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Undergraduate
Graduate
Industry Certification & License Prep
Emergency Management
Information Technology
Teaching and Learning
Colorado State University Global
Undergraduate
Graduate
Industry Certification & License Prep
Emergency Management
Information Technology
Teaching and Learning
Blog
Recently, we wrote about what you can do with an Information Technology Degree, and one of the most obvious roles you can acquire after completing a degree in IT is to get a job as an IT help desk specialist.
In this post, we’ll explain how to set yourself up for success in the industry, including what you’ll need to learn before you can get hired, what specific tasks you’ll be asked to complete as a professional help desk specialist, and how to ensure that you’ll get the attention of hiring managers looking to employ reliable candidates.
After you’ve learned everything you need to know about jumpstarting your career as a help desk specialist, fill out our information request form to receive additional details about our online Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, which is the perfect program for honing and refining your networking skills.
If you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.
Yes, this is a great entry-level role for anyone looking to break into the IT industry, especially if you’re looking to launch a career that has a great deal of demand for reliable employees.
One of the best things about learning to do IT support is that this is a job that virtually every organization needs help with, so learning to provide IT support could get you access to working in nearly any industry and any type of organization as well.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t report data for the specific job title of “IT Help Desk Specialist”, but they do report that “Computer Support Specialists” are projected to see an increase in employment of 9% between 2020 and 2030, which is much faster than the average rate of growth for all occupations.
BLS also reports that computer support specialists are relatively well-paid, especially for entry-level workers, with a 2020 median salary of $55,510 per year as of May 2020. BLS breaks down the employment of computer supports specialists into two specific niches, with different median salaries for each specific role:
If you’re interested in helping organizations keep their networks and users online and productive by supporting their IT needs, then this could be the absolutely perfect position for you! Alternatively, if you’re specifically interested in networking issues, then you might want to look into becoming a network engineer, or even a network architect.
But keep in mind that just because you know how to solve your own IT and networking problems, or even your family’s and friends’ issues, that doesn’t mean that you’re prepared to work as a professional IT support specialist.
You’ll face a wide variety of complex, technical problems in this role, which is why you’ll need to spend some serious time preparing for it by developing IT support knowledge, skills, and abilities.
The best way to develop the expertise and experience you need to succeed in this role is to complete an accredited Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, which won’t’ just prepare you for the challenges you’ll face in IT support, but which will also help improve your marketability with hiring managers looking to employ IT support staff.
As a professional IT help desk specialist, you’re going to be tasked with a wide variety of potential challenges, including problems like:
In short, you may find yourself wearing many hats when serving as an IT help desk specialist, but your primary role in this position is almost certainly going to be acting as a problem solver.
Clearly, this isn’t the easiest of positions, and it’s certainly not one that you can just wing and hope that your Googling skills will be good enough to get by on.
Instead, you should take the opportunity seriously, developing the background technical knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience required to provide effective IT support, and set yourself up for a successful career in the industry.
Probably, as you may be able to get a role in IT support without a degree, but the odds are almost certainly higher than you’ll be able to find a good job in this space after you’ve completed a degree in IT or a related field.
The best way to ensure you are prepared to serve as a professional IT help desk specialist is to complete an IT-focused degree, like CSU Global’s Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, which will provide you with all the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this challenging field.
In fact, IT Help Desk Specialist is one of the three most popular titles held by graduates of our online B.S. in IT program, and the reason why it works so well as a transition into this career is that our program focuses on teaching you to:
Armed with these critical skills and full of confidence in your ability to handle complex IT issues on the fly, you’ll graduate capable of delivering professional IT support, and you’ll have the academic credentials to prove it.
CSU Global offers two perfect options for individuals looking to get into information technology support roles, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology and a Master’s Degree in Information Technology Management.
When choosing which program would be best for your particular needs, we suggest reviewing your educational credentials, industry experience, and career goals to help determine whether a Bachelor’s or Master’s program would be the best fit.
If you don’t already have a bachelor’s degree, then you’ll definitely want to start with our online B.S. in IT program, as this is the best way to get your foot in the door of the competitive IT industry by developing foundational knowledge and skills required to gain access to mid-level or entry-level positions.
However, if you’ve already got a bachelor’s degree, in any field, and you’re aiming to land an IT position in management or at the leadership level, then you should think about completing your Master’s Degree in IT Management, where you’ll develop not just IT expertise, but also the leadership skills required for high-level IT operations and planning.
If you’re having trouble deciding which degree option would work best for you, please consider contacting one of our enrollment counselors, who can help steer you in the right direction.
Yes, whether you choose to pursue a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in IT, we certainly suggest that you think about getting it online instead of in-person.
Why? Because online programs tend to provide more flexibility and freedom than campus-based programs, since they allow you to study wherever and whenever you have time to do so.
At CSU Global, our programs were designed to be completed entirely online, and we’ve designed them to provide a series of benefits that will help ensure you can get your degree as efficiently as possible, including:
If you have existing work or family responsibilities that you simply can’t or don’t want to let slip, then you should definitely think about studying with us so that you don’t have to compromise on your academic goals.
Our 100% online B.S. in Information Technology Degree program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and designed to provide you with everything you need to become a successful, professional IT help desk specialist.
If you’re serious about getting onto the IT help desk, then you should certainly consider studying with us as it’s one of the top job titles held by alumni from this program.
Our graduates also report excellent results from the job market, including an average annual starting salary of $77,010 just one year after graduation, and a 15% pay increase one year after completing their degree.
You can also rest assured that your degree will be widely respected by potential hiring managers, as our B.S. in IT recently won several top industry rankings, including:
CSU Global itself is also a recognized leader in the higher education industry, having recently earnest the following rankings:
Finally, to keep the costs of getting your degree down, you’ll be pleased to find out that we offer affordable tuition rates and Tuition Guarantee that ensures your tuition won’t increase between enrollment and graduation.
For additional details about our fully-accredited online Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, please give us a call at (800) 462-7845, or fill out our Information Request Form.
Ready to get started today? Apply now!
