Why This Resume Works
This resume scores well with ATS systems and recruiters because it follows four principles:
Server counts, user counts, uptime percentages, cost savings. No vague "managed servers" statements.
Systems, virtualization, cloud, automation - mirrors how teams structure their environments.
Career growth from on-prem management to hybrid cloud architecture signals modern sysadmin capabilities.
ATS parsers expect Summary, Skills, Experience, Education. No tables, columns, or graphics.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Summary
Opens with years of experience and three core competencies: enterprise infrastructure, virtualization, and hybrid cloud. The user count (1,000+) immediately communicates scale. Including the biggest achievement (cloud migration saving $350K) gives hiring managers a reason to keep reading.
Technical Skills
Organized by infrastructure domain rather than alphabetically. Including specific versions (Windows Server 2019/2022) shows currency. Listing both on-prem (VMware, Hyper-V) and cloud (AWS, Azure) tools demonstrates hybrid capability.
Tip: Mirror the exact terms from the job description. If they say "Active Directory," don't just write "AD" - include both forms so ATS catches the match.
Experience
Every bullet follows the formula:
Start bullets with strong verbs: Managed, Led, Automated, Designed, Deployed, Implemented, Reduced. Avoid "Responsible for" or "Assisted with" - they dilute your impact.
3-5 bullets per role. Lead with uptime, scale, and cost savings.
Education & Certifications
For sysadmins with 5+ years of experience, education stays minimal. Certifications matter more - RHCSA and AWS Solutions Architect demonstrate validated skills that employers trust. List certifications alongside education to save space.
Key Skills for Systems Administrator Resumes
Based on analysis of thousands of job postings, these are the most frequently required skills:
How This Resume Scores an 88
The ATS score is calculated from three weighted components:
Windows Server, Active Directory, VMware, AWS, PowerShell, Ansible - exact matches to what sysadmin job postings require.
Server counts, uptime SLAs, cost reductions, user counts, restore times - quantified impact throughout.
Clean single-column layout, standard section headings, consistent formatting throughout.
Common Mistakes on Systems Administrator Resumes
- ⚠No uptime or scale metrics - "Managed servers" tells recruiters nothing. "Managed 300+ server infrastructure with 99.99% uptime SLA" tells them exactly what you can handle.
- ⚠Missing automation experience - modern sysadmin roles require scripting and configuration management. If you're not showing PowerShell, Bash, Ansible, or Terraform, you look like a manual-only admin.
- ⚠Ignoring cloud migration experience - nearly every sysadmin job now involves hybrid or full cloud environments. Show that you've moved workloads to AWS or Azure, not just managed on-prem hardware.
- ⚠No disaster recovery mention - DR planning is a core sysadmin responsibility. Include your RTO/RPO targets, backup solutions, and whether you've tested failover procedures.