Is system admin a good career?

Systems administrators are responsible for the setup and maintenance of a company or organization’s computer systems. They ensure a computer within a company's network, and especially the server, is operating smoothly and securely. Systems administrators configure and maintain a network computer system that includes hardware system software and applications.

Systems administrators ensure data is securely stored and perform regular backups of the data and information. They diagnose and resolve any hardware, software, networking, or system issues that arise and replace and upgrade any defective or outdated components if appropriate. They monitor systems’ performance to ensure they are functioning smoothly and securely and research and recommend new approaches to improve the network computer system if requested. They provide technical support to employees and personnel, and document the processes employees need to follow to work within a computing system. Systems administrators need relevant degrees, including a bachelor's degree in computer science or a relevant field, a diploma in information systems or information technology, and familiarity with SQL and database operations.

These are some hard truths that people have to swallow about working in IT.

• It's easy to get into IT, but takes a lot more effort than many people are willing to put in to do well in IT. The barriers to entry to being a PC tech or help desk guy are pretty low. Even a minimal amount of effort at this level can then trick people into thinking they've got it. Getting even one step up takes exponentially more effort.

• Soft skills are incredibly important, even if you don't deal with end users. A lot of IT people are limited by their poor soft skills. A lot of junior people give bad advice to each other about appropriate soft skills. There are also an unfortunate number of people who think they have good soft skills and don't.

• Real, serious technical skills are necessary and take a lot of effort to obtain. There are a ton of people floating around at the lower levels. What they view as high end stuff isn't high end. If you have real, serious technical skills, you sometimes are only competing with 1-2 other people when you apply for jobs.

• You have to be constantly learning and researching because everything is constantly moving and something you just learned last week is going to be a low end, borderline useless skill in a much shorter time period than some of the younger IT people are expecting.

• Being able to read and understand complex material on your own without help, and being able to write well is vital to your career. Not being able to do these two things well will keep you in lower tier jobs. Not enough people put effort into this because they believe they can get by without it. You need to know how to find primary sources and do research. If you're depending on youtube videos to learn everything, you're expecting other people to digest everything for you, and you're going to be limiting how high you can climb.

• People with degrees from a traditional university have definite advantages in this field. Not having a degree will close some doors and will put a ceiling on your career growth. People without degrees do find success within those limitations since right now there's plenty of work for everyone, but it doesn't change the fact some doors are closed to them

• Doing well in this field takes a long time and you have to be patient. You can't get deep knowledge of anything in 6 weeks. There is no way to get 5 years of experience in less than 5 years.

• Having an inflated title hurts your career in the long run. Being an "IT Director" or "senior systems engineer" when you are 24 doesn't mean you are successful. It means you have an inflated title.

• The people who protest this list the most are the ones it applies to the greatest.

Written by Coursera • Updated on Jul 13, 2022

System administrators support, troubleshoot, and maintain computer servers and networks.

System administrators—also known as sysadmins—are information technology (IT) professionals who make sure an organization’s computer systems are functioning and meet the needs of the organization. Sysadmins support, troubleshoot, and maintain computer servers and networks.

What is system administration? Tasks and responsibilities

A system administrator’s job description might include: 

• Managing Windows, Linux, or Mac systems

• Upgrading, installing, and configuring application software and computer hardware

• Troubleshooting and providing technical support to employees

• Creating and managing system permissions and user accounts

• Performing regular security tests and security monitoring

• Maintaining networks and network file systems

System administration vs. network administration

Some organizations might use system administrator and network administrator interchangeably, and there are many overlapping responsibilities. But there’s technically a difference. System administration focuses on servers and computer systems, while network administrators work more specifically with network-related tasks and equipment, like setting up routing, IP addresses, and maintaining Local Area Networks (LAN).

If you’re in a smaller organization, these responsibilities might be folded into one role, while larger organizations may tend to differentiate them. Since systems and networks are often intertwined, it’s not rare to see job descriptions that require knowledge of both.

System administrator salary and job prospects

A system administrator’s average base salary in the US in 2020 was $84,810, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [1]. Salaries can vary depending on experience, and the cost of living of where you’re located.

Computer systems administrator employment is expected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slightly slower than the average for all occupations.

How to be a system administrator

Becoming a system administrator will entail learning some specialized skills. Earning a certification can bring you needed experience and enhance your resume.

Skills you need as a system administrator

As a sysadmin, you’ll need to develop a core set of skills that will allow you to make sure the computer systems in your organization are running smoothly. Here are the top skills that you’ll want on your resume:

• In-depth knowledge of operating systems: Whether it’s Windows, Linux, or Mac, hiring managers generally look for competency in administering the operating system used in their company. Windows and Linux operating systems have been widely embraced and are good systems to start with, though it’s a good idea to check if your industry favors one over others.

• Familiarity with hardware: Working physical devices—such as servers or printers—will be an important part of a system administrator's job. 

• Cloud computing skills: Familiarity with cloud applications like Office365, Google Cloud Platform, and AWS can give you a boost in the hiring process.

• Knowledge of networks: Being able to set up and maintain Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN), in addition to setting up network security features like firewalls, are often expected of system administrators. This might often be the case at smaller companies, where IT professionals are expected to wear many hats.

• Communication and interpersonal skills: In addition to working on a team, sysadmins will often be expected to help other employees that don’t have the same technical knowledge, through help desk support or other means. Being able to communicate well will be a key part of a system administrator’s successful day-to-day tasks.

Certifications for system administrators

There are several certifications you can take in order to gain experience as a systems administrator.

Windows Server Administration Fundamentals

Having knowledge of Windows servers is likely to be a significant asset as a system administrator. The Windows Server Administration Fundamentals certification will qualify your expertise in Windows servers, networking, Active Directory, account management, and system recovery tools. 

Google IT Support Professional Certificate

The Google IT Support Professional Certificate equips you with the skills to tackle common sysadmin tasks such as customer support and troubleshooting. It also introduces you to commonly used systems like Linux and Domain Name Systems, and prepares you for the CompTIA A+ exam. Though not a certification, the course will earn you an industry-recognized professional certificate at the end. It requires no previous experience.

Red Hat System Administrator Certification

Getting the Red Hat System Administrator Certification will give you the needed experience with Linux operating systems to land an entry-level job in systems administration.

CompTIA Server+ or A+

CompTIA offers several certifications that are designed to prepare you for entry-level positions. The Server+ or A+ certifications in particular will leave you with the necessary skills and experience under your belt to start applying for entry-level IT jobs. While you’ll gain specialized knowledge around servers with the Server+ certification, the A+ certification covers a broader set of skills applicable to other aspects of IT.

Preparing for the sysadmin interview

Preparing for any interview means anticipating some questions ahead of time and knowing how to answer them. Here are some basic questions you might encounter when you interview for a system administrator role.

• Describe your experience with hardware.

• How would you deal with a virus?

• How would you know when to upgrade a server?

• Tell us about a time when you weren’t able to solve an issue. What did you do?

• What qualities do you have that make you a good system administrator?

Interviewing for IT jobs

Since IT jobs are highly technical, interviewers are likely to ask you several technical questions in addition to more personal behavioral questions. Be prepared for both. Refresh your IT skills by mentally walking through several tasks you know how to perform, and practice explaining them aloud.

It’s a good idea to think about some stories of when something went well for you, and when things didn’t go so well—and what you did in that situation to make it better. Having concrete examples at the ready can help you feel mentally prepared and appear more confident to employers.

Getting started as a system administrator

As computers grow in importance in virtually every sector of the economy, system administrators play a vital role in making sure computer systems are running smoothly and securely. They are likely to be an important part of the IT sector for the foreseeable future.

Getting started as a system administrator can be as simple as enrolling in a course. Check out the Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera to see if it's a fit—and get a seven-day free trial.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Related articles

• How to Get a Job as a Computer Technician: 10 Tips

• 9 Entry-Level IT Jobs (and What You Need to Get Hired)

• 10 Computer Science Jobs for the Future

• 5 Essential IT Certifications and Certificates: Entry-Level and Beginner

Article sources

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Network and Computer Systems Administrators, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm." Accessed October 12, 2021.

Written by Coursera • Updated on Jul 13, 2022

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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