IT Associate Employment Skills in Demand

Information Technology Associate is responsible for performing information technology support of hardware, software, and peripheral equipment. This is an in-demand career expected to grow 15% in the next decade. Here is how to become an Information Technology Associate whose role is upkeep of operational services and activities. Day to Day work could look something like this:

Configuring, monitoring, installing, and maintaining mission-critical systems.
Maintaining desktop and portable computer equipment and deploying application software systems.
Maintaining Microsoft Windows-based, JAMF, and other mobile data computer systems, including warehouse mobility, mobile phones, cellular router equipment, and related software.
Troubleshooting issues with cellular router and connectivity issues with cellular providers and maintaining knowledge of computer images and how to ensure rapid recovery/deployment of repaired or new computers.
Maintaining fixed asset inventory of computer, network, radio, and telecommunications equipment and maintains catalog of licenses and support/maintenance agreements and providing updates to internal company business units or external customers equipment, including IT Hardware, Software, or Peripheral additions, deletions, and changes.

Typical Qualifications include a combination of Education and Experience

Associate’s degree from an accredited institution, college or university with coursework in computer science, information systems, or another field of study applicable to the responsibilities and requirements of this job class.
3-5 years of progressive responsibility performing technical, analytical and support tasks for computer systems.
Top IT Certifications a recent LinkedIn study found the highest paying certifications.

What if I do not have a degree or sufficient experience?

Professionalism, problem solving and excellent service ethic. can open doors in this field without the degree and years of experience. Look for entry level service desk jobs, or temporary agencies. Without a degree, it is possible to amass great experience by building your career portfolio from successful work in temporary agencies, who often hire associates for large projects who are willing to learn and quick to learn and apply the basic installation and support skills for major projects or help desks.

The ideal IT Associate is looking to prove a successful track record of the following:

Your objective is to develop and maintain a strong grasp of current technology with practical knowledge and understanding of IT technology tools, solutions.
- Analyze the types of service issues coming in and create knowledge that improves your resolution skills and create knowledge centered service, your learning creates support resources; use newly gained knowledge and skills to document knowledge articles or support resources help document your learning, your team, and the customers you serve.
- Cultivate the ability to communicate support ideas clearly and concisely to a variety of different experience levels, in an engaging manner that helps them understand and help you solve their problems.
- Find innovative ways to engage cooperatively to help your team or organization to achieve its goals.
- Delivering reliable service performance under pressure or opposition. IT Associates must remain “in the zone” to master delivering service value in spite of pressures, conflict, and ambiguity, handling stressful situation with professional grace under pressure.
Interest in Customer Support Trends and Best Practices can connect you to other professionals where you connect, and grow, learning to improve work results, solve work problems, and take advantage of new business opportunities. Consider joining best practice organizations such as HDI and iTSMF to find trends, practical skills, ideas for growth.
- Knowledge and Experience is Value! Be a student of the industry by connecting with others and identifying new opportunities to stay in tune with top Technology trends.
- Leverage techniques for creating novel problem solving and solutions that deliver measurable value for improving your customer or end user experience.
- Learning from best practices and experimenting to discover new ways to solve business and technical challenges. Seize opportunities to challenge yourself in new ways as the result creates valuable experience and differentiated solutions.
- Continue to challenge to develop your professional technical and functional skills builds your capabilities; IT grows quickly, so maintain knowledge of Industry developments and trends; leveraging expert knowledge to accomplish results.

Resources:

Association of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) |BPM Institute | Cyber Fraud Prevention | Education & Study Abroad | Employment Taskforce | Executive Womens Network |itSMFSFBay | Jobs N Careers – {FB | LI} | NIST | Project Management Institute | Recruiting Network | SANS |