Computer Support Specialists

Are you the person friends and family call when they can’t figure out what’s wrong with their computer?  Do you enjoy solving what others think of as insurmountable tasks and watching them breathe a sigh of relief as you rescue their lost document or rid their computer of a virus? Do you read the latest computer magazines and keep up with the best new hardware and software products? 

If you answered yes to most of these questions, a career as a computer support specialist may be for you.

Computer support specialists, also known as help-desk technicians, provide technical assistance to customers by identifying and solving their hardware and software problems.

Are You Ready To...?

• Decide whose questions to answer first
• Troubleshoot problems, such as hard-drive crashes
• Respond calmly to panicked users who are working on deadlines
• Train users on new technology
• Advise people designing new software and hardware

It Helps To Be...

A great communicator and problem solver. You’ll need to provide clear explanations and directions on paper, via email, in person, and on the phone.

Make High School Count

• Take as much advanced math as your high school offers.
• Make the most of your science classes. They train you to think logically.
• Sign up for computer science classes. If your high school doesn’t offer any, look into summer classes for precollege students at local two- or four-year colleges.
• Develop your written and oral communication skills in English, drama, and speech classes.
• Consider attending computer science summer camp.