A day in the life of an IT Support Technician

IT Support Technicians are often faced with various challenges, with no two days being the same. They can either work on-site, debugging problems, solving hardware issues, and training staff or they can work remotely, resolving technical difficulties for clients and colleagues.

Depending on the size of a company, the responsibilities of an IT Support Technician can vary. If the company is small, it may only be themselves working under an IT Manager to help run the day-to-day responsibilities of the department. However, in a much larger company, IT Support Technicians can include 1^st Line Support, 2^nd Line Support, and 3^rd Line Support.

1st Line Support

This role can often be done remotely and deals with more basic, less technical issues, including FAQs. Often the issues they are faced with can be solved quickly, however, if it is too technical, they collect as much information as they can and then pass the query onto 2^nd Line Support. Job titles include Helpdesk Operator, First Line Support, and IT Call Desk.

2nd Line Support

2^nd Line Support may be required to have more of an in-office role, as they usually deal with more complex technical issues, and therefore they need specialist knowledge. Job titles include Desktop Support, IT Technician, PC Engineer, and Desktop Support Analyst.

3rd Line Support 

3^rd Line Support Technicians are considered experts in their field, they can understand the cause of the problem or issue and then help to fix it. If a problem is too complex for 2^nd Line Support, it will be passed to 3^rd Line Support to be dealt with. Job titles include Network Specialist, Server Specialist/Engineer, and other specialist roles.

Who do IT Support Technicians work with day to day?

Usually, an IT Support Technician will work under the responsibility of the IT manager, the IT Support Technician's role is to ensure the streamlined operation of the IT Department in alignment with the business objectives of the organisation. Their role is to assist the IT manager in planning, coordinating, directing, and designing IT-related activities, as well as provide support for the daily operational activities of users.

An IT Support Technician serves typically as the first point of contact for customers in need of technical support, whether that be over the phone, in person, or remotely. They will be expected to provide solutions whilst adhering to company policies, and therefore strong communication skills are essential.

What are the day-to-day responsibilities of an IT Support Technician?

The day usually begins by checking their ticketing system, this allows IT support to track, manage, and deal effectively with cases. Checking this every morning ensures they haven’t missed any urgent requests from clients. Once they’ve dealt with any urgent problems, they can start working on projects. This could include looking into updating existing tools or figuring out new methods to improve the company’s cyber security.

Other daily responsibilities could include the following:

• Assisting the IT manager in administering and maintaining IT services including file servers, application servers, and network infrastructure, so that the business can operate effectively and efficiently.
• Performing basic computer maintenance tasks (hardware components, network problems, printers, installing OS (Windows/Linux), virus cleaning, software & hardware installation, and application support.
• Assisting the IT manager in protecting these assets from inaccessibility, damage, and information leakage.
• Conducting and implementing new projects for the company, this could include replacing tools that are not supported anymore, and installing new applications (cloud-based, chatbots, video conferencing, mobile etc.).
• Supporting the IT manager with daily tasks including user helpdesk, health checks, backups, maintenance tasks, and virus & intrusion protection.
• Playing a supportive role in the company's digital transformation, by suggesting improvements and ideas to help the business achieve its targets.
• Maintaining IT Documentation and creating monthly reports based on IT performance.

Knowledge and Skills of an IT Support Technician

• Communication skills, verbal and non-verbal
• Problem-solving skills
• Time management skills
• Organisational skills
• Attention to detail
• Proactive and Self-motivated
• Up-to-date knowledge of current technologies
• Knowledge of various operating systems and applications
• Troubleshooting knowledge

Becoming an IT Support Technician is a great role for anyone looking to get their foot in the IT industry. You can begin your career in 1^st Line Support, helping with basic IT and technical issues, whilst learning on the job. After 1-2 years you can progress to 2^nd Line Support as you develop your technical understanding. Eventually, after a couple more years of experience, you can step into a 3^rd Line Support role where you can focus on more technical issues.

IT Support gives you the opportunity to deal with a wide array of issues whilst interacting with various departments, from this you can find your passion and move into a more specialised role.

Daily work as an IT Support Technician might be demanding, but it's also extremely fulfilling. You are able to put your expertise to work by assisting businesses in operating more effectively and efficiently. You also need to be passionate about keeping up to date on the most recent technology and software advancements. So, if you are looking for a challenging yet fulfilling career, think about becoming an IT Support Technician.