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What is a help desk administrator and how to become one
Help desk administrators are in charge of handling system support activities for their company or organization. They are responsible for providing excellent client experiences and working to resolve support issues in a prompt and professional manner. One of their main tasks include providing password and login resets for end users. They also sometimes perform advanced system and network repairs.
Their main tasks include reading and listening to client problems and collecting necessary information to identify and solve technical issues. Moreover, they also either remotely or in person conduct set-up, administration, configuration, or troubleshooting of problems. They monitor and follow policies on backups, network, and storage capacity, and change management. A bachelor's degree in information systems or a related field is necessary for this job. In addition, experience in a help desk environment may be preferred. Furthermore, industry-related certifications may give applicants an advantage over other candidates.
The average hourly salary for the position is $24.22, which amounts to $50,383 annually. The career is projected to grow in the near future, resulting in new opportunities emerging all across the United States.
What general advice would you give to a help desk administrator?
Ranganathan Chandrasekaran
Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois
Several businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they have rolled back their offers made to students for internships and jobs. Businesses have also resorted to downsizing and layoffs, and we are likely to see that continue, at least in the near term. However, two sectors that are showing promises of a quick turnaround are technology and healthcare.
It might take many months for the economy to get back on track, but the demand for information systems graduates is likely to grow, as a large number of businesses have turned to increased use of technology in this pandemic period. As more companies go digital, we need more professionals to manage the remote-work, technological infrastructure and meet the other demands of the business. Students pursuing education in information systems, computer science, and healthcare are going to be in greater demand.
On the positive side, the uncertainties induced by the pandemic have also helped students to prepare themselves better for a tougher job market. I found many students rise up and use the lockdown period to have a serious introspection and invest their time and effort in upgrading their knowledge and skills. The internship drought and rescinding of job/internship offers brought their dreams crashing down, but I found several students to quickly get over their disappointments, and engage in improving their skillsets utilizing the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity. I am aware of many students, especially in the information systems disciple, who spent time doing online courses, completing certification programs, and take up DIY projects on data analysis, developing analytical and forecasting models, and visualization of various aspects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in massive amounts of data, released by several organizations worldwide, that have provided a stimulant for students to indulge in DIY-projects. I had several students approach me over summer to do some projects, and we have done some interesting projects using public datasets related to COVID-19.
Avg. Salary $49,798
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 5%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 8.84%
Black or African American 9.11%
Hispanic or Latino 12.79%
Unknown 5.10%
White 63.84%
Genderfemale 25.74%
male 74.26%
Age - 42American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 42Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Help desk administrator career paths
Key steps to become a help desk administrator
Explore help desk administrator education requirements
Start to develop specific help desk administrator skills
Skills Percentages Customer Service 10.72% Desk Support 6.93% Troubleshoot 5.57% Technical Support 5.35% Phone Calls 4.12% Complete relevant help desk administrator training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New help desk administrators 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 a help desk administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real help desk administrator resumes.Gain additional help desk administrator certifications
More About CertificationsHelp desk administrator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific help desk administrator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for help desk administrators include Security 5 Certification and HDI Desktop Support Technician (HDI).
Research help desk administrator duties and responsibilities
- Create, deploy and manage VMWare virtual desktops as well as configured customize pools for specific operational needs.
- Manage the PC refresh program transferring all user data remotely and installing require software applications.
- Configure, establish and manage local area network (LAN) connectivity and remote access per customer configuration requirements.
- Administer DNS / DHCP servers, work with network administer to make sure the tables are updating correctly.
Prepare your help desk administrator resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your help desk administrator 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 a help desk administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable help desk administrator resume templates
Build a professional help desk administrator 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 help desk administrator resume.
Apply for help desk administrator jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a help desk administrator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first help desk administrator job
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Average help desk administrator salary
The average help desk administrator salary in the United States is $49,798 per year or $24 per hour. Help desk administrator salaries range between $34,000 and $71,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do help desk administrators rate their job?
Help desk administrator reviews
You get to help a lot of people in many different ways as well as learning new things about technology
I have aids now due to the painfulness of sitting down all day
Working with The people
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.
I don't like sitting around being inactive. So I'll keep my self always busy
Updated January 8, 2025
