How to Become a Computer Service Technician

No matter how computer savvy you are, there is going to come a day when you will need to call a computer service technician. It's inevitable. Files get corrupted, hard drives crash and entire operating systems can be lost. That's when a computer service technician can seem like a super hero. Get your own red cape by learning how to become a computer service technician.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer service technician training and certification

1. Prepare to become a computer service technician while you're still in high school. Many high schools offer technical certification from vocational training courses. Some may even allow you to earn credit toward a 2-year college degree or an associate's degree.

2. Contact your local community college if you've already graduated from high school. Many community colleges offer computer service technician training programs that can help you get started.

3. Earn your A+ certification from the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) to designate you as a qualified computer service technician. To register to take the exam and locate a testing center near you, visit the CompTIA website (see Resources below).

4. Leverage your chance to become a successfully employed computer service technician by expanding your credentials to include certification of the computer service technician (CST) exam, a designation recognized by the Electronics Technicians Association International and accredited by the International Certification Accreditation Council. To assist you in preparing for this exam, check out the Computer Service Technician Study Guide from StudyExam4Less.com (see Resources below).

5. Keep in mind that a computer service technician must participate in continued education and training to stay ahead of the competition and advance to long-term employment opportunities. This is especially true if you intend to specialize, such as in servicing computer networks and operating systems.

6. Find a computer service technician position that matches your level of training and certification from ComputerWork.com (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Training as a computer service technician has several inherent benefits. In addition to being able to service your own computer when it goes on the blink, you may also be able to apply your knowledge of repairing computer equipment to other types of machinery, such as general office or even biomedical equipment.
• While many computer service technicians go into business for themselves without any formal training, it's usually unwise to do so. The first time you're unable to diagnose and resolve a computer issue for a client might also be the last time you get any work.

Resources

• CompTIA A+ Certification registration at certification.comptia.org
• Computer service technician (CST) exam study guide at StudyExam4Less.com
• Computer service technician jobs from ComputerWork.com