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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for IT Help Desk Support

💰 $40,000 - $60,000

IT SupportHelp DeskTechnical SupportCustomer Service

🎯 Role Definition

We are hiring an IT Help Desk Support professional to be the primary point of contact for employees and end users seeking technical assistance. The IT Help Desk Support role provides front-line troubleshooting for hardware, software, network and account issues, manages tickets through a service desk system, escalates incidents appropriately, documents resolutions, and contributes to a culture of excellent customer service and continuous improvement. Ideal candidates are comfortable with Tier 1/Tier 2 support tasks, remote support tools, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and have strong written and verbal communication skills.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Help Desk Intern or Co-op supporting IT operations and user onboarding.
  • Customer Service Representative transitioning into technical support with exposure to SaaS or internal tools.
  • Desktop Support Technician working on workstation imaging, peripherals, and local troubleshooting.

Advancement To:

  • Senior Help Desk Technician / Lead Desktop Support
  • Systems Administrator or Infrastructure Engineer (Windows/Linux)
  • IT Service Desk Manager or IT Operations Manager
  • Endpoint Management / SCCM Specialist or MDM Administrator

Lateral Moves:

  • Network Technician / Network Support Specialist
  • Cybersecurity Analyst (entry-level SOC support)
  • Application Support Analyst or Service Desk Analyst focused on specific business apps

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Serve as the first point of contact for internal employees and external stakeholders via phone, email, chat, and ticketing system; log, triage, and prioritize incidents and service requests in accordance with defined SLAs.
  • Diagnose and resolve a broad range of hardware issues (laptops, desktops, monitors, printers, peripherals) through in-person and remote troubleshooting, replacing components or coordinating warranty repairs when necessary.
  • Troubleshoot operating system and software problems for Windows and macOS endpoints, including boot failures, system crashes, driver issues, and performance degradation.
  • Manage user accounts, group memberships, and mailbox provisioning using Active Directory and Microsoft 365 Admin Center; reset passwords, unlock accounts, and maintain group policies.
  • Install, configure, patch, and update business-critical software and SaaS applications (Microsoft 365, Teams, Outlook, Zoom, Slack, CRM tools), ensuring compliance with company standards and security policies.
  • Provide secure remote assistance using remote support tools (TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Microsoft Quick Assist, Intune remote actions), walking users through reproducing and resolving technical issues.
  • Perform standard endpoint imaging and provisioning using endpoint management tools (SCCM, Intune, Ghost) to ensure consistent desktop builds and application packages for new hires and hardware refreshes.
  • Troubleshoot basic network connectivity issues including wired/wireless connectivity, VPN connections, DNS, and IP assignment; escalate to Network team when root cause indicates infrastructure failure.
  • Diagnose printing and scanning problems across networked and local printers, managing print queues, drivers, and permissions; coordinate with vendors for service and consumables.
  • Maintain accurate, detailed documentation for incident resolution, knowledge base articles, runbooks, and onboarding/offboarding procedures to improve first-call resolution rates.
  • Escalate complex issues to Tier 2/3 engineering teams, vendors, or managed service providers with clear reproduction steps, logs, and diagnostic output to accelerate mean time to resolution (MTTR).
  • Execute employee onboarding and offboarding tasks including account creation, device provisioning, software access, mailbox creation, license assignment, and secure device handback/wipe procedures.
  • Enforce security best practices and corporate IT policies by educating users on phishing awareness, secure password creation, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and safe remote work practices.
  • Monitor service desk queues and system alerts for incident surges, proactively communicate status updates and incident impact to affected users and business owners until resolution.
  • Participate in patch management windows by verifying patch deployments, assisting end users who experience post-patch issues, and documenting known patch-related exceptions.
  • Support mobile device management (MDM) and mobile user setup, including enrollment, policy application, remote wipe, and troubleshooting of iOS and Android devices.
  • Assist with backup and recovery tasks for user files including OneDrive, SharePoint, and network file shares; help users recover accidentally deleted or corrupted files where possible.
  • Maintain and manage inventory of IT assets including serial numbers, warranty dates, assigned users, and lifecycle status to support procurement and audit readiness.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by analyzing common incident trends, recommending process improvements, and creating knowledge base content to reduce recurring tickets.
  • Participate in on-call rotation and after-hours support when required, responding to urgent incidents with appropriate escalation and communication practices to minimize business impact.
  • Conduct basic troubleshooting and remediation for endpoint security alerts (antivirus, EDR notifications), quarantining devices, running scans, and escalating confirmed infections to security operations.
  • Support conference room and AV setups for hybrid meetings, including projector, microphone, video conferencing hardware, and collaboration software troubleshooting to ensure business continuity.
  • Facilitate hardware lifecycle activities: decommissioning, secure data wipe, imaging, and redeployment or disposal following corporate and environmental policies.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist IT projects by providing end-user perspective, device compatibility testing, and pilot support during new system rollouts or infrastructure upgrades.
  • Help maintain and curate the internal IT knowledge base and self-service portal, contributing step-by-step guides and FAQ content to improve user self-resolution rates.
  • Provide training sessions and documentation for new tools and processes to increase adoption and reduce support demand.
  • Participate in asset audits, procurement coordination, and vendor communications to support timely replacement of hardware and software renewals.
  • Support data collection and reporting for help desk KPIs (first contact resolution, ticket backlog, SLA compliance) and recommend staffing or process adjustments based on metrics.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Strong experience with ticketing and service desk systems (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Zendesk, Freshservice) including ticket triage, SLA management, and reporting.
  • Proficiency administering and troubleshooting Active Directory, AD group policies, user provisioning, and secure authentication workflows.
  • Solid working knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) including mailbox management and client configuration.
  • Hands-on experience with remote support tools (TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Remote Desktop, Microsoft Quick Assist) and remote troubleshooting best practices.
  • Familiarity with endpoint management and imaging tools (Microsoft Intune, SCCM/ConfigMgr, Autopilot) for device provisioning and software deployment.
  • Ability to troubleshoot basic LAN/WAN and Wi-Fi connectivity issues, VPN client configuration, and network diagnostic tools (ping, tracert, ipconfig).
  • Experience troubleshooting Windows OS and macOS desktops/laptops, including common startup, permissions, and application compatibility issues.
  • Knowledge of common enterprise applications and productivity suites (Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom) and their client-side troubleshooting steps.
  • Competence in supporting mobile devices and MDM (Jamf, Intune) for iOS and Android, including enrollment, policies, and remote wipe.
  • Understanding of endpoint security basics (antivirus, EDR/antimalware tools), MFA implementation, and secure credential handling.
  • Experience managing printers, print servers, and print drivers in a networked enterprise environment.
  • Familiarity with basic scripting or automation (PowerShell, bash) for repetitive administration tasks and logs collection is a plus.
  • Comfort with backup and file recovery workflows for cloud file services and network shares.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent customer service orientation with empathy and patience for non-technical users; strong telephone and written communication skills.
  • Clear problem-solving ability and structured troubleshooting mindset, able to isolate root causes and document steps taken.
  • Strong time management and prioritization skills to handle concurrent tickets while meeting SLA commitments.
  • Team player mentality with the ability to collaborate across IT teams and business units; open to feedback and knowledge sharing.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies, systems, and tools in a fast-paced IT environment.
  • Professional demeanor and discretion when handling sensitive user data and corporate systems.
  • Attention to detail in ticket documentation, asset tracking, and change-control procedures.
  • Proactive attitude toward process improvement and creating end-user focused documentation.
  • Resilience under pressure, particularly during incident spikes or business-impacting outages.
  • Effective training and coaching skills to help onboard and upskill junior technicians or business users.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent; demonstrable technical aptitude and customer service experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate or Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related technical discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Information Technology
  • Computer Science
  • Cybersecurity
  • Network Administration
  • Management Information Systems

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–3 years for entry-level roles; 1–5 years recommended for fully independent IT Help Desk Support positions.

Preferred:

  • 2+ years in a help desk, desktop support, or IT support specialist role with demonstrated use of ticketing systems and remote support tools.
  • Preferred certifications: CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, Microsoft 365 Certified, Microsoft Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate, ITIL Foundation, or equivalent practical experience.
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