The best support engineers hired by the IT industry’s top firms and MSPs share one critical trait: They go beyond “fixing issues.”
Instead, they automated essential tasks that would previously take hours.
They were able to manage cloud identities with precision.
They were able to secure endpoints before the identified threats could spread.
This is the new reality of IT support that you are about to enter. This shift raises an important question: What is the role of an IT support engineer in today’s changing tech landscape?
Tech employers today are not just looking for troubleshooters; they are seeking multi-skilled problem solvers for their organizations.
As a support engineer, your role goes beyond diagnosing and solving immediate problems. You should also be able to script in PowerShell, deploy in Azure, and navigate networking issues with equal ease.
If you are working for an MSP, how far you grow in your career depends on how adeptly you can master essential skills like cloud, networking, security, and scripting.
In this guide, we will show you the key technical skills for a support engineer to focus on and develop to keep your career future-proof against industry changes.
Looking to hire top support engineers with the right technical skills?
CONTACT USA] Core Networking Skills Every IT Support Engineer Should Build
If you have a foundational understanding of how data flows, it will make it easier for you to troubleshoot security, cloud, or even local apps.
The truth is if there is one area you cannot afford to overlook, it is networking.
A stronger grasp on the topic could be the difference between hoping for a fix and confidently deploying a solution.
This does not mean that you have to acquire the skills and knowledge of a network architect.
But, you should be adept at maneuvering through cloud network configurations, debugging traffic flow across subnets, and diagnosing firewall rules within Network Security Groups (NSGs).
You should start by gaining mastery over the following fundamentals:
- TCP/IP: This is the foundation of communication between all systems, whether cloud-based or local. You should be able to grasp IP addressing, subnetting, and the TCP three-way handshake. This will help you to quickly determine if packets are reaching their destination or simply dropping off.
- DNS: A sound understanding of the Domain Name System (DNS) will help you to easily diagnose and resolve resolution errors. This will help users gain quick access to their resources without any delay.
- DHCP: If you are tasked with managing dynamic IP assignments across user devices, then expertise in DHCP will allow you to quickly troubleshoot IP exhaustion, configuration errors, and scope conflicts that are affecting your client’s productivity.
- VPNs and Firewalls: Mastery over VPNs and firewalls will help you to accurately diagnose if a user’s connection to the cloud or corporate network is being blocked and securely manage remote access.
In MSP environments, if you are able to intuitively detect network disruptions, you will be able to improve service delivery metrics, resolve tickets faster, and keep your client’s operations online.
B] Operating Systems Expertise for Modern Support Engineers
As a support engineer, deep familiarity with operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux will help set you apart as somebody who can manage complex situations confidently.
As part of your responsibilities, you will spend a lot of time dealing with OS-related requests, such as patching vulnerabilities, resolving boot or login failures, and managing permissions.
By gaining expertise over the following admin tasks, you will be able to understand how systems behave, anticipate problems, and isolate the root cause of issues before they affect users:
- Installation and configuration of operating systems and drivers.
- User management, including password resets and access control.
- Patch deployment to fix vulnerabilities or performance issues.
- Log analysis to trace recurring system errors and prevent repeats.
If you become more adept at switching between platforms, you will be able to make any system work, which will help to accelerate your career growth towards more advanced roles.
C] Critical Cloud Platform Knowledge for Support Engineers
In 2025, most modern IT departments and MSPs operate in hybrid environments, where part of their IT infrastructure is set up on-site and the rest is hosted on the cloud.
This makes “cloud literacy” one of the most essential IT support engineer skills to stay relevant in the field.
By understanding how cloud platforms work, you can resolve client issues quickly and reduce dependencies on higher-level teams.
You should focus on gaining expertise over the following cloud platforms:
- Microsoft Azure: Begin by focusing on practical tasks like user provisioning and identity handling through Azure Active Directory (now Microsoft Entra ID). By figuring out how to manage access, troubleshoot Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) issues, and manage Virtual Machines (VMs) for client workloads, you can reduce the average time spent on account recovery tickets.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS): Build a foundational grasp of core services like EC2 (for computing) and S3 (for storage concepts) to address basic service disruptions.
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Understanding the structural elements of GCP like Projects (the core organizational unit), managing IAM permissions (who can access what), and basic Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) network configuration will allow you to efficiently troubleshoot the platform’s core infrastructure.
- SaaS Platforms: Proficiency in SaaS platforms will help you to manage user access confidently and troubleshoot sync issues with important productivity suites like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
Whether it involves hosting virtual desktops or automating backups, cloud platforms are now an integral part of MSP operations.
You will be able to effectively resolve problems that previously used to require escalations by learning how to navigate security groups, admin consoles, and resource dashboards.
D] Virtualization and Remote-Tool Proficiency for Support Engineers
Virtualization enables IT organizations to operate multiple systems on a single physical machine, which helps to save costs, space, and time.
As a support engineer, understanding virtualization will give you more confidence to troubleshoot across virtual layers and ensure stable performance for multiple client systems.
The key platforms you should be looking to learn include:
- VMware (ESXi/Workstation) and Hyper-V: Gaining expertise over these enterprise-level hypervisors will help you to effectively manage the core tasks of building, configuring, and managing high-availability virtual machines (VMs) for production environments. This includes diagnosing resource contention and managing host-level performance.
- VirtualBox (or VMware Workstation Player): By using this to run isolated test environments, you can safely replicate client issues, validate deployment scripts, and test patch rollouts before they touch a production machine. This drastically improves your troubleshooting speed and minimizes risk.
If you can effectively allocate resources, snapshot systems before updates, and roll back after a failed patch, you are a capable engineer in any cloud or hybrid environment.
Familiarizing yourself with the following remote management tools will also help you to efficiently manage MSP workflows:
- RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) for Windows environments.
- TeamViewer and AnyDesk for quick remote sessions.
- ConnectWise Control for MSP-grade monitoring and secure remote fixes.
These tools will help you diagnose, test, and even repair client systems without being physically present. This will ensure that you become more efficient at managing your time, allowing you to save time on repetitive tasks and reduce operational costs for your clients.
E] Scripting and Automation Skills for High-Performing Support Engineers
By scripting, you can automate routine tasks and at the same time maintain configuration consistency across hundreds of client devices.
You should start with these three core languages:
- PowerShell: PowerShell can help you to automate user creation, patch deployments, and system audits in minutes.
- Bash: If you are working with macOS or Linux systems, then Bash will help you to manage permissions, cron jobs, and system monitoring from the terminal.
- Python: From log parsing to API integrations, Python is great for cross-platform automation and report generation.
Scripting will give you more control over repetitive tasks like backup checks, license renewals, or onboarding. Scripts will also help you to speed up resolutions and spot manual errors quickly, which will allow you to prevent critical problems instead of fixing them.
F] Security Fundamentals Every Support Engineer Should Know
In today’s IT landscape, every support engineer is also a security engineer in some form.
With ransomware attacks and data breaches becoming increasingly frequent, every organization is becoming more focused on making security expertise non-negotiable for all technical roles.
You should look to focus on the following core areas:
- Endpoint protection: This will make it possible for you to configure and monitor antivirus and EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) solutions.
- Firewalls and access control: Learn to manage inbound/outbound rules and VPN configurations to maintain network security.
- Phishing and malware awareness: This will enable you to detect suspicious attachments, compromised credentials, and social-engineering patterns.
- MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication): This will help you to confidently troubleshoot, configure, and reset MFA across Microsoft Azure AD and other identity systems.
As a support engineer, you will often be the first to notice security issues like failed logins or unexplained CPU spikes. If you can accurately diagnose those early signs and protect entire networks before any escalation, you will be able to preserve client uptime and data integrity.
G] Certifications That Strengthen a Support Engineer’s Profile
According to a recent salary guide report, 87% of tech and IT leaders offer higher salary packages to candidates with advanced and up-to-date certifications.
The right certifications will help validate your experience and demonstrate your commitment to mastering specific vendor technologies.
Here are the most valuable certifications an IT support engineer will require in 2025:
- CompTIA A+/Network+: It will provide you with a solid foundation of networking, troubleshooting, and hardware fundamentals.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals: This certification will help prove your understanding of cloud basics, service models, and identity management.
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner: It will demonstrate your working knowledge of AWS EC2, S3, and IAM permissions.
- ITIL Foundation: It covers IT service management principles, an integral part of MSP and enterprise environments.
Apart from these, you could also go down specialized paths in security (CompTIA Security+) or automation (Microsoft PowerShell) to stand out further.
By earning these badges now, you can confidently claim your position as a top-tier IT support professional.
H] 7 Technical Skills Recruiters Look For on a Support Engineer Resume
You might think that hiring managers are just looking at your current designation while evaluating your candidacy for an open position.
However, there is more to it.
They will also check your profile for the right mix of technical skills for IT support that matches with the job description for the open position.
Here’s a list of technical skills for engineers that recruiters look for first:
- Networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, DNS, VPNs, and firewall configuration.
- Operating system versatility: They will want to evaluate your comfort with operating in Windows, Linux, and macOS environments.
- Cloud platform awareness: They would want to check your familiarity levels with Azure (Microsoft Entra ID), AWS, and Google Cloud.
- Virtualization proficiency: They will assess your ability to manage, set up, and troubleshoot VMware, Hyper-V, or VirtualBox environments.
- Scripting and automation: They will evaluate how skilled you are in PowerShell, Bash, or Python to automate repetitive administrative tasks.
- Security fundamentals: Your knowledge of endpoint protection, MFA, phishing prevention, and access control will also be taken into account while assessing your candidacy.
- Customer communication: Your ability to explain technical issues clearly and calmly to non-technical users.
Recruiters who specialize in IT agency recruitment understand that the best candidates combine hands-on technical expertise with clear communication, empathy, and documentation discipline.
Let us match you with support engineers who already master the skills you need.
GET IN TOUCHConclusion
Today, a support engineer’s role is about securing the client’s IT infrastructure, connecting systems, and automating repetitive tasks. It has evolved beyond the traditional expectations of ticket resolution.
If you can build a strong foundation in security, operating systems, and networking, and then gradually add cloud fluency, scripting, and certifications, you will be uniquely positioned to thrive in the current IT landscape.
Every new skill you learn is proof of your ability to learn, adapt, and lead in a constantly changing technology environment.
In IT support, those who master the full stack never chase opportunities; they attract them.
Are you looking to hire or become a top IT support engineer? Contact us today to find out how we can support your next hire or your next career move.
Ted White is the President & CEO of Vertical Talent Solutions and has over two decades of IT recruiting experience. Specializing in assisting Managed Service Providers in securing their ideal roles, his expertise navigates career paths precisely. Connect with Ted White for tailored recruitment solutions today.