5 Excellent Qualities Every IT Tech Should Have

by Robert Clough

Picking an IT service to work with can be pretty difficult to decide, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are 5 qualities your IT tech should have that will tell you if they’re the real deal or not!

Did you know that experts forecast the global worth of the information technology sector to reach a whopping $4.8 trillion this year?

Or that the United States accounts for almost a third ($1.5 trillion) of IT spending?

Amazing, right?

If you take a closer look at it though, investments in IT should no longer come as a surprise. After all, almost everything that we do nowadays has something to do with Infotech. This is especially true for businesses since they receive, save, and send information through computers and the Internet.

That’s why you need an IT tech. But not anyone can and will do. You need an IT specialist with all the essential qualities.

What are these characteristics for a job you should look for in your IT department’s prospects though?

That’s what we’ll share with you today. Read on to make sure you hire only the best!

1. They Know Their IT Roots

Ever seen shows like Big Bang Theory or the UK-based “The IT Crowd”? If so, then you’ve heard the same dialogue about computers that goes something like “Try turning it off and then turn it back on.”

Indeed, IT technicians troubleshoot and make computers work again. Their original responsibilities dealt with computer network installation – and resolving the problems that arose from these systems.

It’s for this reason the first thing you need to look is their list of basic IT credentials. They should have experience handling network and program installation, physical connections, and general system maintenance.

2. They Specialize in the Specific Area of Your IT Needs

Although you want your IT personnel to meet the above-qualifications, you also want them to be specialists. For instance, if you look at this post from Paranet Solutions, you’ll learn that well-rounded managed IT services excel in five areas of specialization.

There’s security management, for instance. Cybersecurity is of paramount importance to everyone and all business, regardless of size and nature.

That’s right. Huge organizations aren’t the only ones at risk of cyberattacks (like the 2017 Equifax attack). Small businesses and even private homes are as much of a cyber target as everyone else.

As such, one quality to look for in prospective IT technicians is their expertise in cybersecurity. This should include protecting your business from cyber crimes like data theft, card skimming, and data misuse.

Cybersecurity is only one aspect though. You need to base your decision on the specific nature of the IT job you need experts to fill.

3. They’re Ever-Present

What good will it do you if your IT staff isn’t there when an attack happens?

Yes, you may have great cybersecurity protocols in place. But as important is having experts ready to stop the attack and mitigate their effects.

Keep in mind that many businesses went bankrupt half a year from a cyber attack on their organization. You wouldn’t want such an incident to happen, much less go bankrupt. That’s why you should outsource IT professionals who can assure you of their availability at all times.

Whether it on-the-clock or round-the-clock tech support, on-site or remote, availability is one of the key qualities to look for in your prospective IT personnel.

4. They Boast of Cloud Expertise

Imagine yourself and your other team members having access to data and software wherever in the world you may be. This means productivity at its best, regardless of location or time.

This also means having to move to the cloud. It takes time and in-depth technical knowledge though since we’re talking about data centers, software applications, and of course, secure networks.

But all this effort comes with serious benefits, such as a considerable reduction in your overhead expenses. For starters, you have less physical equipment to deal with. There’s also the resource-usage-based payment (pay as you use) feature of cloud computing services.

Moving to the cloud may not be your top priority, but soon enough it will be. So why not include cloud mastery in the list of good qualities to have for a job in your IT department? This’ll save you time and money in having to look for another IT specialist once the need to make the move arises.

5. They’re Masters in IT Data Backup and Recovery

The above-mentioned Equifax attack is one of the many other cybercrimes that have everyone on their toes. The attacks on Yahoo, Heartland, Target, and eBay are only to name a few of the biggest headliners.

This said, you want to level up your IT security and have people designated to data disaster preparation aside from prevention. So, hire IT techs who have the abilities, skills, and knowledge of data backup and recovery. This way, you can lessen the impact of a breach, in case one does occur in your organization.

Although this applies to all types of businesses, it’s even more important for the e-commerce ones. These organizations need to back up and restore their websites in as little time as possible. The same goes true for those within the professional services sector or businesses that run mission-critical tasks.

Because the longer their sites are down, the greater their loss of profits are. Not to mention the potential theft that can happen to all those sensitive pieces of information they store.

Finding the Real Deal of an IT Tech

No matter how big or small your business is, it needs the services of an exceptional IT tech. Because regardless of the nature of your operations, it runs on computers, networks, and databases. Failure to recognize the importance of an IT specialist can be the downfall of your business.

It can even lead to legal liabilities that can ruin your organization before it reaches its first year. So, make sure you consider all these five qualities an ideal IT technician should possess. Take your time in comparing your prospects, and don’t settle for anyone who doesn’t meet even one of these qualifications.

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