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What is an IT Support Specialist?

IT Support Specialists are responsible for analyzing, troubleshooting and evaluating technology issues. This role may support internal clients, helping to keep employees productive, or external customers of a company, helping them via the telephone or webchat. Some specialists are tasked with giving instructions to customers on how to use business-specific programs or working with other technicians to resolve problems. Other specialists may be responsible for answering simpler questions from nonbusiness customers, like reestablishing internet connections or troubleshooting household IT products like Wi-Fi routers.

Experience LevelBeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Annual salary range*$34,220 $49,770$39,380 $68,130$49,770 $91,060
Job Postings*
135750
88610
24620
Number of certificates available at each level
3

CompTIA ITF+

CompTIA A+

ITIL

4

CompTIA Network+

CompTIA Security+

ITIL

Microsoft

4

CompTIA Linux+

CompTIA Server+

ITIL

Microsoft

Experience LevelBeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Annual salary range*

$34,220 $49,770

Job Postings*

135750

Number of certificates available at each level

3

CompTIA ITF+

CompTIA A+

ITIL

*CompTIA | Lightcast | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Note: Many employers don't specify any years of experience in job postings.

Required skills at this level
  • Make data easily accessible to those who need it
  • Pay attention to customers’ descriptions of computer problems
  • Ask questions to properly diagnose the problem
  • Walk customers through the recommended problem-solving steps
  • Set up or repair computer equipment and related devices
  • Train users to work with new computer hardware or software
  • Document changes, revisions and problems
  • Provide other team members and managers information

IT Support Specialist Certifications

2-IT-Support New Copy copy

CERT MAP-itsupport-mobile

Step 1

CompTIA Certifications

Certifications like CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ can give you the background in IT that you need if you don’t already have it, and CompTIA A+ can get your foot in the door as an IT Support Specialist.

CompTIA ITF+
CompTIA ITF+ Certification

The table below lists the domains measured by the full examination and the extent to which they are represented.

Domain and percentage of examination

Core 1 (220-1001)

1.0  Software 21%
2.0  Hardware 18%
3.0  Security 21%
4.0  Networking 16%
5.0  Basic IT Literacy 24%
Total 100%

Example Questions

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A package-delivery service is working with address information, which contains a house number and a street name. What is the best data type to use for the house number?

A. Integer B. String C. Float D. Char

Why do laptops use a heat spreader instead of heatsinks in their cooling system?

A. Heatsinks are filled with liquid and not conducive to laptop mobility. B. Heatsinks require a lot of extra electricity to run. C. Heatsinks are bulky objects with a lot of height. D. Heatsinks are too expensive and reserved for high-end systems.

A senior manager of a regional office branch needs a payroll report of all staff, to calculate next year's budget. Which program is NOT useful for that?

A. Spreadsheet software B. Database software C. Accounting software D. Project management software

A website visitor realizes that an important notification is not showing because the browser has a pop-up blocker. What's the best thing to do?

A. Disable the pop-up blocker. B. Add an exception for this website. C. Use a different browser. D. Avoid visiting this website.

What does this pseudocode declare?

declare MinutesPerHour as Number = 60

A. A primary key B. An array C. A variable D. A constant

An attacker successfully connects to an open wireless access point, and proceeds to monitor and capture the plain text traffic on the network. Which of the following integrity concerns does this describe?

A. A Denial of Service (DoS) attack B. An impersonation attack C. A Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack D. A replay attack
CompTIA A+
CompTIA A+

A+ is the starting point for a career in IT. The performance-based exams certify foundational IT skills across a variety of devices and operating systems.

Learn more Example questions
CompTIA A+
CompTIA A+ Certification

The table below lists the domains measured by the full examination and the extent to which they are represented.

Domain and percentage of examination

Core 1 (220-1001)

1.0  Mobile Devices 14%
2.0  Networking 20%
3.0  Hardware 27%
4.0  Virtualization and Cloud Computing 12%
5.0  Hardware and Network Troubleshooting 27%
Total 100%

Core 2 (220-1002)

1.0  Operating Systems 27%
2.0  Security 24%
3.0  Software Troubleshooting 26%
4.0  Operational Procedures 23%
Total 100%

Example Questions

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You have been frequenting a local coffee shop with your Android tablet. While you are there, you use the free WiFi connection. With concern over the security of your browsing, you decide to take action. Which technology would address your concern the best?

A. VPN B. Antivirus C. Private IP D. WPA2

You need to configure a SOHO (Small Office Home Office) network to be easily discovered by guest users. Which feature should be configured?

A. DNS (Domain Name System) B. DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) C. SSID (Service Set Identifier) D. MAC (Media Access Control) Filtering

An ordinary office environment needs computers that have multiple user account settings where each user is allocated private data storage. What type of workstations would you build for this environment?

A. Build a virtualization workstation. B. Build a thin client. C. Build a thick client. D. Build a CAM workstation.

A support ticket has been assigned to you stating that the Engineers are complaining that their Computer Aided Design (CAD) application is displaying poorly. What do you do to upgrade these PCs and solve this problem?

A. Install more RAM. B. Install higher-end video cards. C. Install faster CPUs. D. Install Solid State Drives (SSDs).

You need to setup a few virtual workstations for a network test lab. You have a computer to use as the host machine, however, it does not have an operating system installed. What is the easiest and quickest solution to configure the host system?

A. Install a type-2 hypervisor on the host machine and then install the guest operating systems. B. Install one of the guest operating systems to act as both the host and a guest operating system. C. Install a type-1 hypervisor on the host machine and then install the guest operating systems. D. Install Microsoft Virtual PC as it is free, and then install the guest operating systems.

How can you fix a touchpad that is too sensitive, causing a ghost cursor and jumping about when typing?

A. Turn NumLock off on the external keyboard. B. Configure the input options. C. Replace the touchpad. D. Revert to an older driver version.
Step 2

Partner Certifications

CompTIA certifications establish a baseline foundation of skills that you can build upon with other vendor or technology-specific certifications.

ITIL Certifications

Validate skills against a set of IT service management practices. ITIL certifications, managed by AXELOS, are awarded to individuals across four levels of competency:

Foundation
Managing Professional
Strategic Leader
Master

CompTIA Learning and Training

CompTIA offers everything you need to prepare for your certification exam. Explore training developed by CompTIA with options that fit various learning styles and timelines. Whether you prefer self-study or classroom training, CompTIA has you covered.

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