What does a technical support assistant do?
A technical support assistant assists and supports technical staff members in their daily activities. These professionals execute technical support tasks for the client-server. Besides providing technical support for desktop applications, technical support assistants also help technicians resolve and troubleshoot technical issues. Moreover, technical support assistants answer and reply to emails and customer calls concerning their technical problems. They ensure the technical staff follows the required guidelines and procedures and update themselves on the technical aspects' solutions and latest trends.
Technical support assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real technical support assistant resumes:
- Design, implement, manage and document network security configurations for firewalls.
- Train on system networking and troubleshoot, upgrading software, computer imaging and operating system installation.
- Monitor satellite feed equipment; identify potential problems; troubleshoot possible solutions for maintaining continuous network satellite feed.
- Contact appropriate agencies for patients who present with potential domestic issues, while upholding company privacy policies and patient confidentiality.
- Create Javascript query modules to aggregate twitter feeds onto the website.
- Enhance internal web applications functionality and usability using JavaScript (jQuery).
Technical support assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Technical Support Assistants are proficient in Troubleshoot, Phone Calls, and Data Entry. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Technical Support Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Troubleshoot, 13%
Trained on system networking and troubleshoot, upgrading software, computer imaging and operating system installation.
- Phone Calls, 9%
Performed administrative duties such as ordering office supplies, distributing mail, and forwarding client telephone calls to appropriate departments.
- Data Entry, 8%
Performed data entry document information.
- Network Printers, 5%
Experienced in diagnosing and resolving computer, Active Directory Account, and local as well as network printer related malfunctions.
- Desk Support, 4%
Provided help-desk support and implemented solutions that ensured end-user productivity.
- Computer System, 4%
Identified and resolved operational issues in computer systems via telephone or from remote location.
Common skills that a technical support assistant uses to do their job include "troubleshoot," "phone calls," and "data entry." You can find details on the most important technical support assistant responsibilities below.
Customer-service skills. The most essential soft skill for a technical support assistant to carry out their responsibilities is customer-service skills. This skill is important for the role because "computer support specialists must be patient and sympathetic." Additionally, a technical support assistant resume shows how their duties depend on customer-service skills: "answered telephone customer support technical questions regarding all modules of accounting software. "
Listening skills. Another essential skill to perform technical support assistant duties is listening skills. Technical support assistants responsibilities require that "support workers must be able to understand the problems that their customers are describing and know when to ask questions to clarify the situation." Technical support assistants also use listening skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "communicated with students and staff to troubleshoot technology issues. "
Problem-solving skills. This is an important skill for technical support assistants to perform their duties. For an example of how technical support assistant responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "support workers must identify both simple and complex computer problems, analyze them, and solve them." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a technical support assistant: "resolved network and connectivity issues. ".
Speaking skills. A big part of what technical support assistants do relies on "speaking skills." You can see how essential it is to technical support assistant responsibilities because "support workers must describe the solutions to computer problems in a way that a nontechnical person can understand." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical technical support assistant tasks: "addressed technical issues faced by students and faculty due course of the semester. "
Writing skills. Another common skill required for technical support assistant responsibilities is "writing skills." This skill comes up in the duties of technical support assistants all the time, as "strong writing skills are useful for preparing instructions and email responses for employees and customers, as well as for real-time web chat interactions." An excerpt from a real technical support assistant resume shows how this skill is central to what a technical support assistant does: "experience includes writing sql scripts in oracle and utilizing ms-access and visual basic to access oracle databases. "
The three companies that hire the most technical support assistants are:
- Per Scholas
11 technical support assistants jobs
- CVS Health10 technical support assistants jobs
- Beaumont Health
5 technical support assistants jobs
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Technical support assistant vs. Systems support
A systems support agent is responsible for resolving system applications and network issues, performing technical configuration, and upgrading systems infrastructure. A systems support representative conducts regular maintenance and diagnostic tests on the computer applications to ensure its optimal performance and efficiency to support business operations and avoid delays in deliverables. They also assist the technology team in designing backup systems and improve existing networks according to business requirements and specifications. They write resolution reports for reference to prevent the reoccurrence of system malfunction and inconsistencies.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, technical support assistant responsibilities require skills like "phone calls," "data entry," "desk support," and "lan." Meanwhile a typical systems support has skills in areas such as "customer service," "technical support," "pc," and "provides technical support." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Systems supports really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $72,760. Comparatively, technical support assistants tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $53,106.On average, systems supports reach similar levels of education than technical support assistants. Systems supports are 0.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Technical support assistant vs. Software support technician
A software support technician is responsible for resolving software application issues, diagnosing related system failures, and writing resolution reports for reference. Software support technicians must be highly-familiarized with the system's infrastructure and interface to immediately diagnose malfunctions and identify maintenance techniques to prevent the reoccurrence of downtimes and delays. They also assist the system engineers in the configuration and optimization of networks, including the installment of upgrades and patch updates. A software support technician must have excellent organizational and communication skills, especially in navigating computer tools and applications to create support tickets and fix the customers' issues efficiently.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, technical support assistant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "data entry," "computer lab," "av," and "sharepoint." Meanwhile, a software support technician has duties that require skills in areas such as "customer service," "java," "database," and "sql server." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Software support technicians may earn a higher salary than technical support assistants, but software support technicians earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $86,283. On the other hand, technical support assistants receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $53,106.In general, software support technicians achieve similar levels of education than technical support assistants. They're 0.4% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for technical support assistants in the next 3-5 years?
Associate Teaching Professor, Tufts University
References:
1. cybersecurity
2. cybersecurity
Technical support assistant vs. Customer support technician
A customer support technician is responsible for resolving customer complaints with their network issues through remote communication, providing the customers with a step-by-step procedure to fix their systems. Customer support technicians assist the customers in setting up their programs and applications, guiding them with the instructional manuals, and responding to the inquiries and concerns they have. They also escalate high-level complaints to the immediate supervisor as needed while monitoring system solutions and creating technical tickets.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, technical support assistants are more likely to have skills like "troubleshoot," "data entry," "network printers," and "desk support." But a customer support technician is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "java," "technical support," and "post sales."
Customer support technicians make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $50,042. On the other hand, technical support assistants are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $53,106.customer support technicians typically earn similar educational levels compared to technical support assistants. Specifically, they're 3.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical support assistant vs. Computer support technician
A computer support technician is responsible for diagnosing and resolving computer and network issues, identifying the source of malfunctions, and improving infrastructure to avoid downtimes and operational delays. Computer support technicians manage the efficiency of all equipment and peripherals for the computers, assist in installing components, and keeping adequate resources or alternatives for defective items. They also recommend minimal costs technology materials and create troubleshooting manuals for reference, ensuring that the network processes adhere to internal guidelines and regulations.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between technical support assistants and computer support technicians, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a technical support assistant might have more use for skills like "troubleshoot," "phone calls," "data entry," and "lan." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of computer support technicians require skills like "customer service," "technical support," "computer support," and "remote desktop. "
Computer support technicians enjoy the best pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $46,827. For comparison, technical support assistants earn the highest salary in the technology industry.computer support technicians reach similar levels of education compared to technical support assistants, in general. The difference is that they're 3.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of technical support assistant
Updated January 8, 2025











