How To Become A Help Desk Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a help desk operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Jason Nichols PhD

Help desk operators provide assistance for end users of computer software and hardware. They provide customer service related to IT issues and function as the first point of contact people can reach as employees of an organization or customers using the products of a company.

You will identify the source of the problems described to you and find solutions to fix them, mediating between users and the technical department. In some cases, you might have to escalate problems you are unable to resolve to the appropriate expert. You might be asked to install software and hardware for the company as well and give advice to management on necessary technological improvements.

You will need to know your way around computers to take on this role. A degree in computer science or an IT-related field might be necessary. Experience in troubleshooting hardware or software-related issues will be a must. Great communication skills, an analytical mindset, and attention to detail will be much appreciated by your employer. Help desk operators make around $35,868 a year on average, which is around $17.24 an hour.

What general advice would you give to a Help Desk Operator?

Jason Nichols PhD

Clinical Professor and Undergraduate Assistant Chair, Website

The business environment is very dynamic right now, especially with regards to technology, and specifically with regards to AI. The advice remains the same through this however - stay curious, and always be learning. AI requires infrastructure, and lots of it. It also requires data. Lots of that as well. Businesses won’t be successful with AI unless they are able to efficiently and dynamically expand, configure, and adjust their infrastructure in support of its implementation. They also won’t be successful unless they have a solid plan for data storage, management and security. They need your help with this, and your training has prepared you to provide this type of support. This is an exciting time to be an Information Systems Professional. You are helping to shape the future of work, and the role of technology within the modern business enterprise. We are all counting on you, your company is counting on you, and you are up for this challenge and the emergent opportunities it brings.

ScoreHelp Desk OperatorUS Average

Salary

2.6

Avg. Salary $33,280

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.7

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 10.74%

Black or African American 11.42%

Hispanic or Latino 16.50%

Unknown 5.40%

White 55.53%

Gender

female 34.87%

male 65.13%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress Level

6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.4

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a help desk operator

Explore help desk operator education requirements

Most common help desk operator degrees

Bachelor's

46.3 %

Associate

32.6 %

High School Diploma

9.6 %

Start to develop specific help desk operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Technical Support	10.13%
Phone Calls	7.54%
Remedy	7.26%
Help Desk	6.65%
Customer Support	4.78%

Complete relevant help desk operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New help desk operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a help desk operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real help desk operator resumes.

Research help desk operator duties and responsibilities

Manage cases utilizing the remedy action request system
Configure remote firewall/routers and network printers using TCP/IP.
Provide support for remote VPN connections and assign WIFI access through DHCP.
Used TCP/IP and IPX/SPX protocols to configure hardware and software on client workstations.

Prepare your help desk operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your help desk operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a help desk operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Help Desk Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Help Desk Operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Help Desk Operator resume.

Apply for help desk operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a help desk operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do help desk operators rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Help Desk Operator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020

Pros

I really love technical job which is hands on.

Cons

I don’t too much simple tickets