If you're an IT student who possesses technical know-how and is looking for some extra cash, you might want to consider a role in IT support. These days, most businesses are relying on tech for a slew of different functions, and with more and more of them relying on distributed workforces, there is growing demand for remote technical support. A good number of these jobs are entry-level, too, making them quite accessible to IT students with the right skills. That means that not only can you earn a decent income, but you can potentially save significant time by working from home, allowing you to more easily manage your study schedule. Interested? Let's discuss it in a little more depth.
The upsides of working in remote IT support
Aside from the earnings and lack of commute, there are a couple of other reasons why taking on a remote IT support job could be extremely worthwhile for you as an IT student.
The first is that it will help you to sharpen your fundamental IT skills. Typically, remote IT support jobs involve handling a variety of different processes, from network troubleshooting to handling updates and patches to the configuration of virtual machines. While these tasks aren't especially difficult for someone with good knowledge and expertise, they nonetheless serve important functions and are useful to know. Even if you intend on specialising in another area like software development, it's handy to have a well-rounded skill set, as you never know where your career may take you or what options you might explore down the line.
In addition to developing and maintaining essential IT skills, you will get to experience working in a live IT environment, and all of the processes and procedures that go along with it. You will gain experience in collaborating with different departments and managing your workflows. With more and more jobs going remote these days, it will be helpful to you to gain experience working in a remote team structure, and you will have the chance to develop useful industry contacts along the way.
Lastly, working in a remote IT role will give you the chance to learn a variety of new tools that you otherwise would not be using. The practical experience and hard skills you gain will help boost your CV and help you to stand out when you graduate.
Learning the tools of the trade
Companies that require remote IT support utilize a variety of different technologies compared to those that rely on traditional on-site teams. As we've mentioned, this can make an IT support job a valuable opportunity to get familiar with technologies that are trending upwards and becoming more established in the business world.
An RMM ticketing system is one key example of such a technology. This is a type of tool that is used to manage requests for assistance and remotely observe company devices. RMM systems have wide-ranging functionality, allowing the user to keep tabs on device usage and performance issues and troubleshoot problems from a distance. This technology is at the very heart of what IT support is fast becoming about, so learning to use it to track performance, respond to requests, and manage tickets will be valuable.
In addition to this, there will be other tools and systems to learn. Remote desktop software, for example, will be essential to this kind of work. In instances where employees require help with an issue that requires hands-on assistance, you'll be using this type of software to access their devices and carry out fixes. Virtual private networks (VPNs) will also play an important role in facilitating secure communications and remote access to company devices and networks, while digital collaboration tools will be important to how you collaborate with team members.
While not all of these tools will necessarily be required in your future career, they are important to how an increasing proportion of organizations operate today. Learning them and understanding them will provide you with deeper insight into the IT infrastructures and operations of modern digital enterprises.
As such, the skills and knowledge you cultivate in this area will stand you in good stead, potentially providing a gateway for you to access more opportunities down the line.
Getting your IT career off to a strong start
Remote IT support roles are becoming more and more common as companies rely more on distributed workforces. What’s more, similar to data entry jobs, they are often quite accessible to IT students, typically requiring communication skills and a basic understanding of operating systems and diagnostic processes. With so much to learn, along with the obvious convenience of being off-site, remote IT support jobs are a great way to earn a supplementary student income while also building skills and experience for a future career in IT. So, if you're a tech-minded student looking for a part-time job, consider remote IT support – it could be the perfect launchpad for your dream career.
