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Senior system administrator resume examples from 2025

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Land interviews using Zippia's AI-powered resume builder.

Updated March 26, 2025
6 min read
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How to write a senior system administrator resume

Craft a resume summary statement

A resume summary is your opening statement that highlights your strongest skills and top accomplishments. It is your chance to quickly let recruiters know who you are professionally - and why they should hire you for the senior system administrator role.

Step 1: Start with your current job title, or the one you aspire to. Are you a passionate manager? A skilled analyst? It's a good starting point.

Step 2: Next put your years of experience in senior system administrator-related roles.

Step 3: Now is the time to put your biggest accomplishment or something you are professionally proud of.

Step 4: Read over what you have written. It should be 2-4 sentences. Your goal is to summarize your experience, not recite your resume.

These four steps should give you a strong elevator pitch and land you some senior system administrator interviews.

Please upload your resume so Zippia’s job hunt AI can draft a summary statement for you.

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List the right project manager skills

Use your Skills section to show you have the knowledge and technical ability to do the job. Here is how to make the most of your skills section and make sure you have the right keywords:

  1. You often need to include the exact keywords from the job description in your resume. Look at the job listing and consider which of the listed skills you have experience with, along with related skills.
  2. Include as many relevant hard skills and soft skills as possible from the listing.
  3. Use the most up to date and accurate terms. Don't forget to be specific.
These five steps should give you a strong elevator pitch and land you some senior system administrator interviews.

Here are example skills to include in your “Area of Expertise” on a senior system administrator resume:

  • Linux
  • Windows Server
  • Troubleshoot
  • System Administration
  • PowerShell
  • SAN
  • Azure
  • DOD
  • OS
  • DNS
  • Desktop
  • SCCM
  • Unix
  • Tcp Ip
  • SharePoint
  • Switches
  • Technical Support
  • Virtualization
  • Disaster Recovery
  • DHCP
  • SQL Server
  • TCP/IP
  • Java
  • Network Infrastructure
  • Red Hat
  • Microsoft Windows
  • User Accounts
  • Citrix
  • NAS
  • NetApp

Zippia’s AI can customize your resume for you.

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How to structure your work experience

A work experience section is a vital part of your resume because it shows you have the experience to succeed in your next job.

  1. Put your most recent experience first. Prospective employers care about your most recent accomplishments the most.
  2. Put the job title, company name, city, and state on the left. Align dates in month and year format on the right-hand side.
  3. Include only recent, relevant jobs. This means if you're a fairly experienced worker, you might need to leave off that first internship or other positions in favor of highlighting more pertinent positions.

How to write senior system administrator experience bullet points

Your resume is not a list of responsibilities or a job description. Instead, it is your chance to show your accomplishments and show why you're good at what you do.

  • Use the What, How, and Why format. Answering these questions turns a bland job description into an effective showcase of your abilities.
  • What were your responsibilities or goals?
  • How did you accomplish them?
  • Why were your results important? (How did it impact your company? Can you quantify the results in numbers? )

Here are examples from great senior system administrator resumes:

Work history example #1

Vmware Administrator

AT&T

  • Performed the client management tasks using SCCM.
  • Established redundant user management and internal DNS for high availability.
  • Worked with network team to troubleshoot /make required VLANS available on chassis and Rackmount servers.
  • Upgraded several VMWare ESX clusters to ESXi 4.1 enabling VM High Availability and hardware redundancy.
  • Worked on Web Security tools- LDAP Server, SSL Certificates.

Work history example #2

Systems Analyst

CHI St. Joseph Health

  • Developed, in Assembler, REXX function package that allowed dynamic VSAM file access.
  • Worked as an intermediary between hospital departments, including: administration, registration, clinical staff, and technical support.
  • Collaborated with several software vendors to resolve QA team problems.
  • Performed HIPAA projects, revised policy and SSAE 16 for vendor risk assessment.
  • Created custom views and data extracts of SAP tables used in reports using SQL Server Integration Services.

Work history example #3

Systems Administrator

Aon

  • Supported ITIL readiness and Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance efforts.
  • Managed the 2nd and 3rd shift Data Center operations for Regional DC and Nation-wide after-hours support for Infrastructure and Security.
  • Provided end-user support, reconciliation, troubleshooting, error handling, application security, general accounting, and end-user support documentation.
  • Performed Cisco WAN/LAN administration in a large environment that included 6500 series switches, 2600 routers, Pix and Juniper firewalls.
  • Planned, lead and successfully coordinated on complex projects involving new application/client setups and infrastructure projects.

Work history example #4

Network Administrator

CenturyLink

  • Worked with Checkpoint FW1 NG, PIX, and Netscreen firewalls.
  • Provided pro-active fault monitoring of Cisco routers and switches utilizing HP overview, CiscoWorks and Cisco IOS commands.
  • Updated DNS servers with new records when needed.
  • Handled the complete migration from in-house SFA to a cloud based SFA - Sales Force Dot Com.
  • Performed file system/database backup operations for Oracle Database using RMAN through NetBackup.

Zippia’s AI can customize your resume for you.

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Add an education section to your resume

Here is the best way to format your education section:

  • Display your highest degree first.
  • If you graduated over 5 years ago, put this section at the bottom of your resume. If you lack relevant work experience, the education section should go to the top.
  • If you have a bachelor's or master's degree, do not list your high school education.
  • If your graduation year is more than 15-20 years ago, it's better not to include dates in this section.

Here are some examples of good education entries from senior system administrator resumes:

Bachelor's Degree in electrical engineering

San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

2014 - 2017

Bachelor's Degree in business

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

2011 - 2014

Highlight your senior system administrator certifications on your resume

If you have any additional certifications, add them to the certification section.

Start simple. Include the full name of the certification. It's also good to mention the organization that issued the certification. Next, specify when you obtained the certification.

If you have any of these certifications, be sure to include them on your senior system administrator resume:

  1. Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
  2. VMware Certified Professional 5 - Data Center Virtualization (VCP5-DCV)
  3. Certified UNIX System Administrator (CUSA)
  4. Certified Information Systems Security Professional - Architecture (CISSP)
  5. Pro: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator (MCITP)
  6. Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)
  7. VMware Certified Professional 6 - Cloud (VCP-Cloud)
  8. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
  9. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  10. Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Workflow Fnd Applications (MCTS)

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