Operations · Resume guide
Sysadmin resumes are screened for OS lane (Windows Server vs Linux carry separate keyword sets), infrastructure scale (servers, users, sites), and automation evidence — postings now treat scripting as required, not optional.
These terms appear repeatedly in real system administrator job descriptions. Use the exact forms below where your experience honestly supports them — exact matches rank; paraphrases often don't.
The hard-skills section of a system administrator resume is scanned before anything else. Front-load the ones your target job description requires.
Strong system administrator bullets pair the role's vocabulary with a measured outcome. Use these as patterns — with your real numbers, never invented ones.
“Administered 150 Windows/Linux servers (VMware, 3 sites) at 99.9% uptime, with automated patching that ended the monthly maintenance-window scramble”
“Scripted AD hygiene and provisioning in PowerShell, eliminating 25 hours/month of manual account work and closing an audit finding”
Paste the system administrator job description you're targeting and extract its required skills and repeated phrases.
Rephrase your real experience with the posting's exact terminology — same work, their words.
Reorder your summary, skills, and top bullets so this role's priorities lead.
Verify: check your match score and remaining keyword gaps before submitting.
Declare your OS lane and scale in the summary ('150 mixed Windows/Linux servers, 900 users'). Automation bullets with named tools (PowerShell, Ansible) rank highest — modern sysadmin JDs are effectively junior-DevOps postings.
The highest-weight terms for system administrator postings currently include: server administration, virtualization, patch management, user management, monitoring, disaster recovery. The definitive list is always the specific job description — paste it into a free keyword check to see exactly which terms your resume shows and which it's missing.
Extract the job description's required skills and repeated phrases, then rephrase your real experience using those exact terms — lead your summary and top bullets with what that posting emphasizes. Never add skills you don't have; keep genuine gaps visible and address them honestly.
Upload your resume, paste the job description, and get your free ATS match score with every missing keyword — then a tailored, ATS-safe rewrite without fabrication.