7. The willingness to share knowledge with team members, superiors, and users
One specific aspect of the support tech's communications skills is a willingness to share knowledge. Some employees attempt to attain job security through the possession of unique knowledge. This is misguided, as most employers are aware of the vulnerability this creates and will seek to rid themselves of such employees.
The willingness to share knowledge is an essential part of being a team member. Most support techs work under great pressure, with little time for research or training, so they often depend upon other team members for the advancement of their knowledge. In addition to sharing knowledge with peers, techs should be willing to educate their users. Training users to make effective use of their applications and peripherals and teaching them to accurately report computer problems will help reduce user downtime and speed problem resolution.
8. A humble attitude about knowledge limitations
Techs should recognise that they'll never know everything about an issue -- the key is to know where to look for information and resources and to be willing to ask for help when they need it. They must be prepared to read manuals and take correction from others. It takes a certain humility to crack open a manual, go to a colleague for a solution, or press [F1].
9. The ability to learn from experience and from informal/formal instruction
After years of school and technical training, it's all too easy for techs to relax their drive to learn, assuming that now that they're employed in their chosen profession, they have all the knowledge needed to perform the job function. This may be true in certain environments, but if the tech ever wants to change positions and/or companies, he or she will soon find that the knowledge is out-dated and of limited use.
Rapid change is an inherent characteristic of information technology, and those who want to remain productive within the industry must actively seek out every opportunity to further their knowledge, whether through formal training by attending classes or simply by reading, participating in forums, and asking questions of co-workers.
10. The ability to think logically and creatively
Techs should be able to apply a consistent, logical methodology to the resolution of computer problems. This means that even when confronted with new situation, the tech will stand a good chance of being able to resolve the problem, or at least isolate the problem area. To back up their logical thinking, techs also must be able to make creative leaps in reasoning when the application of logic fails to produce a satisfactory resolution.
11. The ability to apply knowledge to new situations
This ability goes along with being a logical, creative thinker to form the essential nature of an outstanding troubleshooter. Some techs I've worked with are excellent at following prescribed procedures in familiar situations but are completely stymied when confronted with an alien situation. Being able to adapt specific knowledge to new situations is extremely important; in most environments, it would be impossible to train the techs in every possible scenario. The very nature of troubleshooting requires the ability to transfer knowledge.
12. A demonstrated independent interest in technology
I'm almost hesitant to include this as an essential attribute of a support tech, as I once walked out of a job interview when I was told they were seeking a candidate who "lived, breathed, slept, walked, and talked technology." In my experience, this type of person often makes a lousy support tech, due to a lack of interpersonal skills.
Having said this, I still maintain that if the tech has no independent interest in technology and just regards it as a job, it will be an ongoing battle to keep the tech up to date with the latest developments or to elicit any form of enthusiasm or excitement for the work. Having a tech who is engaged and excited about new technology becomes particularly important during a rollout, where the tech is uniquely positioned to influence users' attitudes toward the changes in their environment. Rollouts can cause considerable stress to users who are now required to learn a new product to perform their job function. Having a tech who is excited and engaged with the new product will encourage and reassure the users.
