Pros and Cons of a Network Support Technician Career
Network support technicians work to maintain the security and functionality of computer network systems for companies or individual clients. Check out these pros and cons to see if becoming a network support technician is right for you:
| Pros of a Network Support Technician Career |
|---|
| Minimum education requirements (usually 2-4 years)* |
| Possibility to work from home* |
| Multiple pathways for advancement* |
| Cons of a Network Support Technician Career |
|---|
| Slower-than-average growth field (7% increase from 2012-2022)* |
| Long periods of time in front of a computer* |
| Possible unorthodox work hours, including nights and weekends* |
| Continued education or training may be required* |
| Need to effectively communicate with non-IT personnel* |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Essential Career Info
Job Duties
Whether you work for a software company or an IT firm, your job as a network support technician will revolve around the various networks used by an organization. In some cases, you may set up and install wide area networks, local area networks and Internet access for a company. You would work to maintain security on any existing networks and troubleshoot issues that may arise. Although you would spend much of your time using network software at a computer, you may also need to physically deal with the hardware involved. You need to have good communication skills in order to talk to non-IT workers to explain any problems with the networks in a way that they can understand.
Salary and Career Prospects
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported in May 2014 that computer network support specialists, a group that includes network support technicians, made a median annual wage of about $62,000 (www.bls.gov). Many of the new jobs projected by the BLS will be in the computer systems design, software design and data processing industries, though some of the largest employers of computer support specialists are elementary and secondary schools. As many types of businesses adopt advanced technologies to organize and secure their data, network support technicians will be needed to maintain those technologies. After gaining some experience, you may be able to advance to management, software development or programming positions, particularly if you enhance your knowledge with continuing education from industry leaders and product vendors.
Education and Training Requirements
Employers have varying educational requirements for entry-level network support technicians and computer support specialists in general. While in some cases, a high school diploma, 1-year certificate or 2-year associate's degree program could be enough to get you started in the field, many employers prefer to hire candidates with a bachelor's degree. Some applicable majors include those in information technology, computer science or information science.
After completing your degree and gaining employment, you may have some on-the-job training to get you started as a network support technician. Even after your initial training, your company may pay for continuing education courses in order to keep you apprised of developing technologies and IT trends.
What Employers are Looking for
In addition to technical knowledge, companies are generally looking for candidates with good communication skills. Check out these summaries of job postings open in March 2012 to get an idea of what employers are looking for:
- An accounting firm in Florida was looking to hire a network support technician to perform installations and maintenance on network infrastructure. Candidates were expected to have Windows networking experience and be willing to work some nights and weekends.
- An electrical contracting company in Massachusetts wanted to hire a network support technician with a college degree, three years of experience and strong problem solving skills. Applicants were also expected to be able to lift computer equipment weighing up to 75 pounds.
- A healthcare IT company in Indiana was looking for a network technician with three years of experience, expert knowledge in a specific vendor's products and the availability to travel.
How to Stand out in the Field
Get Certified
A professional designation can demonstrate your knowledge and ability to potential employers and give you a step up in the job hunt. Networking product vendors and software companies offer various certifications specific to their technologies. For instance, Cisco has five levels of certifications for networking professionals, from entry-level to architect. To gain a designation, you typically need to pass an exam as administered by the company. Having certifications in multiple areas and various products may make you a desirable employee.
Continue Your Education
A common advancement for network support technicians is to a management role, which may be more easily obtained if you have studied business management or related subjects. Because communication skills are important to this position, you may also want to enroll in English, communications or psychology courses in order to hone your interpersonal acumen.
Other Careers to Consider
If you're more interested in creating software than working within it, consider a career as a computer programmer or software engineer. The education for both of these careers involves studying advanced math and computer science, which can be a heavy course load. Employment for software engineers, who earned a median wage of $89,000 in 2011, was projected to increase 30% through 2020.
If you'd like to work overseeing a company's IT systems but not its network, you could look into becoming a database administrator. You would maintain, update and troubleshoot the databases that compile and secure all types of information, working with various types of software. You generally need a bachelor's degree in a field like computer science or information science to begin work as a database administrator. The BLS reported in May 2011 that database administrators made a median annual wage of $73,000, and employment for this group was projected to increase by 28% between 2010 and 2020.
