Is help desk a good job?

  help desk jobs salary

Hard skills development. Help desk technicians work with nearly every system a company uses or sells. That includes operating systems -- applications, networks, the Internet, hardware and peripherals. In a help desk role, you can gain in-depth, real-world knowledge of these technologies, an especially valuable commodity for workers with little or no job experience. This wide-ranging exposure allows you to not only build your hard skills, but also determine which technologies you have the greatest passion for.

Soft skills development. There’s no doubt well-developed technical skills are essential for any IT professional, but that doesn’t mean they’re all you need to build a successful career. Increasingly, managers are looking for employees who also have strong interpersonal skills, such as communication, problem-solving and leadership abilities. These so-called soft skills can be learned on the help desk. Think about it: Performing step-by-step troubleshooting of a proxy server configuration with a person unfamiliar with the workings of the e-mail system allows you to build your communication skills. And keeping your cool when helping a stressed caller resolve his problem can improve your tact and diplomacy.

Advancement potential. Perhaps the best part about a help desk role is that it’s often possible to leverage the skills and experience gained there to secure a higher-level position. Many network, Web and e-mail administrators, for example, got their starts on the help desk. In addition, many advancement opportunities exist within the help desk itself. In large companies, Tier 2 and Tier 3 professionals are needed to supervise, train and assist junior help desk technicians. Another potential career path is to pursue a position as a help desk manager. According to the Robert Half Technology 2007 Salary Guide, the national average starting salary for help desk managers is $62,500 to $88,250 this year.

> Unlike most areas of IT, which call for extremely specialized knowledge, the help desk requires professionals to be familiar, at least in a broad sense, with a large number of technologies. If you’ve grown up with computers or are the unofficial tech guru among your friends, a spot on the help desk may be the right way to start your IT career.

Katherine Spencer Lee is executive director of Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis. Robert Half Technology has more than 100 locations in North America, Europe and Asia and offers online job search services at www.fieldengineer.com

How much does entry level help desk make?

 How much does entry level help desk make?

 helpdesk salary

The term “office worker” can apply to anyone who primarily works in a climate-controlled room with a desk, computer and outside communications connections. Their tasks emphasize the mental over the physical. Because of the broad definition, which can cover such jobs as CEOs, clerks, secretaries and architects, the designation must narrow to those handling administrative tasks in an organization.

Basics

The country’s more than 21.3 million office workers earned a mean $34,120 per year, or $16.40 per hour, as of May 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10 percent made less than $18,980 yearly, or $9.13 hourly, while the best-paid 10 percent received more than an annual $53,880, or $25.90 per hour. More than 5 percent of the total worked for depository-credit intermediation, which included banks and credit unions. Mean wages here ran $31,950 per year, or $15.36 per hour. The highest wages were in the Postal Services, averaging an annual $51,300, or $24.66 hourly.

Number

The office occupation with the most employees belonged to general office clerks, which comprised almost 10 percent of the total. They averaged $28,920 annually, or $13.90 per hour, with lows under $17,740 yearly, or $8.53 per hour, and highs above an annual $43,390, or $20.86 hourly. They handled miscellaneous office tasks such as answering phones, filing records or running errands. Their biggest employer was local government, where 191,580 earned a mean annual $31,960, or $15.37 per hour. Their highest-paying employer was the Postal Service, averaging $53,170 per year, or $25.56 hourly.

What is a help desk specialist?

 help desk specialist salaries

The average Full Specialist salary in USA is $29,832 per year or $15.30 per hour. Entry level positions start at $23,400 per year while most experienced workers make up to $50,714 per year.

Popular Employer Salaries for Help Desk Technician

General Dynamics Information Technology Inc

$23

Planned Parenthood

$19

General Dynamics Corp.

$18

Lithia Motors, Inc.

$16

National Lumber Company

$15

TEKsystems, Inc

$19

Stefanini IT Solutions

$15

Maximus, Inc.

$21

The top respondents for the job title Help Desk Technician are from the companies General Dynamics Information Technology Inc, Planned Parenthood and General Dynamics Corp.. Reported salaries are highest at General Dynamics Information Technology Inc where the average pay is $23.05. Other companies that offer high salaries for this role include Planned Parenthood and TEKsystems, Inc, earning around $19.00 and $19.00, respectively. National Lumber Company pays the lowest at around $14.61. Stefanini IT Solutions and Lithia Motors, Inc. also pay on the lower end of the scale, paying $15.12 and $16.00, respectively.

How much do process technicians make a year?

 data center technician salary

Chemical plant and system operators, sometimes called process technicians or operations technicians,operate machines that process chemicals and make sure that they are functioning correctly. Process technicians usually work in factories. This is an entry-level position, and most employers don't require process technicians to have formal education beyond a high school diploma.https://www.fieldengineer.com/blogs/what-does-a-help-desk-technician-do

Average National Pay

As of 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that process technicians earned an average wage of $26.29 per hour and an average salary of $54,690 per year. Half of all process technicians employed in the United States reported annual earnings ranging from $42,290 to $67,790. Nationally, the lowest-paid 10 percent of process technicians made $32,840 or less per year, while the highest-paid 10 percent earned $76,850 or more annually.

Differences in Pay by State

Process technicians tend to make more money in South Central and Mid-Atlantic states and less in the Midwest and certain areas of the South. As of 2013, Texas was the highest-paying state for this occupation, where the average annual salary was $66,420. Louisiana ranked second at $62,640, followed by Delaware at $62,370. The lowest-paying states in the nation were Arkansas ($42,800), South Dakota ($39,670) and Indiana ($36,540).

Salary by Industry Sector

Over a third of all process technicians worked in basic chemical manufacturing as of 2013, where they earned an average salary of $55,980 per year, close to the average for all industry sectors. Some manufacturing sectors tend to pay a bit less, such as pesticide and fertilizer manufacturing ($52,230) and pharmaceutical manufacturing ($52,790). Other industry sectors offered substantially higher wages, such as petroleum and coal products manufacturing ($58,540) and plastics manufacturing ($67,070).

Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 38,300 Americans worked as process technicians in 2012. However, this number is expected to decline substantially as manufacturing declines, and most job opportunities will arise only when current workers retire, says he BLS. While the overall U.S. economy was expected to grow at a rate of 11 percent between 2012 and 2022, the number of chemical systems operator jobs was expected to decline by 11 percent. At this rate, the number of jobs for process technicians is expected to decline by about 4,400 jobs by 2022.

Is desktop support a good job?

desktop support analyst salary

A career in IT/Desktop support offers a lot of opportunity and benefits. It gives you an easier window into almost any tech industry. It also provides a good medium for improving your technical skills. If you love computers, network systems and working with people, IT support may be a great way to launch your career.

To become a desktop support technician, you’ll need to have good knowledge of computer hardware, operating systems and applications. If you’re new to the field, you can get a quick head start by reading books or enrolling for online foundation courses with sites like Coursera, Udemy or Lynda. Some desktop support positions also require that candidates have some experience with network connectivity as well as soft skills like:

• Good customer-friendly attitude
• Strong communication skills
• A process-oriented or analytical approach to solving problems
• A passion for the job and willingness to learn

Education and Experience

Most companies do not require a college degree for entry-level desktop positions. If you’re experienced and have the right skills, you stand a good chance of getting hired. That said, having a degree significantly improves your qualifications and puts you ahead of the pack. A degree is even more important if you intend to expand your career into mid-level or senior-level positions. Good fields to earn a degree in include computer science, software development or any IT related field.

Working as a Junior Level IT Support Technician

The duties of a desktop support technician vary with the size and needs of the company, but they typically include installing and configuring operating systems, monitoring computer systems and performing system upgrades. You may be tasked with solving software issues, replacing hardware and maintaining computer systems. Other possible duties include:

• Setting up new accounts
• Resolving password issues
• Testing and evaluating new technology
• Conducting safety checks on hardware

Desktop support professionals typically work in full-time positions, sometimes in shifts. They interact with clients and often have to work quickly, especially when resolving technical issues during the day (so productivity in the office can return to normal). Desktop support technicians working with larger companies may be required to travel between offices or to work late night or over the weekend. As your skill improves, your title may change to support specialist or maintenance engineer. The duties of higher level positions may include providing procedural documentation, managing teams and working with other professionals such as network engineers or software developers.

How much do desktop engineers make?

desktop support salary

Desktop support engineers play a crucial function in many businesses. These professionals help individuals at the organization with problems that arise with their computers, set up new equipment, and troubleshoot problems on the business's network. It is possible to obtain a position with a high school diploma and technical certifications, however some individuals in this position hold a bachelor's degree. After working in desktop support, professionals may wish to explore other computer-based positions. Some examples are presented below.

Job Title	Median Salary	Job Growth (2016-2026)*	Education or Experience
Network Administrators	$81,100 (2017, network and computer systems administrators)*	6% (network and computer systems administrators)	Bachelor's degree
Computer Network Architects	$104,650 (2017)*	6%	Bachelor's degree
Sharepoint Administrator	$72,420 (2018)**	6% (network and computer systems administrators)	Bachelor's degree and certification
Information Technology Director	$114,212 (2018)**	12% (computer and information systems managers)	Bachelor's degree

Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), **PayScale

Career Information

Network Administrator

Desktop support engineers have extensive experience helping users within businesses to properly utilize their computers. One next step may be to become a network administrator. Network administrators work at businesses to determine what a company needs in terms of hardware and software and to ensure that these items are purchased and functioning properly. They may be responsible for security, both in terms of adding users to a network and of assessing whether there are outside threats. Most network administrators have a bachelor's degree in a computer or information science field. They typically will also hold certifications for specific products used by their employer.

Computer Network Architects

Desktop support engineers must ensure that users' computers are responding appropriately to the network. Those that enjoy this component of their work may wish to consider moving into a position as a network architect. Computer network architects make plans for businesses to enhance their data networks. They are responsible for ensuring that the hardware and software in use supports the goals of the network. Computer security must be considered in designing the networks. Some network architects specialize in local area networks (LAN) or wide area networks (WAN). To become a computer network architect, a candidate must have a bachelor's degree in information technology and several years of experience.

Sharepoint Administrator

One way for desktop support engineers to grow their careers would be to specialize in particular platforms. One option might be to become a Sharepoint administrator. These professionals manage the Microsoft Sharepoint program, which helps businesses collaborate regarding documents and data. The Sharepoint administrator will ensure the security of the system, educate new employees as to how to use the system, and maintain the platform and servers dedicated to Sharepoint. To enter this role, candidates should possess a bachelor's degree and experience with Sharepoint. Certification is available and recommended to move into this role.

Information Technology Director

Some desktop engineers may aspire to management positions. These individuals may wish to consider becoming an information technology, or IT, director. IT directors are responsible for planning and managing the information technology needs for their company. They are responsible for the department's budget and for technology purchasing from vendors. IT directors recommend any potential upgrades to the computer system. They direct the work of other computer professionals within the organization. IT directors typically hold a bachelor's degree and have extensive experience.

What does a help desk technician do?

help desk technician salary

A Help Desk Technician provides technical support and assistance, whether on the phone, in person, or remotely, related to computer systems, hardware and software. A Help Desk Technician responds to customer queries to provide technical assistance.

Help Desk Technician Responsibilities:

• Responding to queries on the phone, via email, in person, or through remote access.
• Offering technical assistance on the delivery, configuration, set up, maintenance, and troubleshooting of computer systems, hardware, and software.
• Training computer users.
• Training other staff on troubleshooting and diagnosing problems.
• Gaining feedback from customers to improve training methods.
• Writing and editing training manuals.
• Running reports and analyzing common complaints and problems.

Help Desk Technician Requirements:

• An Associate's degree in computer science or related field.
• A strong working knowledge of computer systems, hardware, and software.
• Good problem-solving, analytical, and team-working skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• An openness to learning new technologies.