Too often, senior IT leaders see the service desk as just the “front door” to IT—a stepping stone for young, ambitious rising stars. In this view, the ideal analyst is early in their career, eager to learn and using the desk as a launchpad.
While rising stars are critical, this perspective overlooks another group: seasoned service desk professionals who have built deep expertise on the front lines, and mid-career changers who bring extensive experience from other fields. Both offer judgment, reliability and perspective that stabilize and elevate the team.
World-class service desks succeed when rising stars and seasoned veterans—long-term analysts or career changers—work together, combining energy, curiosity and ambition with experience and wisdom.
The Entry-Level Myth
Many leaders assume the service desk is temporary—a place for young engineers to learn before moving on to “real” IT roles. This mindset narrows the talent pool and undervalues analysts committed to the long haul.
In reality, the service desk can be a fulfilling career. Analysts can build deep expertise in processes, tools and customer interactions over years. Others join as a second act—mid-career professionals transitioning from other fields—bringing fresh perspectives, transferable skills and a steady hand.
World-class teams thrive when leaders recognize the full spectrum of talent: rising stars eager to grow, and seasoned veterans—career service desk professionals and career changers—who anchor the team with experience and judgment.
Traits of Truly Excellent Analysts
Top analysts, whether new or seasoned, share these qualities:
- Technical Craftsmanship: Diagnose and resolve hardware, software, network and platform issues.
- Problem-Solving Prowess:Identify root causes, prevent repeat incidents and stay calm under pressure.
- Clear Communication: Explain complex issues empathetically and understandably.
- Customer Focus: Prioritize user experience and productivity.
- Adaptability: Embrace new tools, processes, and expectations—whether in IT for 2 or 20 years.
- Team Collaboration: Share knowledge, support teammates and elevate overall service quality.
Rising stars bring curiosity, energy, and fresh perspectives. Seasoned veterans—long-term or career changers—bring judgment, reliability and deep knowledge. Together, they tackle challenges no single type of analyst could handle alone.
Experience and Talent Are Strengths, Not Liabilities
Seasoned veterans have seen technology evolve from early PCs to cloud platforms and AI-assisted support. Their ability to learn and adapt over decades clearly demonstrates their mastery over technical change.
Some of the best analysts come from non-IT backgrounds. They may be new to technology, but they bring transferable talent: curiosity, problem-solving instincts, empathy and a drive to learn. As Buckingham and Coffman note in First, Break All the Rules, innate talent is the most reliable predictor of long-term excellence. I have found this to be true and coach managers to prioritize talent recognizing that skills can be taught.
Analysts with experience in the functional area the service desk supports deliver exceptional value. They understand workflows, terminology and daily challenges, translating user needs into practical solutions. Career changers often bridge gaps between technology and business in ways even seasoned technical experts may miss. For example, a career changer might observe, “They don’t use the system like that,” preventing wasted effort and frustration.
Promotion Decisions Also Reveal Leadership Bias
Bias doesn’tstop at hiring—it affects promotions, too. Leaders often assume the most technical analyst or the high-flying rising star is the obvious choice. Yet the person best suited for leadership is often the analyst committed to making the service desk their career.
Career-minded analysts—seasoned veterans or mid-career changers—bring stability, deep process knowledge and mentoring skills. These qualities sustain long-term excellence, but are easily overlooked.
The strongest leaders consistently:
- Deliver under pressure
- Understand the customer better than anyone
- Mentor others without being asked
- Make sound decisions during incidents
- Earn trust across teams
When promotions focus on capability and readiness, leadership emerges naturally and teams thrive with a mix of rising stars and seasoned veterans.
A Final Challenge for Support Leaders
Look at your service desk. Do you have a healthy balance of rising stars and seasoned veterans? Or is your team made up of those who fit your bias of what “great” looks like?
World-class support teams are built by recognizing excellence wherever it appears—and having the courage to hire, support, promote and elevate it.
That’s not theory. That’s what winning looks like.