Next move: career advice for IT professionals

Where can I go from an IT support role?

I have been an IT support engineer for six years. I have a degree in computer science and experience supporting Windows workstations and Microsoft Office applications, as well as good administration skills for Windows Server and Exchange Server. I want to move on from providing IT support. Which fields could I move in to?

Get qualified and go into service delivery

You already have experience and a degree in computer science, so you are well placed to move your career forwards. If you want to move into a better-paid technical role, you could apply for a team leader role in IT support. The next step from there would be to become an IT manager for a small organisation.

Another possibility might be to go into IT project management. If you take this route, I suggest that you begin studying for the Prince2 foundation and Prince2 practitioner qualifications.

Given your background in IT support, another option would be to look at the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) foundation qualification in service management. Having done that, you could then take the ITIL qualification in service desk and incident management. These courses are freely available, and you can find information and study materials online.

This would be a logical progression from your current support role, and it would enable you to move into a very rewarding career in service delivery and service management.

Solution by Jeremy I'Anson, principal IT consultant at Hudson

The panel: Computer People, Hudson, No Limits Coaching, The Training Camp, Wreay Group