need building soft skills, managerial skills etc, as you go along.
All this will need introspection, identifying the knowledge and skills that you will need, and then acquiring it, today knowledge and also self-help material are available online almost free of cost.
Finally, things like discipline, consistency, and taking responsibility for your work, will also matter, so your seniors can depend on you and want to take you ahead will also be required.
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Author
Nikhil Kumar Ahluwalia
Founder Upspir
Nikhil has over 16years of experience in the industry, before starting UPSPIR he was heading the support, services, and delivery function at Ameyo/Exotel as vice-president, and he has vast experience in managing and leading technical support and delivery teams, With Upspir he aims to take his passion of developing and mentoring people to next level by sharing his experiences and learning with those who want to build their career in the tech support domain.