Computer User Support Specialists
Provide technical assistance to computer users. Answer questions or resolve computer problems for clients in person, via telephone, or electronically. May provide assistance concerning the use of computer hardware and software, including printing, installation, word processing, electronic mail, and operating systems.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Learning
Key knowledge
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Telecommunications
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Mechanical
- Engineering and Technology
- Administration and Management
What the work involves
- Answer user inquiries regarding computer software or hardware operation to resolve problems.
- Enter commands and observe system functioning to verify correct operations and detect errors.
- Install and perform minor repairs to hardware, software, or peripheral equipment, following design or installation specifications.
- Oversee the daily performance of computer systems.
- Set up equipment for employee use, performing or ensuring proper installation of cables, operating systems, or appropriate software.
- Maintain records of daily data communication transactions, problems and remedial actions taken, or installation activities.
- Read technical manuals, confer with users, or conduct computer diagnostics to investigate and resolve problems or to provide technical assistance and support.
- Confer with staff, users, and management to establish requirements for new systems or modifications.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Conventional, Realistic, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (47.3% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (51.1%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (38.4%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Computer User Support Specialists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Moderate | Lower on contact with others than 51% of occupations compared | — |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 93% of occupations compared | — |
| Teamwork | Low | Lower on teamwork than 66% of occupations compared | 79% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very high | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 85% of occupations compared | — |
| Time pressure | Low | Lower on time pressure than 67% of occupations compared | — |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 82% of occupations compared | — |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Moderate | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 59% of occupations compared | — |
| Consequence of error | High | Higher on consequence of error than 71% of occupations compared | — |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: low
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: moderate
- Consequence of error: high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 0%
- Contact with others about half the time: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Contact with others most of the time: 8.91%
- Constant contact with others: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 26, Incumbent 08/2023
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Fairly important: 2.57%
- Important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Very important: 4.86%
- Extremely important: 6.09%
n = 26, Incumbent 08/2023
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0.49%
- Fairly important: 0%
- Important: 6.09%
- Very important: 79.32%
- Extremely important: 14.09%
n = 24, Incumbent 08/2023
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 0.68%
- Some freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- A lot of freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 26, Incumbent 08/2023
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 0.61%
- Once a month or more but not every week: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a week or more but not every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Every day: 2.83%
n = 26, Incumbent 08/2023
Conflict situations
- Never: 5.19%
- Once a year or more but not every month: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a month or more but not every week: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a week or more but not every day: 3.03%
- Every day: 0.62%
n = 26, Incumbent 08/2023
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 3.56%
- Once a year or more but not every month: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a month or more but not every week: 9.64%
- Once a week or more but not every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Every day: 0.25%
n = 24, Incumbent 08/2023
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 1.76%
- Fairly serious: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Serious: 13.23%
- Very serious: 0.95%
- Extremely serious: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 24, Incumbent 08/2023
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O*NET-SOC 15-1232.00 · SOC 15-1232 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8