How To Become A Service Desk Analyst: What It Is and Career Path

What is a service desk analyst and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A service desk analyst provides technical support to end-users of technology products and services. They work in industries including healthcare, finance, and technology. A service desk analyst troubleshoots issues related to hardware, software, and network connectivity. They also document incidents and service requests and communicate with customers to meet their needs. They often work in a fast-paced environment, requiring them to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively while maintaining attention to detail and customer service skills.

ScoreService Desk AnalystUS Average

Salary

3.5

Avg. Salary $45,397

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

4.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.66%

Asian 12.28%

Black or African American 10.48%

Hispanic or Latino 17.79%

Unknown 7.11%

White 50.69%

Gender

female 25.63%

male 74.37%

Age - 34

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 - 34

Stress level

8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.3

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a service desk analyst?

Pros

Opportunities for career growth and advancement
Job stability and security
Opportunities for remote work
Competitive salary and benefits packages
Ability to work in a team-oriented environment

Cons

Workload can be overwhelming at times
Limited autonomy and decision-making power
Poor work-life balance due to shift work or on-call duties
Inadequate compensation for the level of responsibility and workload
High-pressure environment may lead to errors or mistakes

Key steps to become a service desk analyst

Explore service desk analyst education requirements

Most common service desk analyst degrees

Bachelor's

50.1 %

Associate

34.3 %

High School Diploma

5.5 %

Start to develop specific service desk analyst skills

Skills	Percentages
Service Desk	14.88%
Customer Service	14.68%
Troubleshoot	5.82%
Technical Support	5.75%
Phone Calls	3.21%

Complete relevant service desk analyst training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New service desk analysts 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 service desk analyst based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real service desk analyst resumes.

Gain additional service desk analyst certifications

Service desk analyst 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 service desk analyst certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for service desk analysts include Network 5 Certification and Security 5 Certification.

More About Certifications

Research service desk analyst duties and responsibilities

Used SharePoint to manage and enter in help desk ticket information for health information exchange and electronic health record vendor issues.
Design and manage company wide imaging infrastructure.
Best-Inform administrator managing application from UNIX server.
Manage OS re-imaging and data recovery for rent equipment.

Prepare your service desk analyst resume

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

Choose from 10+ customizable service desk analyst resume templates

Build a professional service desk analyst 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 service desk analyst resume.