Biaggi C. Barber
Computer User Support & Website Management
INTRODUCING
I am an IT/Technical Support Specialist with experience in providing IT/computer user support in an office environment. I currently provide home/small office technical support on a freelance basis, including setting up workstations and printers and troubleshooting personal computer (PC) software and hardware. I have spent the past three years serving as the primary and sole in-house technical support for the Recruiting Team of a staffing company called MYTA Technologies in Bethesda, MD. I also have over seven years’ worth of personal experience troubleshooting and managing Apple devices (both mobile devices and computers) .
In addition to providing IT services on a freelance basis, I have been keeping my technical skills sharp by learning front-end web development after being laid off from MYTA Technologies in May 2019. I have created this website with these skills as a demonstration (check out my portfolio at belleviSite.com for more). I created this site using Visual Studio Code, GitHub and GitHub Pages, the Bootstrap libraries, Flaticon, Google Fonts, and other free font libraries, and Google Chrome developer tools. I have extensively worked with other software and systems such as Windows 8, Windows 10, Mac OS X, iOS, Automator for Mac, Terminal, Malwarebytes, Norton Antivirus, Zoom, Slack, Skype, and G Suite for professional, personal, and academic projects. I've worked with Dell desktops and laptops as well as MacBook Pro laptops, iPhones, and iPads.
I support users in basic PC and Mac skills such as utilizing Microsoft Office software, enabling and demonstrating processes such as scanning to PC, navigation through operating systems, browser navigation, and more on a freelance basis. I also diagnose, install, and repair/escalate issues with home PCs, printers/fax machines, and WiFi. My support often includes instruction and troubleshooting for Apple mobile devices. Additionally, I set up and install drivers/software for home and small business printers, including fax setup on shared phone lines. I will often perform basic security instruction and review, including scanning for viruses, teaching the signs of viruses, and counseling best security practices.
I was contracted to a new local wine café to create a static business website. I utilized front-end web development tools such as HTML5, CSS3, jQuery, Bootstrap 4 to create a 4-page website, viweable at locavino.com. I also employed search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve interaction between site and search engines in order to enhance visibility in relevant search results.
I was hired at MYTA Technologies (an Information Technology staffing firm for the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area) to primarily edit and format documents. This involved extensive use of the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). However, I transitioned rapidly into also performing technical support for the Recruiting Team in August 2016, when I upgraded all of the company's workstations from Microsoft Windows 8 to Windows 10. I later took on the management of MYTA's official social media accounts (Twitter and LinkedIn) in 2017. I eventually also began to manage the company's website content via WordPress in mid-2018.
The technical support I provided to the Recruiting Team included ordering, setting up, updating, troubleshooting, and repairing Dell personal computers (PCs) running Microsoft Windows 8 and 10 operating systems as needed. I also gained experience in installing and managing Norton antivirus software accounts, testing and repairing/replacing Dell PC hardware (both monitors and computers), troubleshooting and fixing MFC Brother printers, and setting up and troubleshooting Cisco SPA504G VoIP phones. Additionally, I performed some light G Suite administration, including the management of Gmail groups and the addition and deletion of internal employee email accounts.
In May 2019, this position ended due to the elimination of my job position.
Microsoft Office90%
Mac OS X90%
Windows 1080%
HTML & CSS60%
Adobe InDesign65%
Communication90%
Analytical80%
Customer Service80%
Problem Solving75%
Organization80%
English Verbal100%
English Writing & Grammar90%
English Reading Comprehension90%
French Verbal75%
French Reading/Writing60%
Credential No. 11583324. I studied the tactical applications of social media for marketing/advertising, customer service, and community-building purposes. This certificate can be viewed here.
I majored in Psychology with a minor in Cultural Anthropology. This course of study deepened my ability to critically analyze problems and develop potential solutions in addition to satisfying my appreciation for the spectrum of human diversity. It also improved my ability to understand and empathize with people, and thereby adjust my own behavior and mentality to better work with others.
I majored in General Studies with a concentration in Social Sciences as a placeholder for Psychology, which had not been available as a major. While pursuing my Associate's degree, I mentored and tutored several students in various subjects such as Pre-Calculus, Statistics, Biology, U.S. History, and French.
I completed a general course of study, interspersed with various Advanced Placement (AP) courses in English, History, and French (for which I received a 4 on the AP French Language and Culture exam) as well as International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in French. I received an SAT score of 1900 out of 2400.
I am able to use my analytical skills as well as the CompTIA six-step troubleshooting methodology to work with customers in order to determine causes of malfunctioning computer hardware and software. I am conscientious and detail-oriented, and I excel in actively listening to customers detail the technical problems in order to best resolve them. I am also diligent about testing and re-testing machines to determine the probable cause. I am good at both triaging issues for elevation to more experienced technicians as well as researching resolutions that I am able to implement. In terms of computer support, I have worked on Windows and Mac desktops and laptops as well as Dell computers. I have experience using diagnostic tools such as Dell Diagnostic Tools, Norton's Antivirus Scan, the Malwarebytes Diagnostic Scan, CleanMyMac, Windows Performance Monitor, Windows Memory Diagnostic, Disk Utility (Mac), and the Apple Hardware Test.
Using my familiarity with HTML and CSS, I am able to manage the content of websites directly on the front-end. I am also familiar with Responsive Web Design practices, including mobile-first development and the use of media queries and flex grids. I am experienced in using basic design tools such as image editors, webfonts, icons, HTML and CSS templates, HTML forms, and more. This is in addition to web development tools such as the Bootstrap CSS and JavaScript libraries, JavaScript plugins, Google Developer tools, Visual Studio Code, and GitHub (including GitHub Pages). I am able to create basic wireframes and mockups while keeping in mind some basic principles of web design such as purpose, typefaces, color schemes, navigation, grid-based layouts, and images. I am also familiar with using the Content Management System (CMS) WordPress.
I have extensive experience and skill in copywriting documents as well as formatting print materials using Adobe InDesign and official presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint. I am also capable of editing for tone and clarity in addition to basic proofreading. I am capable of integrating similar design tools and principles from front-end web design into print and presentation materials, such as purpose, icons, typefaces, and layout.
I have a range of eclectic interests and hobbies! I love to read Fantasy and Science-Fiction novels (largely amateur works online but also published print novels), but also anything from Historical fiction/non-fiction to Japanese manga to scientific journals. I also love music. I am a singer, and I have a particular passion for musical theater and karaoke. For example, the musical Hamilton is my life’s soundtrack at this point and I can sing 95% of it from start to finish!
Other than listening to music, I also love to listen to history podcasts such as Backstory and A Taste of the Past (the latter appeals both to my love of history and my love of cooking). Additionally, I am a huge makeup enthusiast. I also enjoy creating HTML and CSS websites that center around my hobbies, such as my personal beauty website (currently a work-in-progress).
