What is an Application Support Analyst?

Application Support Analysts are charged with responding to and resolving customer issues in regards to smartphone or computer applications. The types of applications they work on can range from mobile games to banking software, and they typically deal with a great number of customers on a daily basis.

Application Support Analysts usually report to a higher-level member of staff, such as an Information Technology (IT) Manager or a Senior Systems Analyst, while simultaneously leading a team of software professionals. They spend their time working in an office setting, and can be employed by software companies, game developers, technology manufacturers and other types of organizations. According to findings published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industry-wide demand for Computer Support Specialists, which includes Application Support Analysts, is increasing by an impressive 12 percent. This is expected to result in the opening of 88,800 new positions through 2024.

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Application Support Analyst Duties and Responsibilities

In order to ensure that all applications run smoothly and all customer inquiries are properly addressed, Application Support Analysts perform a variety of tasks. We analyzed several online job postings to identify these core Application Support Analyst duties and responsibilities.

Assess Problems

Application Support Analysts will receive customer complaints and inquiries through a variety of channels, including email, phone and live chat. In addition to making sure that each individual complaint is properly dealt with, Application Support Analysts also need to assess customer problems as a whole so that particular areas of concern can be identified.

Proactively Problem-Solve

Beyond solving problems which have already arisen, Application Support Analysts must also come up with plans designed to help avoid problems in the first place. This involves regularly evaluating the current state of the application, identifying aspects which could be improved and recommend changes in order to facilitate those improvements.

Lead Developers

Reacting to customer-reported issues is a large part of an Application Support Analyst’s job, but it’s not all there is to it. Ensuring consistent day-to-day maintenance is also a crucial responsibility, and Application Support Analysts must direct a team of software developers and production support staff in order to accomplish this.

Keep Records

Application Support Analysts need to take long-term positive changes into consideration as well as short-term problem-solving. To lay the groundwork for those changes to take place, they will be required to keep detailed records of the application’s performance and shortcomings for senior-level staff to review and analyze.

Provide On-Call Support

Along with analyzing big-picture problems and solutions, Application Support Analysts will often need to provide on-call tech support to an application’s users. Depending on their employer, this can either occur on an as-needed basis or be a regular responsibility. Interaction with users can take place through phone calls, emails or live chat and requires Application Support Analysts to give each user their full attention.

Application Support Analyst Skills

Successful Application Support Analysts are abstract and creative thinkers who thrive on tackling difficult challenges. They embrace a varied set of responsibilities, and are just as eager to lead a team of talented programmers as they are to assist individual users. In addition to these general skills and personality traits, employers are looking for Application Support Analysts with the following skills.

Core skills Based on our analysis of multiple online job postings, employers are seeking Application Support Analysts with the following core skills. If you’re interested in pursuing a career as an Application Support Analyst, focus on these.

Ability to work with cross-functional teams
Ability to juggle multiple projects simultaneously
Firm Grasp of Structured Query Language (SQL)
Up-to-date knowledge of scripting, coding and application software
Willing to work on weekends and/or after hours
Excellent leadership skills
Excellent written and verbal communication
High attention to detail

Advanced skills While most employers do not strictly require the following skills, many list them as being preferred. To broaden your career opportunities, hone in on these.

Experience in customer service
Familiarity with the industry to which the employer belongs

Tools of the trade Application Support Analysts use a variety of skills in their daily work. If you’d like to become an Application Support Analyst, you should have a good understanding of the following.

IT management software
Complex computer systems
Telecommunications systems
Standard office equipment, such as copy machines and printers

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Application Support Analyst Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for Computer Support Specialists, which includes Application Support Analysts, is $47,660 per year. Application Support Analysts in the 10th percentile earn $28,980 per year, while those in the 90th percentile earn $81,190 per year. Application Support Analysts in the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and California earn the highest median annual wage in the United States–$60,500, $58,900 and $57,700 per year, respectively.

Application Support Analyst Resources

We compiled this list of resources to help you continue exploring your career as an Application Support Analysts. Whether you’re looking for insightful blogs or educational books, you’re sure to find something below.

On the Web

New Relic Blog

Multiple authors contribute to this frequently updated blog published by the software analytics company New Relic.

Cigital Software Security Blog

Written by Cigital’s software security personnel, this blog focuses on application and software security.

SQLBlog.com

This blog features regular posts regarding everything having to do with SQL.

On LinkedIn

Application Support

With over 33,000 members, this group is open to Application Support Analysts as well as IT professionals of all kinds.

Application Performance Monitoring

This group of more than 7,000 members is specifically geared towards the discussion of application performance monitoring methods and practices.

Developers, Engineers & Techies

This catch-all group has nearly 100,000 members and is designed to promote communication between technology professionals, including Application Support Analysts.

Books

A+ Guide to IT Technical Support

Whether you’re an aspiring IT professional in need of an introduction or an experienced Application Support Analyst in need of a reference guide, this book can be a valuable source of information.

Web Application Security, A Beginner’s Guide

This book covers the basics of application security, from commonly used lingo to best practices for vulnerability detection.

SQL in 10 Minutes

Covers nearly all aspects of SQL, including statement construction, database formatting, data filtering and more.