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[Roger Austin <raustin3 AT nc.rr.com>]

tgeek AT geekspaces.net wrote:
> I've been looking at job openings for Technical Support and Help Desk  
> reps online. Most of them seem to want the standard experience with  
> PC's, Windows, MS Office, etc; but a lot of them want some programming  
> background, some SQL/DB background, maybe some Unix/Linux etc.
>
> For those who on this list who work in and/or hire for Technical  
> Support and or Help Desk employees, what is really required? Of  

 In my experience, A+ certification or a few years of experience
would be satisfactory. There are a lot of excellent tech support
folks who never have taken a class, but it is hard to find exactly
the right person for the job. HR departments love certifications
since it makes their lives easier.

> course, each employer is different with different needs, but what  
> skills are most important in a Tier 1 Technical Support employee? Is  
> it simply the ability to walk up to a machine, diagnose it, and fix  
> it; or do you really expect your employees to be able to double as  
> programmers and DB admins?

 It is likely that the company would want a programmer/DBA type to
take on a little desktop support in a small company, but rarer for
a desktop support person take on the programming. It does happen
sometimes since desktop support is looked on as an entry position
in most companies. People don't normally retire from tier 1 positions.

> The reason that I ask is that the company I work for is going through  
> a lot of change, and it makes sense to me to keep my eyes open to  
> other possibilities. However, the way a lot of companies word job  
> requirements, they seem to want someone with a MA in computer science  
> and a half a dozen certifications to work in a Tier 1 environment.

 Companies ask for the moon since they can get it. They have been
burned by incompetents before so they shoot for folks with lots of
certifications, etc. It never hurts to continue your education and/or
get certs especially if your employer will pay for it.

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