The qualifications necessary to become an IT advisor can vary quite a bit depending on the area of the information technology (IT) industry in which you wish to work. If you want to be an advisor to other businesses, working in a capacity somewhat similar to a consultant, then you should typically have a strong educational and professional background in IT and computer systems. This type of position often requires an understanding of sales or customer service as well as technical skills. You may also be able to become an IT advisor as part of a help desk or customer support service, which often requires less education and technical training and a stronger focus on customer service experience.
One of the first things you should do to become an IT advisor is consider what type of advisor you want to become. If you are interested in working as an advisor to other businesses, providing suggestions and appraisals of their IT options, then you are likely to need a good amount of education and professional experience. Your education should typically consist of a degree, either an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree, in a field such as information technology, security, or computer science. While an associate’s degree may be sufficient for you to become an IT advisor, a bachelor’s degree can help make you more competitive in the job market.
Once you have the education you need to become an IT advisor, then you should try to gain any professional experience you may need. Advisors for businesses often need to understand how different IT systems can best be used by various companies. This means you need experience that you can draw upon to give companies a realistic appraisal of their needs and the best solutions for them. Companies that might hire you to become an IT advisor often require several years of professional experience working in the industry, and may specifically look for sales and customer support experience in that industry.
You should also consider opportunities in which you can become an IT advisor for individual customers in more of a support capacity. Some businesses hire IT advisors who work with customers to help them troubleshoot issues they may be having with computer systems or networks offered by that business. You can typically become an IT advisor in this type of position with less education and more professional experience working in customer support. A background in computer science or technology can be helpful, but a degree is rarely required for this type of position.
