Technical specialists are highly qualified information technology professionals who are responsible for helping management choose and install the most effective network solutions and who also might work with network analysts to optimize systems and perform troubleshooting. To become a technical specialist, it is essential to earn at least an undergraduate degree in a field such as information systems, computer engineering, or computer science. A person who would like to become a technical specialist also should plan on earning a master's degree in a related field or undergoing specific career development and earning professional certification. Many technical specialists have years of experience working on information systems, often within specific industries.
In most cases, technical specialists are responsible for making sure that all hardware and software in a network is functioning correctly. When managers or executives decide to update their interior processes, they might call on technical specialists to work with analysts to provide sensible solutions based on an organization's budget, transaction volumes, and desired levels of growth. A person who wants to become a technical specialist in the financial industry, for example, might deal specifically with networking programs and databases by which employees access, store, and share information related to markets and client portfolios.
To become a technical specialist, you should earn an undergraduate degree in information systems or a related field. If you have the chance to engage in an internship while you are working toward your degree, you should take advantage of this opportunity since it can give you some early insight into how principles and processes learned in a classroom differ when they are applied to real world scenarios. Internship experience also can help you to adjust to life in the business world, which sometimes is difficult for people with computer science backgrounds, who commonly work alone or with others in their field.
A person who wants to become a technical specialist also should research available licenses and certificates that are available. Find out which skills and bodies of knowledge current employers expect job applicants to posses by reading job postings. If you want to become a technical specialist in the medical industry, for example, you might find that you need to know a certain programming language or specific kinds of hardware. You can earn certification that shows you have demonstrated proficiency in certain skills.
The resume of a person who wants to become a technical specialist should highlight his or her ability to act as a problem solver and team leader in issues of technical communication. A qualified technical specialist also should have years of experience within a certain industry or working with certain kinds of technology. It is also almost always essential to have a few professional references who can testify to your abilities.