Technical support skills: tools, jobs and how to show them
Technical support is helping people fix problems with computers, software and accounts, and recording what you did. O*NET lists help desk software, Microsoft Active Directory, remote control software and Microsoft Office as technology skills for computer user support specialists, with active listening and reading comprehension as top skills.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Skill | Technical support |
| Source of the occupation data | O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), accessed 31 October 2026 |
| Occupations in this guide that list it | 3 |
| Where to learn more | Our career guides and the O*NET pages linked below |
What is Technical support?
The work combines diagnosis, explanation and documentation. Show the kinds of problem, the tools and how you communicated with non-technical users.
Which jobs use it?
The occupation pages on O*NET OnLine list technology skills and top essential skills. These occupations from our career guides include this skill or closely related ones:
- Computer User Support Specialists (O*NET 15-1232.00): help desk and call center software, Active Directory, remote control and network monitoring tools such as Wireshark.
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators (O*NET 15-1244.00): Active Directory, DNS, network monitoring and backup software.
- Customer Service Representatives (O*NET 43-4051.00): contact center software and CRM.
O*NET examples are illustrative, not a requirement for every employer. Read the postings for the role you want.
How do I show it on a resume?
- Name the tools and kinds of ticket.
- Show how you explained fixes to non-technical users.
- Mention documentation you wrote.
- Name a certification only if you hold it.
See the customer service resume example for layout, and our guide to an ATS-friendly resume.
On LiveRec, employers who find candidates for a job see up to five of your skills on your card, with the ones that match the job first. Use the exact name of the skill, as in which skills to put on a profile.
Where can I learn it?
We link only official sources we could verify. The O*NET Skills Search shows skills and examples, and each career guide above explains typical education from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ask your employer or school what training it offers, then add what you complete to your profile.
Frequently asked questions
What tools do support specialists use? O*NET names help desk software, Microsoft Active Directory, remote control software and Microsoft Office.
Is it a path to network administration? The tools overlap, as our guides show, but check postings.
Do I need a degree? See the BLS profile in our computer support guide.
Related guides
When you are ready, search jobs on LiveRec.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine, Computer User Support Specialists, 15-1232.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1232.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Network and Computer Systems Administrators, 15-1244.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1244.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Customer Service Representatives, 43-4051.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-4051.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Skills Search: https://www.onetonline.org/skills/ (accessed 31 October 2026)