Being a computer technician can be a much more hands-on job than that of say, a programmer or coder. Technicians are often on the front line of smashed laptops, cranky desktop computers, and poorly-functioning tablets. This means you’ll be on your feet a lot and will be in a surprisingly public-facing role.
You will get asked for freelance help
Not everyone has the know-how on how to fix a laptop or rid a computer of its Trojan virus, and so you will be sought-after when it comes to personal help. For instance, if you are the go-to person for a local company, you may find some of its employees approach you on a separate basis. This is, of course, flattering; however, it can raise issues with payment. Whether you decide to charge these customers for a personal computer problem is entirely down to you. The odd one-off unpaid favor may not be so bad, but multiple appointments may start to drain your time.
You will need to be wary of accidents
You will be working on and off-site, potentially – depending on who you work for. If you accidentally hurt your back or injure yourself while working somewhere, you may need to consider legal action. Happily, if you’re wondering, “Are workers compensation settlements taxable?” the answer is no. If you are forced to take time off from working at different establishments and lose any custom, the compensation you are entitled to will remain fully in your pocket.
Listen to peers
Being a computer technician means you will be in a job that requires you to learn as you go to some extent. Because technology continually evolves and develops, the computers you learned about on your course may bear no resemblance to the ones you work with 10 years down the line of your career. Talking and listening to those at your level and above you is a vital way of progressing and learning as an employee. It ensures that you are open-minded enough to constantly learn, as well as building important work relationships and maintaining them.
You do not need a degree
If you are halfway through the course of your working life or have just completed a completely different college degree, it’s comforting to know that this is somewhat irrelevant. While a formal qualification will certainly help your progress, it is not necessary. IT apprenticeships are the best way to go, degree or not. As mentioned before, being an IT technician is a public-facing role, and so your life experience, irrespective of your qualifications, will always come in handy.
The course towards being a technician in the information and technology industry is not as clear-cut as you may think. On top of that, it can be an incredibly varied job on a day-to-day basis. One day could see you being chained to your desk working on your personal computer, while others could see you visiting other businesses and people who need your support.
