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  There are two main career paths for desktop support personnel: Technical support specialists and the help-desk specialists. Their duties can easily be performed from a remote location, as long as they have access to the server in question. The US Department of Labor considers both paths "growth professions," especially for those who have a degree in a technical field, such as computer science.
  
  

Technical Support

• Technical support responds to inquiries from an organization and run automatic diagnostics tests to help avoid technical problems. In this desktop support career, the individual may be required to write training manuals and help clients or other personnel understand and use new software and hardware systems. They most often address problems with Land Area Networks and Wide Area Networks.
  
  

Help Desk Support

• These desktop support professionals deal directly with customers or clients about specific computer problems. A technician can work remotely, as he will have access to the system's server to make changes and run troubleshooting applications. In individual cases, the technician can be contacted by phone and must listen carefully to help walk the customer through the correction of problems.
  
  

Required Education

• While a formal college education is not required for this career path, most employers prefer to hire someone with college training. Bachelor's degree holders will have the most success in a job hunt, but associate's degrees and professional certificates will also be an advantage. Work experience can help make up for the lack of a degree. Most employers offer on-the-job training to further skills and teach rules specific to the company, but this must usually be completed at the work facility prior to working remotely.
  
  

Desktop Support Expected Earnings

• Individuals in this career path can expect a varying level of compensation that depends on education, formal training, work experience and continued professional development. Salary will also vary based on the type of company or organization the remote personnel works for. Mid-career salaries typically range from $40,000 to $50,000 a year.