System Administrator Resume

If you’re hoping to become a systems administrator, you can look forward to a lucrative career with opportunity for growth.

In 2020, more businesses than ever have been moving their operations online, according to this year’s McKinsey Global Survey. That means an increased demand for quick thinking system admins who can manage and maintain computer systems, and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

The best way to show you’ve got what it takes? Upgrade your system administrator resume with these insider tips:

Highlight your system administrator resume skills

As a system administrator, you’ll need to be ready to take on a seemingly endless stream of problems and error messages throughout the working day.

For this reason, it’s essential that you show you have the right technical skills to excel.

While there might not be a one-size-fits-all for this part of your resume, we’ve listed some of the most popular system admin skills employers are looking out for:

• Linux
• Virtualization technologies
• Programming languages such as Python
• Cloud skills
• Security solutions
• LAN/WAN/NOC administration
• Identity and Access Management
• Scripting/automation
• ITIL experience
• Database management system software — Apache Hadoop Hot technology; Elasticsearch Hot technology; MongoDB Hot technology
• Development environment software
• Network monitoring software
• Operating system software
• Web platform development software

Linux, in particular, is a strong addition to any system administrator’s resume. According to TechRepublic, it is set to make considerable headway in 2021 as more companies start integrating the open-source software into their place of business.

Back up your compatibility with relevant certifications

In an ideal world, your potential employer would take the time to review every word of your carefully crafted resume. But unfortunately, yours is just one in a pile of many that they need to read through by lunch.

Your resume needs to stand out from the stack if it’s going to get a closer look. One of the best ways to catch any hiring manager’s attention is to highlight one or two relevant certifications.

Widely acknowledged certifications like CCNA, AWS practitioner certifications, and Network+ certification go a long way in proving you have the essential skills to thrive in a systems admin role.

But with the cloud computing industry expected to expand in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a related cert like MCSE will show you’re ahead of the game and deserving of that all-important interview.

Lead with a stand-out professional summary

One of the most effective ways to quickly highlight your skills as a system administrator and catch the attention of employers is by starting your resume off with a convincing resume summary.

A solid system admin summary should detail your current job, total amount of work experience, and work-related duties you excel at. Additionally, it should include any achievements that highlight hard or soft skills mentioned in the job description.

Here’s an example of a strong system administrator resume summary:

System Administrator with 8+ years of experience in system maintenance and server infrastructure/data-center operations management. Proven track record of success in developing, deploying, and evaluating systems to improve uptime and efficiency.

Enhance your resume with strong IT action verbs

A big part of crafting the perfect system admin resume is the language you use. Resume action words highlight your accomplishments and present you as the kind of hire that will stand and deliver results on day one.

Looking back at our sample resume, see how the candidate appears wired to work as a systems admin:

That’s partially down to industry action words like “implementing, utilizing, and evaluating.” These words help match the candidate’s skills with the responsibilities they would have in their new role.

When writing your resume, you should always check the job description for key terms that will fit in with your summary and work experience.

In need of some inspiration? Here are a few key system administrator action words that will give your resume a boost: