How to Go from Help Desk Tech Support to Software Developer

However a lot of people in this sub ended up leaving their MSP within a couple years, I only lasted at mine for about 5-6 months. With the place I’m at right now I’m actually enjoying coming to work everyday and I can see myself spending a good chunk of my IT career here. Your experience and skills developed in a technical support role can be a springboard to a new career path in software development. On average, desk support technicians earn a lower salary than help desk engineers. Interestingly enough, desk support technicians earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $50,316.

Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Technical knowledge isn’t the only thing you’ll develop at the help desk. Working as a help desk technician can give you the opportunity to gain sought-after soft skills that are critical in the IT field, including communication, critical thinking and prioritization. In addition to the tools you’ll have at your disposal on the job, many employers are willing to help facilitate your professional development with training and assistance programs that can help grow your technical expertise.

What does a Help Desk Engineer do?

They are also responsible for resolving the network problems, installing and configuring hardware and software. Beyond working with more technical and specialist skillsets in the field of software development, you can potentially find great https://remotemode.net/ diversity in your work across a wide array of industries. Many businesses can benefit from improving their virtual infrastructure, and consistently invest in their own systems to improve the experience for both employees and customers.

• Your experience and skills developed in a technical support role can be a springboard to a new career path in software development.
• This piece of ad content was created by Rasmussen University to support its educational programs.
• On average, desktop support specialists reach similar levels of education than help desk engineers.
• If you’re hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for help desk engineers in the US typically range between $17 and $35 an hour.
• Take advantage of job acquisition services, such as Resume Creator and Online Reputation Builder to accelerate your search for your dream job.

If you love design and architecture, then be happy doing it and don’t sweat trying to advance. The old idea that working hard and going above and beyond at work makes you successful is dead wrong. Multitasking involves prioritizing your responsibilities and focusing intently on the task at hand without getting distracted. For example, the technician help desk engineer may be speaking with an individual who will lose a major sale if their issue is not quickly tended to. Learn everything in real life Troubleshooting for IT Help Desk, Helpdesk, IT Support, System Administration and IT… Boost your career with this course, pass the e-Learning course, and achieve your Help Desk Analyst certificate…

Technical Support Engineer

Imagine you have just been hired by Simco Financial Services, Inc., to join their Help Desk team. The Director of the I/T Department has identified the need for a new network for the headquarters facility. Escalation occurs when a client’s requests cannot be met by a general assistant or clerk and must be passed on to a manager. Don’t think that you have to be “climbing the ladder.”  You don’t… it doesn’t equate to success or happiness. In fact, “climbing the ladder” could frustrate you and create unnecessary anxiety. If you love help desk and doing that job makes you happy, then do it and be the best at it.

An information engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of computer systems and network infrastructure, performing configuration to boost the optimal performance of the technology systems. Information engineers assist end-users in resolving network issues, identifying the source of inconsistencies, and create resolution reports for reference to avoid reoccurrence. They also design new network systems according to business needs and client specifications, running multiple diagnostic tests to ensure effectiveness before the release of final deliverables. An information engineer should have excellent technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes.

Real examples of help desk engineer skills on resumes

Help desk engineers get to interact with diverse individuals and address their technical concerns on a daily basis. This allows them to experience the gratification of resolving intricate issues and assisting others in resuming their work. Staying current with technological advancements and software updates is an ongoing challenge faced by these professionals. Getting started as a help desk professional can be as easy as earning a foundational IT certification.

Comparatively, help desk engineers have the highest earning potential in the finance industry, with an average salary of $67,498. They really helped me navigate my career change into software development. I was going to go the self taught route but I came across their website and it seemed like a cost effective alternative. The projects at the end of the program were challenging and really helped you showcase your skills and standout amongst other bootcamp graduates. As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you’ve taken on a leadership role.

Customer Service

For example, both careers require troubleshoot, help-desk support, and technical support in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities. A desktop support technician is responsible for assisting end-users with their network issues, grant authorization requests, and create user accounts. Desktop support technicians maintain the safety and security of networks, preventing unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of database information.

• I firmly believe you could be a Senior Systems Engineer up until you are ready to retire and be completely happy.
• With the place I’m at right now I’m actually enjoying coming to work everyday and I can see myself spending a good chunk of my IT career here.
• Desktop support specialists tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $53,933.
• Help desk technicians are specialized types of customer service representatives who use their knowledge of hardware and software to help troubleshoot problems that arise.
• Help desk engineers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $61,073.

It involves making the most of your time so that you can deliver maximum value to your end users. Some great schools for help desk engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. Master the Help desk position by working smarter and boost your career opportunities… He researches and writes student-focused articles on a variety of topics for Rasmussen University. He is passionate about learning and enjoys writing engaging content to help current and future students on their path to a rewarding education. “Once you’ve established yourself at a company, you can ask your manager if they’d be willing to talk to a higher-level engineer or that engineer’s manager to possibly set up some time to shadow them,” Adams says.

Other common majors for a help desk engineer include computer information systems and information technology. There are also many online help desk engineer courses to help get the education required to be a help desk engineer. Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is authorized to operate as a postsecondary educational institution by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Rasmussen University is not regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission. For additional information about Licensing and State Authorization, and State Contact Information for Student Complaints, please see those sections of our catalog. While not every IT help desk role will have the same soft skill growth opportunities as Adams’ experience, he certainly values the chances he had.