Systems Administrator Resume: Examples and Templates for 2026

Why Sysadmin Resumes Need a Different Approach

I've worked with IT teams across three continents, and I've seen firsthand how hiring managers evaluate systems administrator resumes. Here's what I've learned: the skills that make you great at the job—keeping systems running, preventing problems before they happen, automating repetitive tasks—are exactly the skills that are hardest to convey on paper.

Most sysadmin resumes I review fall into one of two traps. Either they're a brain dump of every technology ever touched (impressive but overwhelming), or they're so generic ("Managed Windows servers") that they could describe anyone with basic IT experience. Neither approach lands interviews consistently.

The solution? Think like a system architect, but for your career. Your resume needs clear structure, specific metrics, and strategic presentation—the same principles you apply to infrastructure design. For comprehensive strategies on optimizing your resume language, our professional impact dictionary covers the exact verbs and metrics for IT roles.

What IT Hiring Managers Actually Look For

Before diving into structure and examples, let's understand what separates a good sysadmin resume from a forgettable one. According to CompTIA's workforce research, IT hiring managers prioritize these factors:

Your resume must address all five quickly. Hiring managers spend about 30 seconds on initial screening—make those seconds count.

Essential Components of a Systems Administrator Resume

1. Header with Technical Context

Your header should include standard contact information plus technical positioning:

Example Header:

MARCUS CHEN
Senior Systems Administrator | Linux & Cloud Infrastructure

(555) 234-5678 | marcus.chen@email.com
linkedin.com/in/marcuschen | github.com/marcuschen
Seattle, WA

The positioning statement ("Senior Systems Administrator | Linux & Cloud Infrastructure") immediately tells the reader what type of sysadmin you are.

2. Technical Summary: Your 30-Second Pitch

This 2-4 sentence section should capture your experience level, core competencies, key achievements, and what makes you stand out.

Weak Summary:

"Experienced IT professional with strong problem-solving skills and a team-oriented approach."

Strong Summary:

"Senior Systems Administrator with 8+ years managing hybrid Linux/Windows infrastructure at scale. Led migration of 200+ servers to AWS, reducing infrastructure costs by 35% while achieving 99.97% uptime. RHCSA certified with deep expertise in automation using Ansible and Terraform. Seeking a role where I can architect resilient systems for a growing organization."

The strong summary is specific, quantified, and tells me exactly what level of sysadmin this is.

3. Technical Skills: Organized for Scanning

Your skills section should be comprehensive but organized for quick scanning. Don't just dump technologies—categorize them logically.

Recommended Categories:

Category	Example Skills
Operating Systems	RHEL, Ubuntu, Windows Server 2019/2022, CentOS
Cloud Platforms	AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, IAM), Azure, GCP
Virtualization	VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, Proxmox, Docker
Networking	TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, Load Balancing, Firewalls
Configuration Management	Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Terraform
Scripting	Bash, PowerShell, Python
Monitoring	Nagios, Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, Splunk
Backup & Recovery	Veeam, Commvault, AWS Backup
Security	Hardening, Vulnerability Scanning, SIEM, IAM

Example Skills Section:

TECHNICAL SKILLS
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Operating Systems: RHEL 7/8, Ubuntu 20.04/22.04, Windows Server 2019/2022
Cloud: AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, IAM), Azure (VMs, AD)
Virtualization: VMware vSphere 7, Docker, Kubernetes basics
Automation: Ansible, Terraform, Bash, PowerShell, Python
Networking: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, Load Balancing, pfSense
Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana, Nagios, ELK Stack, Datadog
Security: CIS Benchmarks, Nessus, OSSEC, SELinux, Windows GPO

4. Work Experience: Quantified Achievements

Your experience section is where you prove your value. Every bullet should demonstrate impact, not just describe responsibilities.

The Formula: Action Verb + Specific Technology/Task + Measurable Result

Weak Bullet Points:

Strong Bullet Points:

The strong bullets include specific technologies, numbers, and business outcomes. This is how you prove you're not just competent—you deliver results.

5. Certifications: Validation Matters

In IT, certifications carry weight. List them prominently, especially if they're recent or highly relevant.

Most Valued Certifications for Sysadmins:

Example Certifications Section:

CERTIFICATIONS
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) | 2024
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate | 2023
CompTIA Security+ | 2022
VMware Certified Professional – Data Center Virtualization (VCP-DCV) | 2021

6. Education

For sysadmin roles, education is typically less important than experience and certifications. However, include relevant degrees and ongoing learning.

Example:

EDUCATION
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
B.S. Information Technology | University of Washington | 2016
Relevant Coursework: Network Administration, Database Management,
Systems Security, Operating Systems

7. Projects or Home Lab (Optional but Valuable)

If you're transitioning into IT or want to demonstrate extra initiative, a projects section showcases hands-on learning:

PROJECTS / HOME LAB
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• Built self-hosted Kubernetes cluster on Proxmox with 3 nodes,
  running GitLab, Nextcloud, and monitoring stack
• Created Terraform modules for AWS infrastructure deployment,
  open-sourced on GitHub with 50+ stars
• Configured pfSense-based network with VLANs, VPN, and IDS
  for home lab security testing

Systems Administrator Resume Example

Here's a complete example resume for a mid-level sysadmin:

SARAH WASHINGTON
Systems Administrator | Linux & Cloud Infrastructure

(555) 876-5432 | sarah.washington@email.com
linkedin.com/in/sarahwashington | github.com/swashington
Denver, CO

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SUMMARY
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Systems Administrator with 5 years managing Linux infrastructure
in production environments. Led cloud migration project for
mid-sized SaaS company, achieving 99.9% uptime post-migration.
RHCSA certified with expertise in Ansible automation and AWS.
Passionate about infrastructure as code and DevOps practices.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TECHNICAL SKILLS
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Operating Systems: RHEL 7/8, Ubuntu 20.04/22.04, Windows Server 2019
Cloud: AWS (EC2, RDS, S3, VPC, IAM, CloudWatch)
Virtualization: VMware ESXi 7.0, Docker
Automation: Ansible, Terraform, Bash, Python
Networking: DNS, DHCP, VPN (OpenVPN, WireGuard), HAProxy
Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana, Nagios, ELK Stack
Security: SELinux, CIS Benchmarks, Vulnerability Scanning

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
WORK EXPERIENCE
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR | CloudTech Solutions | 2021–Present
• Manage 200+ Linux servers across AWS and on-premise data centers,
  maintaining 99.9% uptime for SaaS platform serving 50K users
• Automated infrastructure provisioning with Terraform and Ansible,
  reducing deployment time from 6 hours to 30 minutes
• Led AWS migration of 40 production workloads over 12 months,
  cutting infrastructure costs by $120K annually
• Implemented centralized logging with ELK Stack, improving
  troubleshooting efficiency by 60%
• Designed and tested DR procedures achieving 2-hour RTO,
  following successful annual failover tests

IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST / JUNIOR SYSADMIN | DataCore Inc. | 2019–2021
• Supported 150 users across Windows/Mac/Linux endpoints with
  95% satisfaction rating
• Managed Active Directory, Group Policy, and Office 365
  administration for organization
• Automated repetitive tasks with PowerShell, saving 10+ hours
  weekly on routine maintenance
• Maintained VMware environment with 25 VMs supporting internal
  applications
• Reduced ticket backlog by 45% through process improvements
  and documentation

HELP DESK TECHNICIAN | TechSupport Corp. | 2018–2019
• Resolved 30+ tickets daily as Tier 1/2 support for enterprise clients
• Created knowledge base articles reducing repeat calls by 25%
• Earned promotion to Tier 2 within 6 months based on performance

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
CERTIFICATIONS
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) | 2023
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate | 2022
CompTIA Network+ | 2020
CompTIA A+ | 2019

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
EDUCATION
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
A.S. Computer Information Systems | Community College of Denver | 2018

Tailoring Your Resume for Different Sysadmin Roles

Cloud Systems Administrator

Emphasize:

Linux Systems Administrator

Emphasize:

Windows Systems Administrator

Emphasize:

Enterprise/Senior Systems Administrator

For senior roles requiring broader scope, consider executive-level positioning. If you're also considering adjacent roles like network engineering, our guide on network engineer resumes covers the specific technical focus areas for that career path.

Common Mistakes on Systems Administrator Resumes

Mistake 1: Technology Dump Without Context

Listing 50 technologies without showing how you used them is overwhelming and unconvincing. Focus on technologies you can confidently discuss in an interview.

Mistake 2: No Quantified Achievements

"Maintained servers" tells me nothing. "Maintained 200 Linux servers with 99.9% uptime" tells me everything. Numbers prove competence.

Mistake 3: Outdated Technologies Featured Prominently

Leading with Windows Server 2003 experience in 2026 signals you haven't kept current. Keep legacy systems in context but emphasize modern skills.

Mistake 4: Missing Certifications Section

In IT, certifications validate claims. If you have relevant certs, display them prominently. If you're working toward certifications, mention that ("CompTIA Security+ (in progress, June 2026)").

Mistake 5: Ignoring Soft Skills Entirely

While sysadmin roles are technical, you still work with people. Mention cross-functional collaboration, documentation skills, and communication when relevant.

Mistake 6: Generic Job Descriptions

Copying job descriptions is lazy and doesn't differentiate you. Describe what YOU specifically did and achieved.

Formatting Best Practices

Length: One page for most sysadmins. Two pages only for senior roles with 10+ years of substantial experience.

Font: Clean, technical-feeling fonts like Source Sans Pro, Inconsolata, or the classics (Arial, Calibri). Size 10-12pt for body.

Margins: 0.5" to 0.75" to maximize space without looking cramped.

File Format: PDF unless specifically asked for Word. Name professionally: "Sarah_Washington_Systems_Administrator.pdf"

Design: Clean and professional. Avoid excessive graphics, colors, or creative layouts that might confuse ATS systems.

Optimizing for ATS Systems

Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems. Make sure your resume passes:

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I write a sysadmin resume with no professional experience?

Focus on transferable skills from other roles, IT-related education, certifications, home lab projects, and any volunteer IT work. Describe your home lab in detail—what technologies you've explored, problems you've solved, and what you've learned.

Should I include a home lab on my resume?

Absolutely, especially if you're early in your career or transitioning into IT. A well-documented home lab demonstrates passion, self-directed learning, and hands-on experience. Describe the technologies, the scope, and specific projects.

What's the best way to show career progression?

List roles in reverse chronological order with clear titles and dates. If you were promoted within a company, list each role separately to show progression. Use increasingly senior language in more recent bullet points.

How do I handle a career gap?

Be honest and brief. If you spent time on personal learning, mention it: "Career break (2023-2024): Focused on obtaining AWS certifications and building home lab infrastructure." Don't draw excessive attention to gaps. For guidance on crafting achievements that resonate with hiring managers, check out strategies for writing impactful resume accomplishments.

Should I list every technology I've ever touched?

No. Focus on technologies relevant to your target roles and those you can confidently discuss in an interview. A laundry list of 100 tools suggests quantity over quality.

How important are certifications for sysadmin roles?

Highly important, especially for candidates with less experience. Certifications validate skills and demonstrate commitment to the profession. Prioritize certifications relevant to your target roles.

Building a Standout Sysadmin Career Narrative

Beyond the tactical resume elements, think about the story your career tells:

Companies want sysadmins who understand that infrastructure exists to serve business goals. The best resumes demonstrate technical excellence in service of business outcomes.

Final Thoughts: Your Infrastructure, Your Career

Your resume is infrastructure for your career. Apply the same principles you use for systems design:

The systems administrator who approaches their resume with the same rigor as their server infrastructure will stand out from candidates who treat it as an afterthought. Every line should earn its place—just like every configuration in your production environment should serve a purpose.

Remember that hiring managers are looking for proof of competence, not just claims. The difference between "managed servers" and "maintained 200+ RHEL servers with 99.95% uptime" is the difference between a resume that gets ignored and one that lands interviews. Take the time to quantify your achievements and organize your technical skills logically.

Build it well. Test it thoroughly. Deploy it confidently.