IT Support Specialist Job Description

An IT Support Specialist oversees computer systems for businesses and offers support to the system’s users. This may be internal assistance, working directly with staff who use the computer systems or it may be assisting external customers who access the systems via the Internet.

it support specialist job description

IT Support Specialists generally report to an IT Manager, however, their duties are often performed with minimal supervision. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the computer support staff sector is expected to grow at an above average rate of 12 percent through 2024. This will add an estimated 88,800 jobs to this sector during this time frame.

IT Support Duties and Responsibilities

The type of organization and the type of computer system an IT Support Specialist works with will determine their particular responsibilities, however, there are several main duties all IT Support Specialists perform. A review of current job listings identified the following primary tasks and responsibilities.

Provide Support

An IT Support Specialist’s main duty is to offer assistance to computer system users. This may be with hardware, such as desktop computers, printers, scanners or handheld devices or it may be with software programs. The IT Support Specialist will generally track all instances of support by creating IT tickets using ticket-tracking software. They will update the status of each ticket as they successfully assist each user with their issues. Their assistance may be conducted in person for internal users or on the phone when assisting external users. Good customer service skills are important for IT Support staff.

Maintain and Upgrade Systems

IT Support is in charge of keeping current systems updated and running smoothly. They are also tasked with upgrading the system and its components when the need arises. They conduct research and provide cost analysis data when upgrading or purchasing new hardware, software or equipment.

Administer Data

IT Support Specialists may be tasked with overseeing an organizations data, including client information and internal information. This aspect of the job includes maintaining, backing up and securing databases, as well as restoring files as needed.