How should IT handle repeated out-of-office requests for employees?
I support a client with roughly 1,000 users, and department heads regularly submit tickets asking IT to set automatic out-of-office replies for employees who forgot to do it…
help desk
Is Replacing Our IT Ticketing System with WhatsApp a Terrible Idea?
Management wants our four-person IT team to replace the ticketing system with a shared WhatsApp Business group to support roughly 350 users across three offices. The current system…
What are the best habits for starting out in a network admin and help desk role?
I recently started a hybrid network administration and help desk position. My background is in front-end development, but after being laid off I earned my Network+, Security+, and…
What are the best habits for succeeding in a junior network admin and help desk role?
I recently started a hybrid network administration and help desk position. My background is in front-end development, but after being laid off I earned the Network+, Security+, and…
How can an L1 technician safely take on a systems administration project?
I've been a Level 1 help desk technician at a corporate company for a little over three years, and I'm trying to move toward systems administration. Our new…
Has anyone implemented a physical IT self-service kiosk for common support tasks?
We already have useful guidance on our intranet and self-service website, including password resets and other common fixes, but we still receive many walk-in requests for issues users…
How do you handle users who won’t try to troubleshoot basic problems?
A user interrupted me with an "urgent" email issue. They were opening Outlook for the first time, and it asked them to enter an email address and click…
How Can I Move From Hands-On Hardware Support Into a $30+/Hour Remote IT Job?
I'm currently earning about $23 an hour as an IT hardware and asset technician at a computer repair and recycling facility. My work includes troubleshooting and testing networking…
How Can I Move from Hardware Support into a $30+/Hour Remote IT Job?
I'm currently earning about $23 an hour as an IT hardware and asset technician at a computer repair and recycling facility. My work includes troubleshooting and testing networking…
How can I use my help desk role to move into cloud or infrastructure?
I've been working full-time as a Help Desk Technician for about a month, and I want to use the next 6–12 months to prepare for a more advanced…
How should I prepare for a career in Linux system administration?
I'm 28 and currently work part time at a cigar lounge. Before that, I ran a family business for about three years and relied on trading as my…
How can I consistently redirect workplace requests to the ticketing system?
I don't mind helping people through Teams, but I've noticed I'm inconsistent: people I'm friendly with often get immediate help, while others are told to submit a ticket.…
Am I being too impatient about getting more system access in my new sysadmin role?
I recently moved from a 1.5-year L1 Help Desk role into a junior systems administrator position at a small, cloud-focused company. I have an AZ-104 certification and was…
Am I being too impatient about getting broader admin access in my new sysadmin role?
I spent about 1.5 years in an L1 Help Desk role, where I became a trusted go-to person and earned my AZ-104 certification. I recently joined a new…
How Did You Start Your Sysadmin Career, and What Helped You Push Through the Hard Times?
I'm 18 and just beginning to explore systems administration as a career. I'd like to hear how others got their first IT job, whether they ever felt overwhelmed…
Can I Build an IT Career Without Using AI?
I'm starting my fourth semester studying Information Systems Management at Auburn. During the first week of classes, nearly every discussion focused on AI and how heavily it may…
How Can I Identify Who Installed or Copied an Unauthorized Application?
I'm investigating an unauthorized application on an employee's Windows laptop and need to determine which administrator or help desk technician installed or transferred it. The help desk team…
My Manager Wants Me to Cover Help Desk Without Training or Access
I'm a relatively new employee and was asked to fill in for our help desk technician while they're away. My manager often says that everyone should work help…
What common IT issues should I cover in a self-service knowledge base?
I'm the sole IT technician for a small nonprofit with about 80 employees. Our current request process requires staff to contact their department head, who then submits the…
What are the most effective ways to reduce IT ticket resolution times?
Our IT ticket resolution times keep getting worse. The fixes themselves usually aren't especially difficult, but technicians lose time switching between tools, searching through old tickets, repeating troubleshooting…