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What is an application support specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Sagar Raina D.Sc.
introduction image

Application support specialists are IT staff responsible for resolving application issues in business. These professionals understand the applications and systems used in the organization, and they provide technical support when needed. Application support specialists can work in large or small private organizations, as well as government-owned institutions.

A day in the life may include assisting teams with systems integration, managing the organization's query system, responding to assistance requests, troubleshooting systems, and resolving technical issues. Application support specialists may also deliver regular training to teams or individuals and generate reports.

These professionals often specialize in various applications and fields. As a result, an organization may hire multiple specialists to respond to multiple queries.

To become an application support specialist, you need a degree in IT, computing studies, or a related field. You also need skills in critical thinking, communication, listening, and customer service.

What general advice would you give to an application support specialist?

Sagar Raina D.Sc.Sagar Raina D.Sc. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Information Technology, Mount St Mary's University

The transition from the academic world to the industry is a significant milestone and may be overwhelming for the beginners. The first and foremost advice I would give is to be “patient”, be “positive” and be “open to learning”. The field of Information Systems consists of the three important components – people, processes, and technology. The graduates beginning their careers should be able to understand and learn about the “people” working in the organization, the “processes” of the organization and the “technology” used by the organization. To accomplish this, work hard, be open to ask questions to the senior colleagues and keep yourself informed about the new trends in Information Systems sector.
ScoreApplication Support SpecialistUS Average
Salary
6.4

Avg. Salary $81,820

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.7

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 11.48%

Black or African American 11.57%

Hispanic or Latino 15.89%

Unknown 5.36%

White 55.29%

Gender

female 38.39%

male 61.61%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.4

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Application support specialist career paths

Key steps to become an application support specialist

  1. Explore application support specialist education requirements

    Most common application support specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    62.9 %

    Associate

    22.1 %

    Master's

    7.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific application support specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Application Support12.70%
    Customer Service10.49%
    Troubleshoot6.80%
    Technical Support5.39%
    Java3.77%
  3. Complete relevant application support specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New application support specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an application support specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real application support specialist resumes.
  4. Research application support specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Help manage the design, development, and deployment of HL7 interfaces.
    • Lead, and manage CRM (Peoplesoft and Siebel) implementation technical teams on multiple engagements.
    • Assist users of varying PC and application skills levels and manage through a wide variety of customer scenarios.
    • Develop and automate network and mainframe system diagnostics as necessary using a variety of 3rd party software tools and utilities.
  5. Prepare your application support specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your application support specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an application support specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable application support specialist resume templates

    Build a professional application support specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your application support specialist resume.
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for application support specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an application support specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first application support specialist job

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Average application support specialist salary

The average application support specialist salary in the United States is $81,820 per year or $39 per hour. Application support specialist salaries range between $52,000 and $127,000 per year.

Average application support specialist salary
$81,820 Yearly
$39.34 hourly

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How do application support specialists rate their job?

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Application support specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023
Pros

You get to help a lot of people in many different ways as well as learning new things about technology

Cons

I have aids now due to the painfulness of sitting down all day


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

Working with The people

Cons

There was nothing to like. Everyone was polite an hard workers


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

I decided to go to technical support because I've been fascinated by technology all my life and I love working with the people as well. I want to use my technical know-how to solve directly the problems that customers have. I want to be the person who makes life easier and more enjoyable for people who have had a problem. This is what I like most as a technical Support.

Cons

I don't like sitting around being inactive. So I'll keep my self always busy


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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