How to interview for a help desk job?
September 23, 2005 3:49 PM Subscribe
I'm interviewing for a position at my university's computer help desk. The problem? I don't know enough about computers. Help me overcome that.
I'm a freshman at a respected university in the midwest. I'm hoping to make some money and avoid future debt, and a help desk job appeals to me as I feel at home around computers (windows and mac) and have some experience with home networks and HTML. My responsibilities would mostly include fixing student's computers as they are brought in, and addressing spyware, hardware failures, networking problems, etc.
In speaking to some other employees in the tech department, I've discovered that they enjoy their jobs, but all of them seem much better with computers than I. I'm hoping to be hired despite my lesser experience. I’ve set up an interview for Tuesday, but it seems that my potential employer is most interested in my technical skills.
People consider me friendly, bright, articulate, and easygoing. (If not humble.) How can I convince the interviewer that these skills outweigh 1337-ness? If you work in these environments, what do you look for in a new recruit? Does anyone have general advice for impressing a tech-guy-turned-manager?
I'm a freshman at a respected university in the midwest. I'm hoping to make some money and avoid future debt, and a help desk job appeals to me as I feel at home around computers (windows and mac) and have some experience with home networks and HTML. My responsibilities would mostly include fixing student's computers as they are brought in, and addressing spyware, hardware failures, networking problems, etc.
In speaking to some other employees in the tech department, I've discovered that they enjoy their jobs, but all of them seem much better with computers than I. I'm hoping to be hired despite my lesser experience. I’ve set up an interview for Tuesday, but it seems that my potential employer is most interested in my technical skills.
People consider me friendly, bright, articulate, and easygoing. (If not humble.) How can I convince the interviewer that these skills outweigh 1337-ness? If you work in these environments, what do you look for in a new recruit? Does anyone have general advice for impressing a tech-guy-turned-manager?
And to follow up on another point, you should (ironically) play up your humble nature as a strength insofar as you would provide good customer service.
Happy customers trust you more, are more patient, and are more willing to work with you in future situations that can get hairy.
posted by Rothko at 3:57 PM on September 23, 2005
Happy customers trust you more, are more patient, and are more willing to work with you in future situations that can get hairy.
posted by Rothko at 3:57 PM on September 23, 2005
Devil's advocate says:
You will be working tech support for people, and if you want them to be happy people you had better be qualified for the job. No insult intended, it's just that there are approximately a jillion terrible help desk workers in the world, and I'd hate for you to inadvertently become another.
It seems like you know your way around computers, though, so if you've got the problem-solving skills mentioned above, and are able to learn fast from other techs, you should be ok.
Really, no malice intended, just precaution.
posted by plexiwatt at 4:03 PM on September 23, 2005
You will be working tech support for people, and if you want them to be happy people you had better be qualified for the job. No insult intended, it's just that there are approximately a jillion terrible help desk workers in the world, and I'd hate for you to inadvertently become another.
It seems like you know your way around computers, though, so if you've got the problem-solving skills mentioned above, and are able to learn fast from other techs, you should be ok.
Really, no malice intended, just precaution.
posted by plexiwatt at 4:03 PM on September 23, 2005
I worked in tech support during university, and I'd just like to agree with Rothko. If you have the ability to think logically about a problem, quickly eliminate possibilities from a pool of options, and remember what's worked for you in the past (many times, you're going to see the same errors come up for many different people with the same solution to fix it), then you shouldn't have a hard time working tech support.
In addition, at least where I worked, new employees spent a period of time working in tandem with a more experienced partner to help them ease into working on computers solo.
Finally, keep in mind that in most places, there's always someone to pass the call off to, if you're stumped. Either the other people around you in the phone bank, or a manager who may know more than you... you're never really alone in these situations.
posted by Inkoate at 4:13 PM on September 23, 2005
In addition, at least where I worked, new employees spent a period of time working in tandem with a more experienced partner to help them ease into working on computers solo.
Finally, keep in mind that in most places, there's always someone to pass the call off to, if you're stumped. Either the other people around you in the phone bank, or a manager who may know more than you... you're never really alone in these situations.
posted by Inkoate at 4:13 PM on September 23, 2005
Don't let the people who already have the position play mind tricks with you. You probably already know that technologically savvy people like to oh-so-casually segue into topics that let them show their ginormous techno-testiclats. I say all this as a technology professional. :> Usually it's about as subtle as a stick in the eye, and I watch people do it all day every day. Not that the people you'll be working with aren't competent, but don't let them unduly worry you, either. At every job, everyone there thinks they're the only one who's 'faking it.'
Check some of the old threads here for a wealth of information--especially the ones where people ask what kind of portable pc-fixing toolkit they can put on a CD or USB key for fixing friends' and relatives' computers. Familiarity with the tricks of the trade (insofar as intermediate troubleshooting goes) can do nothing but help.
Plus everything Rothko said . . . after a while you just sort of know which things are likely to be hardware-related, software-related, user-related, et cetera, and can focus in on a solution pretty quickly. Emphasize your problem-solving skills, the fact that you're a quick learner, and the fact that you can figure things out and don't give up (and know how to use Google, without which nobody would have a damn job). At the same time, don't downplay your technical abilities for the sake of being modest. Nobody likes a smartass, but nobody likes a dumbass, either. :> That's part of how I got my current job--I was pretty open and said, hey, I know this position is a big step up, but I'm fast on my feet, and I can do it if you give me a chance.
Good luck!
posted by littlegreenlights at 4:22 PM on September 23, 2005
Check some of the old threads here for a wealth of information--especially the ones where people ask what kind of portable pc-fixing toolkit they can put on a CD or USB key for fixing friends' and relatives' computers. Familiarity with the tricks of the trade (insofar as intermediate troubleshooting goes) can do nothing but help.
Plus everything Rothko said . . . after a while you just sort of know which things are likely to be hardware-related, software-related, user-related, et cetera, and can focus in on a solution pretty quickly. Emphasize your problem-solving skills, the fact that you're a quick learner, and the fact that you can figure things out and don't give up (and know how to use Google, without which nobody would have a damn job). At the same time, don't downplay your technical abilities for the sake of being modest. Nobody likes a smartass, but nobody likes a dumbass, either. :> That's part of how I got my current job--I was pretty open and said, hey, I know this position is a big step up, but I'm fast on my feet, and I can do it if you give me a chance.
Good luck!
posted by littlegreenlights at 4:22 PM on September 23, 2005
Communication skills are just as important for help-desky job. You don't need to know everything, but you do need to be a facile learner (and w/ good google-fu). And you need to understand a problem explained by a non-techy, translate theat to tech, go get the solution (whether from within your own head, from some other worker, or from another resource), and then translate the solution back into un-geek.
If you can see yourself doing the communication part well, as well as learning rapidly on-the-job, then you will be on par with a geek helper who may talk down to (or over the head of) helpees.
This piece sums up a lot of the human interaction part of a help-desk job.
posted by misterbrandt at 4:32 PM on September 23, 2005
If you can see yourself doing the communication part well, as well as learning rapidly on-the-job, then you will be on par with a geek helper who may talk down to (or over the head of) helpees.
This piece sums up a lot of the human interaction part of a help-desk job.
posted by misterbrandt at 4:32 PM on September 23, 2005
I absolutely agree with Rothko. My first tech support job was supporting an application I had never used. Honestly, people mostly asked the same 10 questions over and over.
My next tech support job told me they hired me because of my communications skills. I and 80% of the tech support dept had English degrees and a fair amount weren't necessarily techies.
posted by jdl at 4:43 PM on September 23, 2005
My next tech support job told me they hired me because of my communications skills. I and 80% of the tech support dept had English degrees and a fair amount weren't necessarily techies.
posted by jdl at 4:43 PM on September 23, 2005
Best answer: I just quit my job as a university help desk rep. Hm.
Tech skills aren't terribly important beyond a certain point. If you can configure an email client, remove spyware, setup a network connection, and figure out why any of these might not be working like they should, you are already leagues above your peers.
But, hey, even if you don't, you're approaching this with the right mindset. Say a kid comes in and he can't get on the internet in his room. You can't figure it out, but you and a senior tech finally discover that he had a static IP set from his home connection. Take that opportunity to ask, "Well, what else could it have been, and how would you know?" It won't take long to get all but the strangest requests under your belt.
In your interview, I might play up the "I would look forward to the opportunity to improve my already-decent computer skills," angle. Not so much "I can learn" but more "I want to learn."
email in profile if you have more questions for an ex-helpdesker.
posted by rfordh at 5:21 PM on September 23, 2005
Tech skills aren't terribly important beyond a certain point. If you can configure an email client, remove spyware, setup a network connection, and figure out why any of these might not be working like they should, you are already leagues above your peers.
But, hey, even if you don't, you're approaching this with the right mindset. Say a kid comes in and he can't get on the internet in his room. You can't figure it out, but you and a senior tech finally discover that he had a static IP set from his home connection. Take that opportunity to ask, "Well, what else could it have been, and how would you know?" It won't take long to get all but the strangest requests under your belt.
In your interview, I might play up the "I would look forward to the opportunity to improve my already-decent computer skills," angle. Not so much "I can learn" but more "I want to learn."
email in profile if you have more questions for an ex-helpdesker.
posted by rfordh at 5:21 PM on September 23, 2005
I for one would recommend that you spend your weekend reading the basic Mac and PC books on your local Barnes and Border shelf. you have 3 days to prep! If you go in knowing what SMTP means and what port it uses, what a subnet is and how to reset and rebuild TCP/IP for a WinXP computer, you will have a great advantage!!
posted by Megafly at 5:45 PM on September 23, 2005
posted by Megafly at 5:45 PM on September 23, 2005
I'd emphasize that you have that most important skill of all -- knowing where to look on the Web for help, at such knowledge banks as Ask Metafilter.
posted by johngoren at 6:13 PM on September 23, 2005
posted by johngoren at 6:13 PM on September 23, 2005
Second everything above.
Also, the best way to learn how hardware & software work is to break it and then fix it yourself. Do everything you can possibly think of to screw up your windows install (installing everything you can find is a decent way to start), randomly and without taking notes. Walk away from it for a few days. Come back and fix everything. This is a shorter path to what my life is like :) (the screwing up is usually inadvertant though).
Do enough of that, and you'll be able to tell someone over the phone without looking at your computer screen that the incredibly vague browser crash on a random site they're having with both firefox & ie is because of an improper java installation. It feels damn cool at that point (*grunts a bit*) ;)
posted by devilsbrigade at 6:27 PM on September 23, 2005
Also, the best way to learn how hardware & software work is to break it and then fix it yourself. Do everything you can possibly think of to screw up your windows install (installing everything you can find is a decent way to start), randomly and without taking notes. Walk away from it for a few days. Come back and fix everything. This is a shorter path to what my life is like :) (the screwing up is usually inadvertant though).
Do enough of that, and you'll be able to tell someone over the phone without looking at your computer screen that the incredibly vague browser crash on a random site they're having with both firefox & ie is because of an improper java installation. It feels damn cool at that point (*grunts a bit*) ;)
posted by devilsbrigade at 6:27 PM on September 23, 2005
It is terribly important in a tech interview to be honest - and if you do not know - say so - but tell them how you would get the answer even if it's google or asking a co-worker.
Also - remember this - your first call/ticket will be the worst. You will feel the most inept during that one. Everyone else is right - you will answer the same questions and do the same things over and over.
The hard part isn't the tech stuff - it is being patient with people who don't know the tech stuff.
posted by jopreacher at 6:51 PM on September 23, 2005
Also - remember this - your first call/ticket will be the worst. You will feel the most inept during that one. Everyone else is right - you will answer the same questions and do the same things over and over.
The hard part isn't the tech stuff - it is being patient with people who don't know the tech stuff.
posted by jopreacher at 6:51 PM on September 23, 2005
Ditto above and to help reinforce:
For general support, problem solving ability is tops. Specific issues are not a big problem as long as you are good at deduction. For in person or phone support, a pleasant demeanor with a tinge of humor goes a long way. Help desk is often called in a stressful situation, so being able to calm/disarm the customer is very helpful (for you and them).
Interview-wise, know what you don't know and make sure you know where to find the solution. BSing doesn't work with half-competent interviewers, so don't try.
As for cramming as much information in three days as you can... make sure you know how to solve the most common problems users run into. The first step is identifying those problems. For Windows users that would probably be spyware related, for Mac users, it's using a Mac ;)
I kid! I kid!
Just make sure your enthusiasm shows through with your inherent problem solving and the minor details won't matter.
posted by ryoshu at 8:22 PM on September 23, 2005
For general support, problem solving ability is tops. Specific issues are not a big problem as long as you are good at deduction. For in person or phone support, a pleasant demeanor with a tinge of humor goes a long way. Help desk is often called in a stressful situation, so being able to calm/disarm the customer is very helpful (for you and them).
Interview-wise, know what you don't know and make sure you know where to find the solution. BSing doesn't work with half-competent interviewers, so don't try.
As for cramming as much information in three days as you can... make sure you know how to solve the most common problems users run into. The first step is identifying those problems. For Windows users that would probably be spyware related, for Mac users, it's using a Mac ;)
I kid! I kid!
Just make sure your enthusiasm shows through with your inherent problem solving and the minor details won't matter.
posted by ryoshu at 8:22 PM on September 23, 2005
The hard part isn't the tech stuff - it is being patient with people who don't know the tech stuff.
Ah, yes. That's good tech support in a nutshell. Seriously, being patient, having good general problem solving skills, and a willingness to learn quickly is really all you need. All the other stuff comes with experience.
posted by gemmy at 9:39 PM on September 23, 2005
I would highly recommend books by Scott Mueller. I have Upgrading and Repairing from 6th to 14th edition. They are a great source of reference and he has an interesting sense of humor. He covers all aspects of modern desktop computers... as far IBM/PC compatible systems are concerned. Networking... Mainboard form factors... CPU families... so on an so forth. Good reading.
posted by PROD_TPSL at 9:42 PM on September 23, 2005
posted by PROD_TPSL at 9:42 PM on September 23, 2005
I work regularly with a university help desk (I'm also good friends with their manager and have seen over the years who she hires). All of this equates to: what everybody else said. Additionally, though, I'd say that developing a lot of tech know-how plus some programming/scripting skills could very well get you a 'real' job (with benefits, tuition waivers, etc.) in a couple of years, depending on how the IT department at your university works.
posted by kimota at 8:43 AM on September 24, 2005
posted by kimota at 8:43 AM on September 24, 2005
I'm the student supervisor at my college's help desk this term (after working there for a year and a half). I've found that all you really need to know are the pecularities and ins and outs of your college's software (public printing and authetication, in my case), the basics of how to troubleshoot Windows and Mac problems and you can figure out the rest by googling it.
Also, while the older employees know what they're doing, it's only because they've fixed the same damn problem ten. thousand. times.
And for the love of god, if you don't know the right answer, ask someone who does. It's a special form of hell to have to convince someone who doesn't really know anything about computers that the cocky bastard who answered their question wrong doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. (Not to say that you're that type of person. I'm just bitter, is all.)
Plus what everyone else said.
posted by strikhedonia at 1:47 PM on September 24, 2005
Also, while the older employees know what they're doing, it's only because they've fixed the same damn problem ten. thousand. times.
And for the love of god, if you don't know the right answer, ask someone who does. It's a special form of hell to have to convince someone who doesn't really know anything about computers that the cocky bastard who answered their question wrong doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. (Not to say that you're that type of person. I'm just bitter, is all.)
Plus what everyone else said.
posted by strikhedonia at 1:47 PM on September 24, 2005
(Similar to strikhedonia's comment) The one thing I value above all else (after bad experiences) is the help person who says, I don't know, I'll check on that, or check with so-and-so rather than giving what turns out to be a wrong answer. If you are someone who knows when they don't know what is going on and are willing to say so, that SHOULD be an asset (I can't speak to the strategy of saying so in an interview).
posted by judybxxx at 7:31 PM on September 24, 2005
posted by judybxxx at 7:31 PM on September 24, 2005
Response by poster: Hey, I got the job. Thank you all!
All of you contributed wise answers, so I had some trouble marking just a few as "best." Your advice is going to get me far as I dig into this new position.
Again, thanks.
posted by Sfving at 7:10 PM on September 27, 2005
All of you contributed wise answers, so I had some trouble marking just a few as "best." Your advice is going to get me far as I dig into this new position.
Again, thanks.
posted by Sfving at 7:10 PM on September 27, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
What makes you really valuable as tech support is your ability to solve a logical puzzle.
You're given something that's broken and your job is really to eliminate the most likely causes.
Your ability to evaluate a situation and quickly gauge the most likely causes and test them.
Tech support is simply one application of general problem solving skills, independent of any specific technical knowledge that can be quickly picked up on the job.
My recommendation would be to emphasize or demonstrate your ability to think through a problem logically, outline a procedure to test possible causes, and explain what you would do throughout that hypothetical test.
posted by Rothko at 3:54 PM on September 23, 2005