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What is an information technology technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Experts
Ranganathan Chandrasekaran,
Oriehi Destiny Anyaiwe
introduction image

An information technology technician provides technical support and assistance to individuals or organizations with computer systems and software. They install, maintain, and troubleshoot hardware, software, and network issues. IT technicians also perform system upgrades, data backups, and security measures to ensure optimal performance and protect against cyber threats. They may work in a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, education, and government. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential in this field.

What general advice would you give to an Information Technology Technician?

Ranganathan ChandrasekaranRanganathan Chandrasekaran LinkedIn Profile

Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois

As we roll into another month of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduating students are facing one of the worst moments of their lives. They face several uncertainties; due to financial challenges, uncertainty about completing their degrees on time, adjusting to online and hybrid modes of learning, and worst of all, facing the worst job market. As a result, I see the stress and anxiety levels among the graduating students to be significantly higher, at levels I have not experienced in my academic career.

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.
ScoreInformation Technology TechnicianUS Average
Salary
3.8

Avg. Salary $49,031

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.7

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 11.79%

Black or African American 10.85%

Hispanic or Latino 16.25%

Unknown 5.38%

White 55.32%

Gender

female 15.24%

male 84.76%

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
6.4

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.4

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Information Technology Technician?

Pros

  • High demand

  • Good salary potential

  • Variety of job settings (corporate, healthcare, government, education, etc.)

  • Constant learning and skill development

  • Job stability

Cons

  • High stress levels due to tight deadlines and urgent issues

  • Long hours and being on-call during off-hours

  • Potential for eye strain, back pain, and other health issues from sitting at a computer all day

  • High level of responsibility for maintaining network security and protecting sensitive data

  • Tendency for repetitive tasks leading to boredom or lack of engagement

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Information Technology Technician career paths

Key steps to become an information technology technician

  1. Explore information technology technician education requirements

    Most common information technology technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    46.5 %

    Associate

    33.5 %

    High School Diploma

    8.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific information technology technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service13.69%
    Troubleshoot10.20%
    Technical Support5.29%
    Desk Support4.03%
    Computer System3.41%
  3. Complete relevant information technology technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New information technology technicians 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 information technology technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real information technology technician resumes.
  4. Gain additional information technology technician certifications

    Information technology technician 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 information technology technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for information technology technicians include Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) and Security 5 Certification.

    More About Certifications
  5. Research information technology technician duties and responsibilities

    • Manage and execute project to remotely upgrade VPN clients
    • Manage incoming tickets and incidents in remedy and troubleshooting.
    • Manage backups, replications and disaster recovery plans of company mission critical servers and database files to ensure redundancy.
    • Analyze and maintain OS and domain account information across systems to ensure efficient and security workstations and virtual computing environments.
  6. Prepare your information technology technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your information technology technician 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 information technology technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Information Technology Technician Resume templates

    Build a professional Information Technology Technician 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 Information Technology Technician resume.
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  7. Apply for information technology technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an information technology technician 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 Information Technology Technician Job

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Average information technology technician salary

The average Information Technology Technician salary in the United States is $49,031 per year or $24 per hour. Information technology technician salaries range between $28,000 and $83,000 per year.

Average Information Technology Technician Salary
$49,031 Yearly
$23.57 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do information technology technicians rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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1 Star

Information Technology Technician 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


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Hardware engineer

Cons

None I like it a lot it has good and bad things about it:ggghhhg


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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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