System Administrator: Job Profile and Role

Today, most companies rely heavily on a smooth and efficient IT department which oversees computers, servers, and connected hardware and software. Due to the advance of the digital age, computers are not only getting ever more important. They are also prone to disruptions that can result in the loss of years of work and a company’s temporary standstill – not to mention potential data leaks and the effects that can have on a business’s reputation. 

To prevent these disasters as best as possible is one of the tasks of a system administrator or SysAdmin. With intricate IT knowledge, a system administrator ideally solves IT bothers in a short time. Maybe you will be one of those IT whizzes a few years from now because the job of a system administrator sounds like the perfect job for you?

In this blog, we will explore what exactly it is a system administrator does. Besides the necessary qualifications and skills, we will look at expected annual salaries and possible employers before giving you invaluable tips for thriving as a system administrator. You will also get your first glimpse into the daily tasks a system administrator is asked to perform.

Short Summary

• As a system administrator, you are an IT troubleshooter tasked with solving the most common computer-related challenges.
• As a system administrator, you are in charge of installing, upgrading, and checking computer software and hardware.
• As a system administrator, you are responsible for ensuring optimal performance in computers and other software-driven devices.

Job description

Generally, system administrators work for companies where one of their daily tasks is to ensure that the computer systems run smoothly and efficiently. A special focus in a system administrator’s job description is to ensure that all systems and networks can perform risk-free – no mean feat in a digital world where scams, phishing, and spamming are regular occurrences. It is also a system administrator’s job to have an in-depth knowledge of cloud computing as a means of doing data and file backup.

Responsibilities

• User Support
• Server Management
• Project Management
• Backup and Recovery
• Network Administration
• Hardware Maintenance
• Disaster Recovery Planning
• Security Policy Enforcement
• Software Installation/Updates
• Monitoring/Performance Tuning

Different types of System Administrators

• Unix Administrator
• DevOps Administrator
• Database Administrator
• Application Administrator
• Desktop Support Administrator

Salary

As a future UK system administrator with a full-time job, you can be paid an annual salary ranging from ￡29,000 to ￡48,000. Your employment form and your job experience are only two factors that will affect your yearly wages. Keep in mind that the location of your employer and your employer will also decide on what you earn per month and, thus, per year. Currently, England tends to pay higher annual salaries to system administrators which come in at around ￡34,000 to ￡46,000 (Greater London Area).

Working hours

Most UK-based SysAdmins work full-time which amounts to 40 hours a week. Keep in mind, though, that peak times and emergencies can increase both your daily and weekly workload. It is not unusual for system administrators to work in the evenings or at the weekends. 

Before you start your first job as a system administrator, you should be sure about a few things. Firstly, you should be fine with working irregular hours since they can affect your work-life balance. Secondly, you should check with your future employer if overtime is being paid. This should also be part of your contract as a system administrator.

Employers

When you are looking for a job as a system administrator, we recommend that you start looking in the following sectors: IT departments in companies, IT service companies, data centres, telecommunications, or e-commerce and (online) retail. If employment is not the right fit for you, you can also think about starting your own system administrator business, a few of the advantages being that you are your own boss and have more flexibility regarding working hours and salaries.

The Future looks bright for System Administrators

With the advance of technology and digitalisation, system administrators are in high demand in the job market. While this should give you a certain success rate when applying for a job, it also means that you should always be up-to-date on the latest developments in the IT sector which can include everything from cybersecurity to the most efficient hardware and software.

Qualifications

As a system administrator in the UK, you are not required to enter your future career with a specific academic degree. However, some employers may well prefer this kind of education, especially when you can present an undergraduate degree like a Bachelor’s degree in information science or computer science. 

Besides, another option is an HND, a higher national diploma, which should also be completed in a related field. Also, we recommend you look into career-advancing certifications, such as CompTIA+, Microsoft Certified, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), and Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA).

Skills

Obviously, as a system administrator, you should have outstanding IT skills and an in-depth knowledge of anything computer- and software-related. These skills are by no means the only competencies that will help you perform your job and stand out from your competition. In the following section, we will explore some other skills a system administrator should have. Also, we recommend that you always check the needed skills in the job advertisement since your future employer may require different skills from the ones we are looking at now.

Teamwork Skills

Typically, as a system administrator, you do not work on your own but in a team which usually consists of other IT specialists. Besides, you also need to work with other departments or teams. After all, your computer and server rooms may be the IT heart of the company but not the only place where computers are set up and where disruptions can occur. Working with other departments is also important because you have to make sure that your troubleshooting has worked out and re-established smooth workflows. Therefore, you should have good teamwork skills.

Communication Skills

Teamwork skills and liaising with other departments naturally include strong communication skills, both written and spoken. As a system administrator, you will have to talk to your team, other members of your company, and outside experts and suppliers to ensure that your IT department runs as efficiently and disruption-free as possible. Note that your communication does not only take place in person but also through calls and emails, for example.

Safety Awareness

Anything connected to computers, servers, the internet, software, and hardware poses potential risks, such as data breaches and leaks. As a system administrator, you will need to have your eye on the safety ball, so to speak. You need to be aware of potential risks and dangers and have the knowledge to prevent these factors.

Career Path

The first step on your career path as a system administrator is completing your education. After that, you can apply for a first job which generally is an entry-level position in this field. Even though you will not be paid the highest possible salaries, you will gain your first work experience which is necessary to progress to more senior roles. These can include the job of a system administrator, senior system administrator, and IT manager.

Educational Background

Your educational foundation as a SysAdmin is GCSEs or the equivalent A-Levels. Typically, these are either five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or A-Levels in mathematics or information technology. With these entry requirements, as a future SysAdmin, you can decide whether to approach your career through academia, an apprenticeship, or a college course, all of which should be related to computer science and/or IT. 

Even though a Bachelor’s or even a Master’s degree is not mandatory, it can still benefit you when you apply for your first job as an entry-level system administrator. Note that an undergraduate degree typically takes up to three years in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, whereas in Scotland, you attend university for four years. Apprenticeships can last between one and five years, depending on the apprenticeship level you are taking.

Entry Level

Typical entry-level jobs for you as a future system administrator are the job of an IT support specialist or a junior system administrator. These positions help you to gain valuable experience and knowledge of the relevant IT tools and software. Entry-level positions usually imply that you have a mentor, someone who has worked in this job for a considerable time.

Continuous Learning

Every job requires that time is being spent on professional development. This also applies to the system administrator’s job. If you want to improve your skills and qualifications, you should regularly look into sensible options. These can range from attending IT-related workshops, seminars, and webinars to doing data safety training.

A Day in the Life of a System Administrator

You have completed your education and maybe even started looking for a first job as a future system administrator. Now you would like to know what exactly awaits you in your working life – and if your tasks do involve the aforementioned troubleshooting. In this section, we will look at three typical daily tasks in the working life of a system administrator.

System Health Checks

Checking a computer system for health might sound a bit odd to begin with. But it is anything but. Bugs, viruses, and malware can affect any computer or server and cause considerable damage. Therefore, one of your earliest daily tasks as a system administrator is to make sure that all devices and software are virus- and malware-free. This way, you can ensure that everything will work smoothly – at least, to a certain extent.

Backups and Disaster Recovery

Checking your systems for potential malfunctions is only one part of ensuring that no hitches will occur. That tiny bit of vital extra protection – backups and disaster recovery – are the next steps you take to prevent crashes that may result in a company’s standstill. Therefore, all data needs to be backed up automatically by setting up the appropriate plans. You also need to implement a plan b in case things actually do go pear-shaped. This way, you prevent the aforementioned standstill.

Traffic Management

As a system administrator, you also function as a digital traffic warden. By implying firewalls, for example, you make sure that bad traffic is directed away from the computers and servers. At the same time, you make sure that “good” traffic reaches its destination. Your traffic management as a system administrator nowadays also involves managing internet traffic which has become a major resource for both system administrators and companies alike.

Tips for Thriving as a System Administrator

By earning useful qualifications and certificates, you make sure that you thrive as a system administrator. We recommend that you set yourself a timeframe in which you want to achieve your personal and professional development. 

For this, you should define a timeframe that makes the most sense for you. Think about where you want to be three, five, or even ten years from now. Then, you set the goals that you want to have achieved after the respective years. You should also divide your goals into short-term, mid-term, and long-term plans to help you achieve your aims within a year, a few months, or several years.

Also, note that some (online) courses are set up for several years which you should also take into consideration. For example, if you want to partake in CPD (continual professional development), most courses take five years to complete.

For now, in this section, we will look at some things that will help you thrive as a system administrator: 

• Develop technical expertise
• Join professional associations
• Security training

Develop Technical Expertise

You should always invest valuable time into developing your technical expertise as a system administrator. This can include your in-depth knowledge of operating systems, such as Linux or Windows, and important cloud services, for example, Azure, Dropbox, and IBM Cloud Computing.

Join Professional Associations

Being a member of a professional association has multiple benefits for you. For one, you can build a strong network consisting of other SysAdmin professionals and experts who can give you helpful tips on how to do a better job. Professional associations also grant you access to important seminars, conferences, and workshops in which you can deepen your system administrator knowledge. We recommend that you look into the Chartered Institute for IT or the British Computer Society (BCS).

Security Training

Since you are in charge of data backups and disaster plans, you know that security features heavily in your working life as a system administrator. Unfortunately, new cyber threats mushroom regularly and tend to become more sophisticated and trickier with time. Therefore, completing security training in cybersecurity will help you thrive as a system administrator. You should know all there is to know about cyber attack prevention and which new software can ensure a lower risk of data and security breaches in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions