The job description of a support consultant covers a large variety of job descriptions that vary from management to technical support. Support consultants are part of one of the fastest growing industries and one of the overall highest paid.
Definition
Support consultants offer technical, managerial and scientific support to businesses and organizations. Sometimes the consultants work directly for the company and at other times they are outsourced from staffing firms.
Education and Training
Many companies require at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or engineering to be considered for a support consultant position. An extensive level of on-the-job training is generally provided.
Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, support consultant jobs through all fields (management, scientific and technical) are expected to grow 83 percent through 2018, a large number of applicants are also expected to enter the field within the next few years. Therefore, available job opportunities are not expected to grow as strongly.
Duties
Support consultant duties vary by position, but include providing support to clients, recording and documenting activity through the ticket system (a computerized system for organizing service requests) and maintaining a high level of communication with senior consultants and technicians are primary.
Working Conditions
Most support consultants who are not at a supervisor level and average about 35 hours a week. While many support consultants work in offices, travel is often required.
