Computer Support Specialists fall under the Strong Interest Inventory Realistic theme which strongly relates to individuals that enjoy working with technology, especially computers. Secondary themes associated with this job family include the Investigative and Conventional themes. These two themes relate with the analytical and practical focus (respectively) that is a central concept for this job family. When entering this field, attention to detail and persistence is emphasized in the face of obstacles. The Strong Interest Inventory® Assessment, which was first released in 1927, has been revised and refined with the goal of accurately and effectively identifying individuals’ overall interests, and using analysis to help them find a career that would be a good-fit occupation. Moreover, careers in the Realistic Theme Code category typically involve accomplishing specific tasks using one’s hands or body. People who score high in this theme generally prefer to solve particular problems and can find themselves in technical fields, such as Computer Support Specialists.
Computer Support Specialists are responsible for providing customers with quick, comprehensible answers to technical questions. Depending on their specialization, Computer Support Specialists may handle issues related to printing, installation, e-mail, word processing, or other aspects of hardware or software. Some Specialists provide direct support to customers, either over the phone, via email, or even in online chat rooms. Others may be responsible primarily for setting equipment up for employees in offices or corporations, performing minor repairs, or even developing training manuals and workshops to teach laypeople how to use the technical product at hand. Computer Support Specialists need to be comfortable working closely with others to establish requirements for new systems or modifications for existing ones. As they reach the higher ranks, Computer Support Specialists should attend conferences to remain up-to-date on current trends in the field, hire and direct workers to complete special projects, or conduct studies to improve workflow analysis, space design, or to reduce costs.
Read Below for Computer Support Specialists Salary, Projected Job Openings and More!
In order to be successful and effective, Computer Support Specialists use a wide range of tools and technology, and may also need to be able to instruct others to do the same. Desktop, laptop, and handheld computers, as well as external storage devices from floppy disks to CDs to flash drives are extremely important. They deal with a wide range of software applications, including access and administration software, backup or archival software, database reporting or interface and query software, and graphic design software are all widely used. These days, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Adobe Systems, and Apple products are all essential as well. In addition, those who are interested in working as Computer Support Specialists should be able to learn new programs quickly and easily, and be able to support others is becoming familiar with them as well.
Many Computer Support Specialists have some level of higher education—either a Bachelor’s degree (29%) or an Associate’s degree (18%). However, being able to closely listen to others’ problems, think critically about them, make a decision, and find a solution that will resolve them, all within a relatively short time, is even more important than a formal education. In addition to their technical knowledge, Computer Support Specialists should be able to communicate fluently in English and have strong reading and writing skills in order to convey their knowledge effectively to others. They also need to be able to keep up with the rapidly-changing technological field, and be able to apply their newly acquired knowledge effectively to their career.
Computer Support Specialists salary can be as low as $24,000 annually, as a new hire in Kentucky, and as high $122,000 as an experienced specialist in California. In the most-populated states (California, Florida, New York, and Texas), the average salary for Computer Support Specialists is around $55,000 per year. Employment trends area also generally rising nation-wide, with some states, like Utah and Colorado, growing as fast as 44%, while the slowest growth is in Massachusetts at just 4%. However, no state’s employment of Computer Support Specialists is declining.
Below are some employment trends for Computer Support Specialists:
- Median Computer Support Specialist Salary $25.13 hourly, $52,270 annually
- Employment: 671,800 employees
- Projected growth (2018-2028): Much faster than average (11% or higher)
- Projected job openings (2018-2028): 65,100
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Gain access to your best-fit careers, occupational preferences and interests with these career based Strong Interest Inventory® Assessments:
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MBTI® Career Report + Strong & MBTI Combined Career Report + Strong Profile
Use these reports to find a fulfilling career that matches with your personality and interests, and develop a plan for achieving that career.
Set yourself up on the path to a career that fits with your MBTI® personality type as well as your interests and preferences. With these three reports, you’ll discover the ideal career for who you are at a base level, offering you a future of satisfying and fulfilling employment. Read about each report below.
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Download sample Strong & MBTI® Combined Career Report Plus Strong Profile
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® Profile Report
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Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Edition Profile
Choose a college major that works best with your interests, and then plan a rewarding career to follow your college career.
You’ll start college off right with knowledge on applying your interests and preferences to college majors and receive a detailed depiction of how your ideal career will mature if you work toward success. With the Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report and the Strong College Edition Profile, you’ll set yourself up for success throughout college and into your career after graduation.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Profile
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Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong Profile
Use knowledge about your interests, preferences and personality type to start your optimal career and formulate a plan to achieve your dream job.
With the information obtained about yourself from your MBTI® personality type and your Strong Interest Inventory® Report, you’ll learn about how your personality, as well as your interests and preferences, can be used in your life and career to provide fulfillment and happiness. Discover occupations that work with what you like and enjoy, and learn how your personality influences your mental processes and preferences.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report Plus Strong Profile
Download sample Strong Profile
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Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Edition Profile
Choose a college major that works best with your interests, and then plan a rewarding career to follow your college career.
You’ll start college off right with knowledge on applying your interests and preferences to college majors and receive a detailed depiction of how your ideal career will mature if you work toward success. With the Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report and the Strong College Edition Profile, you’ll set yourself up for success throughout college and into your career after graduation.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Profile
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Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report
Delve deeper into what your interests, hobbies, favorite topics, and locations can mean for your career and personal life with the help of this extensive and personalized Strong profile.
Your Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report starts with the same foundational information found in the Strong Interest Inventory Profile, but goes even further into analyzing your likes and dislikes by offering you a detailed look at how following your interests and preferences can help you lead a more fulfilling, satisfied life. The report presents you with the closest matched occupations for people with your interests, an in-depth breakdown of certain areas matched to your Strong Interest Inventory test results, and insight into your likes and dislikes.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report
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Strong Interest Inventory® Profile
Mold your future success by choosing a career that accurately reflects your interests, preferences, favorite topics as well as your likes and dislikes with the help of this profile.
Direct your future based on what you like and enjoy, providing you with a happier, more fulfilling life and career. The Strong Interest Inventory® Profile uses an extensive analysis of your interests and preferences to guide you towards a career that best suits who you are on a personal level. Depending on your likes and dislikes compared to others in specified fields, you may find a fulfilling career previously unthought-of, helping guide you down the road to success and happiness.
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Strong Interest Inventory® & Skills Confidence Profile + Strong Interpretive Report
Discover your interests and preferences as well as your confidence in your abilities to use these interests to your advantage.
Your strengths, interests, and preferences, when understood and well known, can lead you toward a successful and satisfying career. With this custom package, you’ll learn which occupations, strengths, and skills work best with your likes and dislikes and how confident you are in your ability to fulfill the needs of certain occupations, allowing you to formulate a career path that you’ll enjoy for years to come with the help of the Strong Interest Inventory test.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & Skills Confidence Profile + Strong Interpretive Report
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iStartStrong™ Report
Plan your future career based on your interests and preferences, leading you down the path to a successful work and personal life.
Use your interests, preferences, and favorite subjects and leisure activities to assess which career or career field works best with who you are and what you like. Through the web-interactive and thorough iStartStrong™ report, you’ll get set off on the right foot toward finding a career that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Explore our Strong Interest Inventory® Blog Pages:
- Strong Interest Inventory Realistic Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Artistic Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Investigative Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Social Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Enterprising Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Conventional Theme Explained
Assessment Categories
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2012-2022 employment projections Onetonline.org