An IT Support specialist is a jack of all trades and in all likelihood, a master of several ones too. It’s one of the most sought after jobs in London and rightly so. As the business world transitions from brick and mortar spaces to virtual marketplaces, our dependencies on computers and technology increases at an alarming rate.
As we all are aware, computers are modern day Pandora’s boxes. They can throw some real surprises at you when you least expect them to. A technical support engineer is the man that London businesses often have on speed dial for all their IT related situations.
They offer support for complex problems and soothe frayed nerves like its second nature. They are expected to lend a patient ear, have active listening skills and pick cues from seemingly random conversations, to troubleshoot the problem. From sneaky malware to brute force DDOS attacks, a support specialist is a knight in shining armor protecting intellectual property and businesses sensitive data from cyber criminals in London.
If you think that you have the mettle to perform in pressure-cooker situations and be the man of the moment, then here’s a brief guide that shows you how you can get a job as an IT Support Specialist in London.
What skills & qualifications does an IT support specialist need?
There’s no template that best describes the skillsets required for a technical support specialist’s job. It’s a job title that requires a diverse set of skills, along with the ability to learn and hone new ones as you go along.
Right from soft skills to cloud computing, an IT support specialist needs to have a whole bunch of trick up their sleeves. But here are some of the most critical ones without which, your chances of landing a job in London, are close to zilch.
Listening Skills
An IT support specialist will interact either virtually, or on phone with employees who may be technically challenged, or not as skilled as they are. These people who may find it difficult to accurately describe seemingly mundane snafus. Active listening skills with attention to detail will allow you to look for cues in the conversations and identify the actual problem based on those cues. Without active listening skills, you will be trying to second-guess the problem, which adds to their frustration and to your SLA.
Patience
Patience is a virtue in any profession. But it’s a necessity for support specialist jobs. Frustrated, tensed, clueless, angry, rude and in some situations, profane. These are just some of the types of people that you will deal with on a daily basis. A London support specialist has to be extremely patient and allow the person on call to finish their conversation (rant). A calm, but logical head on your shoulders is a must have for an IT support specialist in London.
Flexibility
You may have to work beyond office hours, at obscure times, on weekends, on holidays, on your anniversary, on your wife’s birthday or on any day that you’d set aside for your favourite leisure activity. Work timing is not the only aspect that demands flexibility though. Technical support specialists in London need to be willing to offer support for problems that may not be covered under contract. The last thing a customer needs to hear when they are at their wit’s end, is that this is not covered under the contract. Don’t let contractual details become a hurdle while offering line support.
Out of the box thinking
A technical support team in London needs to think of fast resolutions, even if it means stretching their imaginations a little. Problem solving, inductive reasoning, quick thinking, call it what you must. It all boils down to providing quick technical support.
Technical skills
Last but not the least, a technical support team in London is expected to be multifaceted. They need to constantly stay abreast of the rapid technological changes that landscape witnesses. Be it software or server support or cybersecurity, staying updated with the ongoing changes will help you be an asset to the London organisation that you work for.
How do I become a Technical support Engineer?
One of the best parts of technical support specialist jobs in London is that there’s a fair chance that you can land one without specialised degrees or certifications. A degree or qualification will definitely help you get a head start. Possibly, even a foot in the door. But even if you don’t have one, here are some ways in which you can up your chances of getting a technical support job in London.
Get Familiar with Industry-specific Tech
There’s no doubt that technical support engineers in London are required to have a vast array of tech skills. But most importantly, they need to be tech aware. Can you find your way around basic computer glitches? Can you offer systems support for the ‘Blue Screen of Death’? Do you know how to fix driver compatibility problems? Are you aware of how a network is set up and secured? These are some of the most basic, but essential support skills that an IT support engineer needs.
Brush up on your tech support skills
If you know the basics of a specific technical domain, such as website design, then look up for online courses that allow you to brush up your skills further. There are many Free tech-related MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that are available year round.
Set up a tech support blog
If you have a keen eye for technology and technical support, set up a blog or a YouTube channel. While it may seem like one amongst millions of such blogs, it’s a great add-on to your resume.
Take up an alternative position at a large Tech company in London
An Information Technology support job in London is one of the most in-demand ones. The average salary is great too. So you may find it a little difficult to land a support job straight away. One way to get started is to pick an alternative (non support) entry level job in any leading Tech company in London. This allows you to get an insiders perspective on how these guys go about their work. Also, if a job opening pops up in the technical support department, you might get a slight advantage because you are a part of the organisation. If nothing else works, it will be a plaudit-worthy achievement for your next big job interview. Goes to show that you are serious about getting into this space and willing to go the extra mile.
Set up a job alert
When a support job pops up, it will get filled pretty soon. The best way to stay updated about job openings is to set up a job alert.
Do I need a degree for Support Specialist jobs in London?
To be honest, you don’t. If you look up job listings for IT support jobs in London, you’ll find that most of them don’t require you to have a four-year degree.
As long as you have an awareness of technology, some basic troubleshooting skills and the ability to learn and adapt quickly, you can land a job in an IT support company London.
