A strong Systems Administrator CV mirrors the exact keywords recruiters and ATS software screen for. Below are the keywords, skills and example bullets that get a Systems Administrator CV past the filter, plus a free tool to score yours.
Before: Responsible for maintaining company servers and network.
After: Maintained uptime of 150+ Windows and Linux servers, achieving 99.9% availability across 12 months.
Before: Helped with backups and disaster recovery.
After: Redesigned backup strategy using automated scripts, cutting recovery time from 8 hours to under 90 minutes.
Before: Provided IT support to employees.
After: Resolved 95% of 40+ weekly help desk tickets within SLA, supporting a 300-person organization.
USD 60,000 – 95,000
This is an illustrative range only; actual pay varies by location, company size, and years of experience.
List only certifications relevant to the job posting, such as CompTIA Server+, Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator, or RHCSA. Older or unrelated certifications can be summarized briefly or omitted to keep the resume focused.
Include specific tools and platforms like Active Directory, VMware, or PowerShell since these are commonly scanned by ATS systems and recruiters. Balance technical detail with measurable outcomes like uptime, ticket resolution time, or cost savings.
Basic scripting in PowerShell or Bash is expected at the mid level since automation reduces manual work. Even simple examples, like scripts for user provisioning or log monitoring, strengthen a resume.
Quantify maintenance work with numbers such as servers managed, incidents resolved, or uptime achieved. Framing routine work in terms of reliability and business continuity makes it more compelling to hiring managers.
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