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Resume example

Systems administrator resume example

A systems administrator in France (administrateur or administratrice systèmes et réseaux, often shortened to « admin sys ») keeps the servers, network and user accounts of an organisation running.

A typical week mixes planned work and interruptions: applying security patches during a maintenance window, checking that last night's backups actually restored, adding a VLAN for a new office, renewing certificates before they expire, and answering escalations from the support team when a file share or VPN stops responding. Many admins work in an ESN (entreprise de services du numérique) and are placed with a client, others sit in an internal IT department of an industrial group, a hospital or a local authority. On-call duty (astreinte) is common, and documentation, change requests and security audits take a growing share of the job.

Resume example

[First name Last name]

Systems and Network Administrator | Linux, VMware, Backup and Monitoring

[City] · [phone] · [email]

Profile

Administrateur systèmes et réseaux with [x] years in production environments. I manage a VMware cluster and around [x] Linux and Windows servers, run the backup policy, and take part in the on-call rota. I led the migration of on-premise mail to Microsoft 365 for [x] users.

Experience

Systems and Network Administrator, [Company], [City]

[month year] to present

  • Migrated [x] virtual machines from an ageing VMware cluster to new hosts with no unplanned downtime.
  • Set up monthly restore tests for critical servers and documented the procedure in the team wiki.
  • Automated user onboarding and offboarding in Active Directory with PowerShell, cutting manual tickets.
  • Replaced the perimeter firewall and rewrote the filtering rules with the security officer.
  • Took part in the weekly on-call rota and wrote post-incident reports after each major outage.

Resume headlines

  • Systems and Network Administrator | Linux, VMware, Backup and Monitoring
  • Administrateur systèmes et réseaux | Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365
  • Infrastructure Administrator | Hybrid Cloud, Ansible, Security Hardening

Summaries for your profile

Entry level

Systems and network administrator trained through a BTS SIO (SISR option) followed by a work-study bachelor's in [City]. During two years in an IT department I ran Windows Server and Active Directory, deployed workstations and wrote PowerShell scripts for account creation.

Experienced

Administrateur systèmes et réseaux with [x] years in production environments. I manage a VMware cluster and around [x] Linux and Windows servers, run the backup policy, and take part in the on-call rota. I led the migration of on-premise mail to Microsoft 365 for [x] users.

Career change

Former electronics technician moving into systems administration after a titre professionnel « Administrateur d'infrastructures sécurisées ». I bring years of methodical fault-finding and a habit of documenting every intervention, which I now apply to servers and networks.

Tips

  • List your environment in concrete terms: hypervisor, number of servers, operating systems, backup tool.
  • Separate what you built from what you maintained; recruiters read the difference.
  • Mention on-call duty and maintenance windows if you have done them, since many posts include astreintes.
  • Add certifications only if they are current (RHCSA, Microsoft, Cisco CCNA, VMware).
  • Keep a short projects section: migration, firewall replacement, backup redesign.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Listing every tool you have ever opened without saying what you did with it.
  • Hiding the scale of the environment, which is the first thing a recruiter wants to know.
  • Ignoring security work (patching, hardening, audits) when it is now part of nearly every job description.
  • Using an English-only resume for a French SME that expects a CV in French.

Working as a systems administrator in France

Systems administration is not a regulated profession in France: no licence is needed, and employers judge you on experience and certifications. Common French paths are the BTS SIO (SISR option), the BUT réseaux et télécommunications, professional bachelor's degrees, engineering schools and titres professionnels such as « Administrateur d'infrastructures sécurisées ». Posts with defence contractors, operators of vital importance (OIV) or ministries may require an habilitation (security clearance), granted after an administrative investigation that can take several months. Many roles are with ESN firms that place you at clients' sites. Search for « administrateur systèmes et réseaux », « administrateur systèmes », « ingénieur systèmes » or « admin sys ».

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Frequently asked questions

Should I write « administrateur systèmes et réseaux » or « sysadmin » on my CV?

Use the French title in the headline because it is what recruiters and job boards search for. You can add « sysadmin » or « DevOps » in the skills section if your work includes automation and infrastructure as code. In an international company with English job ads, mirror the wording of the ad.

Is a master's degree required?

Job descriptions often ask for a bac+3 to bac+5, but many admins come from a BTS SIO or BUT réseaux et télécommunications followed by experience. A solid track record in production, certifications and on-call experience usually weigh more than the level of the diploma once you have a few years behind you.

How do I show security skills without a security job title?

Describe concrete actions: monthly patch campaign, MFA rollout, firewall rule review, response to an ANSSI or auditor recommendation, privileged account separation. Recruiters in France look for these because the NIS 2 directive and insurance requirements have pushed security into everyday administration.