What Does a Computer Repair Specialist Do?

A computer repair specialist is a relatively new career that has seen growth due to the rise in computer and Internet use. Individuals working in this job field typically have a related certification and may work for a company or as a freelancer. Even though the work settings may differ, the essential job duties of a computer repair specialist remain the same. These include installing and upgrading computer software or hardware, fixing computer problems, securing user networks, creating backups and learning new programs.

Installing and upgrading computer software or hardware is one of the most basic duties of a computer repair specialist. Both applications and parts can become quickly obsolete, and users need to stay up to date. Since many people are unfamiliar with the process of installing new software or hardware, some choose to enlist the services of a professional to ensure that all upgrades are done correctly.

Perhaps the most important part of this career is fixing the computer problems often caused by viruses and spyware. Even with firewall protection and anti-virus software, many computer users still experience occasional infections with viruses. Since removing viruses is often a difficult process, many people choose to let a computer repair specialist solve the problem. As a result, a specialist will rid a computer of its virus and restore it back to normal functioning.

Another typical job duty is to safely secure user networks. In order to prevent future attacks from viruses or spyware, a computer repair specialist will usually set up certain software. Not only will this prevent computer infections, but a secure network should also maximize a user's online privacy and minimize his information from being shared.

Creating backups for customers is also a fairly common task. Since a computer's software and documents could be potentially wiped out, many users choose to make a backup. In order to do this, a computer repair specialist will typically back up a computer's information onto a CD-R, hard drive or flash drive. In case the customer's computer experiences problems with data loss, he will be able to effectively restore the data that was on the computer at the most recent backup.

It's also necessary for a computer repair specialist to continually learn new programs and stay up to date as computers evolve. The computer repair specialist must research and learn about changes in hardware, software and computer operating systems. If he is employed by a company, he might also be required to take occasional courses on new computer programs.