Other possible titles for this job
- Support technician
- Operations technician
Context of a computer technician job
The computer technician job is demanding and not always recognized at its true worth. Its wide scope makes it a little ambiguous, since computer technicians can be hardware specialists, in charge of support, network and systems supervision or database administrators, all at the same time. This field has a few constraints such as mobility, despite remote monitoring, and being on call.
Description of the computer technician job
The computer technician is responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of user workstations, software and peripherals. The job is often part of a company’s computer department or a computer services company. In addition to advanced technical skills, the position requires a number of soft skills (active listening, patience and teaching) for the user dialogue to be a quality one.
Main tasks of the computer technician
- Install, test and update computer equipment (computers, servers, peripherals, programs and software)
- Ensure the maintenance, administration and security of hardware
- Diagnose and treat incidents
- Write procedures and various technical documents
- Provide user support for the initial training on equipment and software
Education to be a computer technician
- A college diploma or bachelor’s degree in computers is recommended.
Skills
Have expertise in the following:
- Operating systems (Windows, Unix and Linux)
- Office and messaging software
- Relational databases and SQL programming
- Web-based architectures
Qualities to become a computer technician
- Good listening and understanding skills
- Analytical skills and ability to see the big picture
- Good adaptation skills
- Good communication and teaching skills
- Independence
Computer technician career path
In the short term, the computer technician can work on projects of increasing complexity, with the introduction of new equipment and the complexity of installations, procedures and tests. Afterwards, he can also consider becoming an IT manager, and even go into management or sales.