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Systems engineer/systems administrator skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Austin McCoy,

David Garaventa

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical systems engineer/systems administrator skills. We ranked the top skills for systems engineers/systems administrator based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 6.6% of systems engineer/systems administrator resumes contained windows server as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a systems engineer/systems administrator needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 systems engineer/systems administrator skills for your resume and career

1. Windows Server

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use windows server:

Deploy, manage, and administer Windows Server Environment (Server 2003, 2008R2 and Windows Server 2012 R2).
Monitored Windows servers, SQL servers hard and network performance with built in Microsoft tools and third party tools.

2. Troubleshoot

Troubleshooting is the process of analyzing and fixing any kind of problem in a system or a machine. Troubleshooting is the detailed yet quick search in the system for the main source of an issue and solving it.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use troubleshoot:

Provide Administration, Support and Troubleshoot in a Linux/Unix technical environment.
Respond to and document customer issues, maintain data destruction logs, and troubleshoot Operating System and application issues.

3. AWS

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use aws:

Experienced in providing system administration support for over 100 instances hosted in AWS Commercial cloud.
Exposed to cloud computing, specially worked on managing third party application on AWS cloud.

4. Database

A database is a collection of data and information which makes it easy to view, access, and manage. Databases save a lot of time and can store huge amounts of data. Databases make sorting data easier and stores it in certain fields which narrows the searching criteria. A database usually contains tables, graphs, and columns to display data.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use database:

Lead administrator, consulted and rebuilt/migrated/implemented/supported database servers, Exchange SharePoint installation, Active Directory, Router, and internal DNS.
Developed and established best practices and Standard Operating Procedures for Systems Administrators and Database Administrators in the use of these environments.

5. SAN

SAN abbreviation for storage area network is a computer network that provides storage access.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use san:

Designed and delivered technical SAN solutions.
Assist in Maintenance, upgrades, rebuilds and trouble shooting environment, SAN and Server rooms (SBA and client).

6. PowerShell

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use powershell:

Automated tasks using PowerShell scripting.
Automated processes by writing PowerShell scripts for Exchange Online, Active Directory and SCCM task Sequences.

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7. Unix

UNIX is a computer operating system that was first created in the 1960s and has been constantly updated since then. The operating system refers to the set of programs that enable a machine to function. It is a multi-user, multi-tasking device that works on computers, laptops, and servers. UNIX systems also have a graphical user interface (GUI), similar to Microsoft Windows, that makes it simple to use.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use unix:

Provided services which included: hardware/software deployment, NT administration, Digital UNIX workstation administration, and network infrastructure maintenance.
Supported and maintained UNIX systems for software development lab; including problem resolution, performance analysis and enhancements.

8. Java

Java is a widely-known programming language that was invented in 1995 and is owned by Oracle. It is a server-side language that was created to let app developers "write once, run anywhere". It is easy and simple to learn and use and is powerful, fast, and secure. This object-oriented programming language lets the code be reused that automatically lowers the development cost. Java is specially used for android apps, web and application servers, games, database connections, etc. This programming language is closely related to C++ making it easier for the users to switch between the two.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use java:

Developed environment for JAVA applications.
Installed and updated Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat Pro., and Java on the user workstations.

9. System Administration

System administration entails the overall management, organization, and operation of system software and hardware. It also extends to the management of servers, workstations, and working operations concerning them all. System administration aims to ensure all functions covering the systems run smoothly and hitch-free.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use system administration:

Developed Shell for system administration activities.
Developed and implemented system administration procedures.

10. DNS

Domain Name Systems, or DNS for short, is the internet's system for converting readable language, i.e., google.com, to machine language, i.e, 192.168. For a simple analogy, some call it the phonebook of the internet. Any website has its own IP address, for example, 192.168.160. Understandably this is hard to remember. So what a DNS does is link the domain name, google.com, with its IP address, 192.168.160.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use dns:

Designed & implemented the DNS, WINS, & DHCP Active Directory schemes for the native Windows 2003 domain worldwide.
Manage, build and deploy domains utilizing DNS, DHCP, Active Directory, Group Policy and file permissions.

11. Desktop

The term desktop commonly refers to the desktop computer also called a personal computer. A PC is named after a desktop as it is placed on or under the desk. A desktop computer consists of different accessories such as CPU, monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc. The desktop also refers to the graphical user interface that appears on a computer, displaying all the icons on the monitor screen.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use desktop:

Developed highly effective Software Manager Application to enable disk-free software upgrades deployed to desktop systems worldwide.
Coordinate the packaging and deployment of applications to a distributed systems desktop environment.

12. SQL Server

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use sql server:

Installed, and managed SQL Server 2012, 2008, for development-created security policies to incorporate with Active Directory using GPO.
Designed and support disk to disk backup solution for Microsoft SQL Server and offloaded SQL backups from local disk to NAS.

13. Virtualization

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use virtualization:

Provide server requirements for new projects and developed configuration for application virtualization using thin clients.
Maximized cost effectiveness and physical footprint of budget by pioneering virtualization and storage arrays.

14. Configuration Management

Configuration management is a technical system of management controls that includes decisions, actions, and approvals that are applied throughout the life cycle of a program or system and that maintain the consistency of its performance, functional and physical attributes from the conceptual phase to production and finally to post-production support.

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use configuration management:

Utilized Configuration Management Tool Chef & created Chef Cookbooks using recipes to automate system operations using Jenkins.
Provided technical leadership regarding systems configuration management, troubleshooting and systems management methodologies and practices.

15. Network Infrastructure

Here's how systems engineers/systems administrator use network infrastructure:

Administered implementation of new software/hardware to the enterprise network infrastructure.
Network Infrastructure: Replaced the current switch with Dell managed switches that allowed for monitoring and allowed for planned company growth.

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What skills help Systems Engineers/Systems Administrator find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on systems engineer/systems administrator resumes?

Austin McCoy

Director of Javelina Engineering Student Success Center, Texas A&M University - Kingsville

-Internship/co-op experience -Research experience
-Good leadership skills and involvement on campus and in the community and activities where the individual works as part of a team.
-Well written resume can tell a lot about the technical writing skill; a resume needs to be clean and comfortable to read; recruiters can find what they are looking for easily.
-Less is sometimes more because students sometimes will put more information on a resume than is pertinent to the position applying for.

What soft skills should all systems engineer/systems administrators possess?

David Garaventa

Director, Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity Programs, Assistant Professor, CIS, Albertus Magnus College

Communication and collaboration skills are critical. Particularly now that many employees are working remotely, it has become more difficult - yet more important than ever - to have IT teams that work effectively together, even when they are not in the same room together. But this is not unique to the IT realm. Whether via remote meetings or through effective written communications, it is no longer enough to simply have "technical skills." Technical skills can be taught to employees more easily than developing employee's soft skills, so when an employee approaches their job with a strong set of communication skills and strong analytic reading and writing abilities, they can often make themselves stand out to employers. The employers will recognize that they have the attributes to be an asset to the team and can then invest in helping them develop any technical areas where they may be lacking.

This is not to say that technical skills don't matter, because they do, especially in the IT field. But suppose an employee brings a strong set of soft skills to an IT team (e.g., collaboration, communication, critical thinking, etc.). In that case, they probably also can learn more technical skills as part of their job function. I once had a colleague say to me that when she is hiring, she has found that technical skill is all over the place...but it's the soft skills that are harder to find. Lastly, having the ability - and a desire - to be continually learning is essential. Technology is not static, and businesses are not static, so thinking critically in different settings across various technology platforms is very important. The tools your department uses today may not be the tools they are using tomorrow, so being fluid, adaptable, and constantly learning is the name of the game.

What hard/technical skills are most important for systems engineer/systems administrators?

David Garaventa

Director, Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity Programs, Assistant Professor, CIS, Albertus Magnus College

The technical skills that are required are broad and tend to be business and/or industry-specific. If you are working in healthcare IT, the patient management platforms you use could be different from the client database used by a bank's IT team, for example. So, on the one hand, the recommendation would be to determine what platforms are most commonly used in your industry area and spend time mastering those platforms. On the other hand, most industries tend to have specific tools that are most commonly used, and spending time mastering those is important.

Going deeper into the subject, technical skills around project management, cloud infrastructure, security, and end-user support bridge across all industries. Having knowledge and skills in these areas will serve IT professionals well, no matter what field or industry they end up in. Again, it is challenging to recommend specific technical skills because the field of IT is so broad.

What systems engineer/systems administrator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Director of Graduate Studies for the Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Assistant Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University Bloomington

I recommend enhancing skills in data analytics, if a graduate lacks such skills. Revitalizing business practices by analyzing user or inventory data is an integral part of almost all business applications. Hence, skills in data analytics will give a graduate an edge in the changing job market. Data analytics comes in various flavors: from gathering simple statistics to advanced machine learning. Hence, a graduate can always improve their skill from freely available online lectures, online classes such as Coursera, or on-ramp classes offered by many universities.

What type of skills will young systems engineer/systems administrators need?

Vince Bowen

Executive Director, Department Chair Energy Systems Technology & Education Center (ESTEC), Idaho State University

How to learn. How to problem-solve. Emotional Intelligence to work in teams and get along with coworkers/customers. Then they need the tech skills.

Do you want to know more?

List of systems engineer/systems administrator skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a systems engineer/systems administrator resume and required skills for a systems engineer/systems administrator to have include:

Windows Server
Troubleshoot
AWS
Database
SAN
PowerShell
Unix
Java
System Administration
DNS
Desktop
SQL Server
Virtualization
Configuration Management
Network Infrastructure
Jenkins
Disaster Recovery

SharePoint
DHCP
Virtual Machines
Technical Support
Azure
Tcp Ip
Perl
Switches
Citrix
NAS
TCP/IP
SCCM
Red Hat
VPN
RHEL
LDAP
NetApp

Vmware Esxi
Technical Troubleshooting
Vmware ESX
Group Policies
IIS
Emerging Technologies
VMS
Production Environment
User Accounts
Lan Wan
Remedy
Workstations
Provisioning
Lan
Disk
Leveraged

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Systems Engineer/Systems Administrator Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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