Requisite technical skills for technical support analysts: a survey

Technical skills are critical for computer related professions. Specific skills will often vary by job classification and may vary over time as new technology is developed and adopted. An understanding of skills for a given profession can be used to advantage by companies and educators in planning for future requirements and opportunities. The research reported in this paper examines twenty technical skills required of technical support analysts and system analysts. A survey questions a sample in both professions to determine the perceived importance of the different skills. The results confirm previous studies on skills required of system analysts and show that they differ from those required of technical support analysts. Both professions perceive hardware, communication, and software skills as being important while their perceptions differ on database and advanced application skills. Career training and hiring decisions would perhaps be improved by taking these differences into account.