Careers in Technical Support

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Looking for an entry level job or internship in technical support? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.

Last night it thundered and poured like crazy, which caused my Internet to go out. That was definitely a problem, because what’s there to do on a rainy Saturday night besides surf the Interwebs? After rebooting my router multiple times failed to work, I gave Time Warner Cable a call. Luckily a lovely Technical Support Specialist was able to help get my Internet up and kicking again, therefore allowing me to carry on my fabulous evening plans. A Technical Support Specialist helps customers troubleshoot when they encounter problems with a technology.

Technical Support Careers

Photo Credit: Flickr user mxgirl85

Technical Support Career Guide Overview

  1. What a Technical Support Specialist Does
  2. A Typical Day for a Technical Support Specialist
  3. Salary and Career Progression for a Technical Support Specialist
  4. Best Locations for Technical Support Specialists
  5. Pros and Cons of Being a Technical Support Specialist
  6. What You Need to Know for a Career in Technical Support
  7. Technical Support Resources
  8. Careers Related to Technical Support
  9. Companies with Jobs and Internships in Technical Support

What a Technical Support Specialist Does

A Technical Support Specialist deals with troubleshooting and problem solving for customers (or their own company’s staff) by using specialized knowledge for using a technology. Companies often provide tech support to users of their products like mobile phones, televisions, computers, or software products. Rather than providing training or customization, Technical Support Specialists focus on helping users solve specific problems with a product via telephone, email, or online forums.

A Typical Day for a Technical Support Specialist

While a typical day for a Technical Support Specialist may vary, it generally includes some of these tasks:

  • Creating accounts
  • Installing software
  • Making sure electronic equipment such as computers, printers, cameras, projectors and interactive boards are in working order
  • Troubleshooting connectivity problems, missing data, slow performance, overload-lack of space on a machine for data, or program problems
  • Removing viruses
  • Replacing hard drives
  • Being a liaison between service providers and clients
  • Scheduling repair service
  • Keeping inventory
  • Scheduling training for staff
  • Attending meetings
  • Responding to call tickets that are submitted to a call queue
  • Recording in CRM databases
  • Staying current on new technology trends

Salary and Career Progression for a Technical Support Specialist

A Technical Support Specialist makes between $26,094 – $63,935 per year on average. From there you might consider advancing to be a System Administrator, Computer/Network ($32,941-$76,543 on average per year), a Information Technology Manager ($42,229-$125,188 on average per year), or a Network Administrator, IT ($30,992-$70,429 on average per year).

Best Locations for Technical Support Specialists

Here are some great locations for technical support specialists:

  • San Diego, California
  • New York, New York
  • San Francisco, California
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Washington, DC
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Irvine, California
  • Miami, Florida
  • Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Boston, Massachusetts

Pros and Cons of Being a Technical Support Specialist

Pros
  • Lots of opportunity as the Internet continues to grow
  • Great interaction with people if you’re extroverted and enjoy it
Cons
  • Demanding hours
  • Stressful because most problems are considered urgent
  • Customers are often angry when you speak with them

What You Need to Know for a Career in Technical Support

To be a Technical Support Specialist you might need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, but there are places where you could also get by without it. More importantly you need to have excellent database management and computer skills. You’ll also need solid communication, written, and customer support skills. And it’s helpful to learn about web technologies, browser-based software, Microsoft Excel, XML, and HTTP/FTP.

Technical Support Resources

If technical support still sounds like your cup of tea, here are a few things you should do to get started.

Required Reading

Key Folks to Follow on Twitter

Blogs and Websites

Networking Opportunities

Careers Related to Technical Support

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Companies with Entry Level Jobs and Internships in Technical Support

Disruptor Beam Logo

Disruptor Beam - Disruptor Beam is a Framingham, MA based company that is aiming “to create the most fan-centric game company in the world.”

See the complete Disruptor Beam profile


Blinds.com Logo

Blinds.com - Blinds.com is a Houston, TX based company that is “the world’s largest online window covering store.”

See the complete Blinds.com profile


Xamarin Logo

Xamarin - Xamarin is a San Francisco, CA based company allows developers to write “apps entirely in C#, sharing the same code on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.”

See the complete Xamarin profile


Liferay Logo

Liferay - Liferay is a Diamond Bar, CA based company that helps clients “build modern websites and portals to engage customers, partners, and employees.”

See the complete Liferay profile


Destination Maternity Corporation Logo

Destination Maternity Corporation - Destination Maternity Corporation, which is based in Philadelphia, PA, does $500 million in annual sales as “the world’s leading maternity apparel retailer.”

See the complete Destination Maternity Corporation profile


Hanley Wood Logo

Hanley Wood - Washington, DC based Hanley Wood is “the premier media, event, information and strategic marketing services company serving the residential and commercial design and construction industries.”

See the complete Hanley Wood profile


Invoca Logo

Invoca - Invoca is a Santa Barbara, CA based company whose "marketing tools empower you to generate better leads, higher conversions, smarter spends and greater revenue.”

See the complete Invoca profile


MINDBODY Logo

MINDBODY - MINDBODY is a San Luis Obispo, CA based company that believes that “small business owners deserve the time to do what they love.”

See the complete MINDBODY profile


EasyPost Logo

EasyPost - EasyPost is a San Francisco, CA based startup that “is changing the way shipping works and helping a lot of people” at the same time.

See the complete EasyPost profile


CafeMom Logo

CafeMom - CafeMom is an NYC based digital media company for moms that reaches more than 20 million users every month

See the complete CafeMom profile


Minted Logo

Minted - Minted is a San Francisco, CA based company that aims “to find exceptional artists and designers all over the world and bring their work to consumers."

See the complete Minted profile


BidPal Logo

BidPal - BidPal is an Indianapolis, IN based company that uses technology to “improve charitable fundraising events from start to finish."

See the complete BidPal profile


Rand McNally Logo

Rand McNally - Rand McNally is a Skokie, IL based company that was founded in 1856. Since then they’ve been specializing “in maps, navigation, road travel, and trip planning.”

See the complete Rand McNally profile


iFixit

iFixit - iFixit is a San Luis Obispo, CA based company that wants “to show the world how to fix every thing.”

See the complete iFixit profile


Fuhu Logo

Fuhu - Fuhu is an El Segundo, CA based company aiming to be "the leading designer, seller and innovator of ‘thoughtful’ consumer products and services for children.”

See the complete Fuhu profile


WP Engine Logo

WP Engine - WP Engine is an Austin, TX based company that “host tens of thousands of the 75 million WordPress sites and apps on Earth.”

See the complete WP Engine profile


Taboola Logo

Taboola - Taboola is a New York, NY based company that publishers, marketers, and agencies use to retain users, monetize traffic, and distribute content.

See the complete Taboola profile


BoomTown Logo

BoomTown - BoomTown offers is a Charleston, SC based software company that “has generated millions of leads for real estate teams.” 4,329,036 leads to be exact.

See the complete BoomTown profile


BrainJuicer Logo

BrainJuicer - BrainJuicer is a U.K. based market research firm (with offices in NYC, LA, and Chi) that aims “to inspire brave clients to do great marketing."

See the complete BrainJuicer profile


PeopleAnswers Logo

PeopleAnswers - PeopleAnswers is a Dallas, TX based company that has developed a web-based assessment tool to provide insight into applicants' future on-the-job capabilities.

See the complete PeopleAnswers profile


Trek Logo

Trek - Trek is based in Waterloo, WI and has been pursuing a mission to “build the best bikes in the world” since they were founded in 1976.

See the complete Trek profile


MyWebGrocer Logo

MyWebGrocer - MyWebGrocer is a Winooski, VT based company that provides “leading-edge eCommerce and eMarketing solutions to the grocery and consumer packaged goods industries.”

See the complete MyWebGrocer profile


The Trust for Public Land Logo

The Trust for Public Land - The Trust for Public Land is a San Francisco, CA based org that was “founded in 1972 with goals of protecting land in and around cities and pioneering."

See the complete The Trust for Public Land profile


Demandware Logo

Demandware - Demandware is a Burlington, MA based company that offers an “enterprise-class cloud commerce platform” that powers “more than 150 retail brands across more than 575 sites."

See the complete Demandware profile


HomeAway Logo

HomeAway - HomeAway is an Austin, TX based company that offers “the world’s leading online marketplace of vacation rentals."

See the complete HomeAway profile


Trailer Park Logo

Trailer Park - Trailer Park is a Hollywood, CA based full-service entertainment marketing agency that serves “a broad spectrum of clients."

See the complete Trailer Park profile


Youth For Understanding USA Logo

Youth For Understanding USA - YFU USA is a Bethesda, MD non-profit foreign exchange “committed to preparing young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing world.”

See the complete Youth For Understanding USA profile


Watchfire Logo

Watchfire - Watchfire is a Danville, IL based company that provides businesses with cost-effective, long lasting LED signage that can be updated easily.

See the complete Watchfire profile


Newegg Logo

Newegg - Newegg, which is based in City of Industry, CA, is "the leading electronics-focused e-retailer in the United States."

See the complete Newegg profile


Olapic Logo

Olapic - Olapic is a New York, NY based company that provides the technology that allows brands to “collect, curate and display high quality photos" from customers.

See the complete Olapic profile


TCP Logo

TCP - TCP is an Aurora, OH based company (their world headquarters is in Cham, Switzerland) that calls itself “the home of lighting innovation.”

See the complete TCP profile


Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Logo

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters - One of the more interesting success stories in the coffee business is Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which started as a small coffee shop in 1981.

See the complete Green Mountain Coffee Roasters profile


adMarketplace Logo

adMarketplace - adMarketplace is a New York, NY based company that “delivers data-driven performance to the Internet’s leading marketers through" their search syndication platform.

See the complete adMarketplace profile


Braintree Logo

Braintree - Braintree is a Chicago, IL based company that is simplifying payments for online businesses.

See the complete Braintree profile


Pardot Logo

Pardot - Pardot is an Atlanta, GA based company that provides online marketing automation software to businesses and is seeing insane growth.

See the complete Pardot profile


Everyday Health Logo

Everyday Health - Everyday Health provides “consumers, healthcare professionals, and brands with content and advertising-based services," and they're hiring.

See the complete Everyday Health profile


Wolverine Trading Logo

Wolverine Trading - Wolverine Trading is a Chicago, IL based trading firm with a ton of entry level career opportunities for new grads.

See the complete Wolverine Trading profile


Accuweather Logo

Accuweather - Accuweather is based in State College, PA, and they call themselves "the World's Weather Authority." Right now they have some great jobs for new or recent grads

See the complete Accuweather profile


Lumosity Logo

Lumosity - Lumosity is a San Francisco, CA based company that helps people improve their mental acuity, and they're hiring for a number of positions.

See the complete Lumosity profile


MakerBot Industries Logo

MakerBot Industries - 3D printing is about to get really big, and MakerBot Industries is at the forefront on the consumer side. Take a look at their job opportunities.

See the complete MakerBot Industries profile


W3i Logo

W3i - W3i is a company that is focused on connecting people with apps, and they have some awesome looking job opportunities.

See the complete W3i profile


SendGrid Logo

SendGrid - Ever wonder why some e-mails get delivered and others don't? Get a job at SendGrid and you'll learn all about it.

See the complete SendGrid profile


DoubleVerify Logo

DoubleVerify - DoubleVerify ensures that advertisers are getting the placement that they pay for. They're changing how the online ad industry works, and they're hiring help.

See the complete DoubleVerify profile


Mango Languages Logo

Mango Languages - There are lots of job opportunities at Mango Languages, so it’s pretty likely that one of them will be suitable if you’re a language lover.

See the complete Mango Languages profile


SurveyGizmo Logo

SurveyGizmo - If you like SurveyGizmo’s approach to helping clients capture and analyze data, then you'll want to check out their job opportunities.

See the complete SurveyGizmo profile


Greencitizen Logo

Greencitizen - Worried about e-waste and the effects that its having on the environment? Check out jobs at Greencitizen in San Francisco, CA.

See the complete Greencitizen profile


ngmoco Logo

ngmoco - ngmoco is a social/mobile gaming company that calls their employees mofos. It looks like a great place to work, so maybe being a mofo isn't all that bad.

See the complete ngmoco profile


ONOSYS Logo

ONOSYS - If you're interested in helping restaurants better serve their customers through technology, then it's time to take a look at jobs with ONOSYS.

See the complete ONOSYS profile


HotSchedules Logo

HotSchedules - If you’re digging what HotSchedules does (and you also want to check out all of their cool perks) head over to their Jobs page.

See the complete HotSchedules profile


MailChimp Logo

MailChimp - MailChimp has one of, if not the best Jobs page that I’ve ever seen, and it's filled with great opportunities for new or recent grads.

See the complete MailChimp profile


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