Computer Support Specialist

There are a variety of ways to enter the field of computer support specialists. Many individuals in this field have a bachelor's degree in computer science or information systems, but others come with certification and relevant experience. Employers usually prefer to hire applicants with some formal college education. Those who have not earned a college degree will be expected to have computer related work experience and completed certification training programs such as Microsoft's MCSE or CompTIA.

Computer support specialists are employed by a variety of companies, from startups to established industry leaders. However, as computer networks become a vital part of every business, computer support specialists can find employment in all fields of business and industry.

Computer support specialists include both technical support specialists and help desk technicians. These groups of people offer advice and assistance to computer users and the day to day administration, maintenance, and support of computer networks. Support specialists can work for any company that uses computer systems, but are increasingly working for help desk firms that contract out to companies.

Technical support specialists respond to computer users' problems and may run diagnostic tests to discover and resolve the issues. They are usually responsible for installation and modification or repair of computer hardware and software. Those in technical support often write documentation for training and troubleshooting purposes and train computer users on new hardware and software.

Help desk technicians receive email and phone calls from computer users with problems. They listen as the user reports the problem and ask questions in an attempt to discover the source of the problem. Then help desk technicians walk the user through the steps required to fix the problem or call on a technical support specialist or network administrator if the issue affects multiple users.

Computer support specialists must have good interpersonal and communication skills. This job includes regular contact and interaction with customers, other computer personnel, and employees through email, phone calls, and face to face conversations. Individuals in this field must also have strong problem solving and analytic thinking skills in order to deal with the day to day troubleshooting that is an essential part of the job.

Starting annual salaries for help desk workers in 2007 ranged from $27,500 to $37,000. The median annual earnings of all computer support specialists in 2006 were $41,470 with the middle fifty percent earning between $32,110 and $53,640. Computer support specialists often enjoy rapid advancement, sometimes within months. This advancement is generally based on job performance and reviews rather than on formal education.

Steve Jobs is the CEO of Apple, which he co-founded in 1976 when he made an easily affordable personal computer become a reality for many households across the United States. In the early years of Apple, Jobs was among the first to realize the commercial potential of a mouse driven user interface. In 1985, Jobs founded NeXT, a computer development company that marketed to the business and higher education communities. He has focused on developing products that have aesthetic appeal as well as functionality. Fortune Magazine named Jobs the Most Powerful Businessman of 2007.

Bill Gates is the chairman of Microsoft Corporation, which he co-founded in 1975. He developed software for personal computers based on his belief that computers would one day become a vital part of every work and home. Gates has always been determined to improve software to make it easier and more enjoyable to use. He has authored and co-authored several books, notably Business @ the Speed of Thought which has been printed in 25 languages in more than 60 countries. As philanthropy is also very important to Gates, he and his wife, Melinda, founded The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 to help reduce inequities within the United States and globally.

The Association of Support Professionals (ASP) has more than 1,200 members in multiple countries. This organization is based out of Watertown, Massachusetts and is made up of individual professionals who run technical support in software and technology companies. ASP gives annual awards to the "Ten Best Web Support Sites" and publishes reports on a variety of support topics. Members receive these reports free of charge and have access to them online at all times. Members also get free use of the job posting portion of the website and discounts for industry seminars and conferences.

NWCET (National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies) is based out of Bellevue Community College in Bellevue, Washington. This organization is dedicated to creating national and local leadership in an effort to develop innovative, researched based curricula for information technology education

All major metropolitan areas employ many computer support specialists. There are large numbers openings in this field all across the United States. Computer support specialist openings are expected to increase faster than average due in large part to the rapid evolution of technology.

Currently, the top city for computer support specialist jobs is New York City. There are also several openings in Chicago, Illinois, Houston, Texas and Dallas, Texas. Farther west, companies in Phoenix, Arizona are also looking for several computer support specialists.