A career as a help desk analyst offers rewarding opportunities across a wide variety of industries providing support for computer hardware, software and systems. As businesses rely more and more on computers for every function, there is high demand for help desk employees.

Help Desk Analyst Job Description

Help Desk is a computer industry term for technical support. In this field, there is a wide range of duties and opportunities depending on the employer. Some help desk technicians may simply answer telephone calls to problems on a particular software or hardware system, while others maintain computer labs testing bugs in proprietary software or fighting off new computer viruses.

In general, here are some of the types of duties a help desk technician may have:

• Troubleshoot computer hardware, software or network
• Install new software on users computers
• Clean, modify and repair computer hardware including monitors, keyboard and printers
• Authoring training manuals
• Presenting training classes
• Evaluation of company hardware and software
• Provide good customer service to phone calls or emails

Salary Ranges / Job Outlook for Help Desk Analysts

The job outlook for help desk analysts continues to grow as more and more companies are utilizing computer software and hardware. Due to the constantly changing nature of computers, new software and technology will always be introduced, creating a never-ending demand for support help.

The salary range for help desk analysts is really good, considering the short length of time to complete certifications or education. The median pay rate is $39,100, with the high and low range of the scale at $23,060 at the low end and $67,550 at the high end.
The discrepancy in the pay range is dependent upon experience, responsibilities and the type of employer. Help desk technicians may work for a single company providing hardware, software and system support, or they may work for a hardware or software company only supporting their employer’s products.

Advancement in this career is possible by increasing knowledge of hardware and software, particularly emerging trends like security or wireless protocols. Some help desk technicians move into management, while others use their technical skills to become software developers or web designers.

Education / Getting Started

Obtaining employment as a help desk technician may take many paths. While many employers prefer candidates with Bachelors degrees, in this business, experience and hardware/software certifications often outweigh a four-year college degree. In the technology field especially, technical knowledge and personal communication skills are often mutually exclusive. Candidates that possess both of these skills are rare and in very high demand.

Possessing more experience or training can open career paths to software development, graphic design, computer programming and network / system administration.

Help Desk Summary

If you want to create solid career future, a career as a help desk analyst offers strong job opportunities, great pay and many chances for advancement.