How do you become an information technology administrator?

While college degrees are helpful, most of the best technical people I've worked with in my career didn't have one. In fact, for many, I think they ended up in technology partly because the degree they didn't have wasn't required. What is far more important than the education is aptitude. What good is a degree if you don't have the aptitude for this work to begin with? The right aptitude mean that while you don't know much tech right now, your brain is equipped to learn it and it's something you will probably enjoy. My firm hires a lot of techs and we count aptitude far above education and even experience. We use an online testing system to measure this and it has not steered us wrong yet. If you have an interest in IT, start there.

Learn the basics through research and online learning. Consider getting an initial certification like a CompTIA A+. Find a company that will give you any starting position. Learn as much as you can. The growth will become exponential if you are willing to do the work.

Para se tornar um administrador de TI, é fundamental obter comprovação de educação formal na área, seja por meio de um diploma universitário ou certificações profissionais relevantes às necessidades de mercado. Também, é importante adquirir experiência prática trabalhando diretamente em funções relacionadas à administração de sistemas, redes, segurança da informação, dados e metodologias ágeis, por exemplo. A capacidade de solucionar problemas, comunicar-se de forma clara e objetiva, pensar logicamente e manter-se atualizado com as últimas tecnologias também são habilidades fundamentais para a execução das atividades inerentes a um administrador de TI.

A bachelor's degree is helpful because it shows you're a well rounded individual. The value in a bachelors is that it proves you can communicate, you can work alone or in a group, you can complete tasks as assigned, and you can stick through and finish something requiring commitment. Can you be a self-taught tech person without one? Absolutely. A bachelor's degree helps show you're prepared with soft and hard skills required for a professional office environment. Certs can help too but they should be icing on a professional cake. You must already have the skills and apply them to the real world, not just on a test. Home labs on old enterprise gear and hands on tinkering are a fantastic learning tools too.

As formações são capazes de trazer o conhecimento técnico necessário para a execução de atividades. No entanto, o aprendizado real advém da prática diária. A senioridade em quaisquer temas na TI surge com o conhecimento empírico, do dia a dia de desafios em solucionar problemas e prover o melhor em opções tecnológicas para clientes, produtos, serviços, negócios e pessoas usuárias.

Currently, the IT area has grown exponentially to the point where tasks that were previously carried out by a single individual now require a specialist to pay attention, solve and develop. Obtaining certifications increases our skills and gives us the opportunity to access more specialized and better paying jobs.

Here is my top 5 list of top skills for an IT administrator 1. Methodical Troubleshooting 2. Great Documentation 3. Rational Actions 4. Interpersonal Communication 5. Solution Creator 1. Troubleshooting should start with the least impactful theory and work until a resolution is found. It should be easily documented and understood. 2. Great documentation will help your future self and other team members understand the WHY and HOW. 3. This relates to #1 as well. Each change should be clearly understood and be related to the problem. 4. Interpersonal communication lets you understand the needs of others and communicate how your systems are designed for your users. 5. Creating a solution for any need is enormous in your users' eyes.

To be successful as an IT administrator one needs to possess both technical and soft skills. Technical skills may include proficiency in operating systems like Windows, Linux etc; knowledge of network protocols and services such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, routers, switches, and firewalls; the ability to install, configure, and manage these systems; familiarity with security principles, tools and best practices and experience with cloud computing platforms. Soft skills may include communication and interpersonal skills; problem-solving and analytical skills; organization and time management skills; teamwork and collaboration skills to work with others and learning and adaptability skills to stay up-to-date on new technologies and trends.

I would agree that certifications provide some value. However real life proven experience is far more valuable. I have had applicants that looked amazing on paper but no real life experience. Anyone can get certificates with a little studying. Best bet are ITIL, and Cloud centric certs these days. Don't expect to be an Admin without a few years under your belt. A lot of us started on desktop support and worked our way up.

Beginner Microsoft certifications like the AZ-900 or AI-900 are usually foundational and can be obtained with Microsoft’s self-paced learning. This can be an easy way to boost your career.

Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate, Messaging Administrator Associate, Identity and Access Administrator Associate, or Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate. Project Management Professional (PMP): It requires a four-year degree, 36 months of project leadership experience, and 35 hours of project management education. Business Administrator Certifications: Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or Certified Manager Certification (CM). These demonstrate competency in business administration. System Administrator Certifications: Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA), which is good in managing Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems.

The entry level CompTIA "plus" certifications are a fine foundation. In my experience they test on broad subjects that are a mile wide but an inch deep. One certification I found very valuable in terms of personal knowledge is the CCNA. Even if you're not going to be a network engineer, knowing how networking works on a deep level, especially the TCP/IP stack, is extremely valuable. As an IT admin every system you touch speaks TCP/IP. Because the CCNA is a harder test to pass, in my mind it has more gravitas than the CompTIA entry "plus" exams. Certifications alone do not get one a job nor do they ensure real-world competency. Their value is being one of many pillars in a well-rounded professional's portfolio.

Depending on your employer and industry, you may need to obtain certain certifications or licenses to demonstrate your competence and credibility as an IT administrator. CompTIA certifications such as A+, Network+, Security+, and Server+ cover the basics of IT and security. Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate or Microsoft 365 Certified Enterprise Administrator Expert certifications focus on the administration of Microsoft's cloud services. Cisco offers certifications like CCNA and CCNP, which validate your skills in designing, installing, and managing Cisco networks. Red Hat certifications like RHCSA and RHCE prove expertise in Linux administration.

It's important to advance your career in areas that hold interest to you. For example, if you love technical work, hands on tinkering then don't get pushed into the IT management track. I was at a crossroads and offered a management track position once. It was a promotion. However, it's just not me. Management is a mix of politics, psychology, and projects. Some people who are natural leaders should go that way. Follow your heart and instincts. If you're a tech geek at heart, stay tech. As Captain Kirk once said "Don't let them promote you [into management]. Don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do *anything* that takes you off the bridge of that ship".

In my direct experience, I leveraged my IT knowledge learned in my early college years to figure out my chosen expertise. This can take many a turn, based off the changing climate of technological demand and also gauged interest in the field. My major was initially Web Development, however with the array of system’s based experience I gained in various positions, I took more of a liking to engineering, with some powershell and python scripting under my wing to aid in my career. Education is important, however, the ability to teach oneself and stay up to par with new and existing technologies is very important.

Pursuing a career as an IT administrator opens up a diverse range of opportunities. Here are some potential paths: Network Administrator (specializing in managing and maintaining computer networks), Systems Administrator (focusing on server and software management), Database Administrator (handling database systems), Cloud Administrator (managing cloud infrastructure), Security Administrator (ensuring system security), IT Support Specialist (providing technical assistance), and IT Project Manager (overseeing IT initiatives). Continuous learning, certifications, and adaptability are key to thriving in the dynamic field of IT administration.

Information Technology, computers and networking are constantly evolving. To be successful you are never done learning. You need to be a good problem solver and have a methodology you follow to identify and address problems as the arise. If you are in it just for the money and don’t like working strange or off hours when needed it may not be the right career for you. When things go wrong (not if) you will be working until the network is back up or the system is restored and users can do their work. That is the commitment you need to make.

Let us remember that the IT area is constantly growing and evolving, we must always stay updated with new technologies, new security threats and new applications available to optimize work that emerge every day.

Never stop tinkering and trying new things. Having test environments and labs are a great way to learn new skills and stay up to date. For example, we moved to Nutanix for our production VM platform. I still keep our old VMware system around as a test platform. Now that it is no longer in prod, I can tinker with it and try new things. For example, adding an NFS data store from another server. Don't underestimate the value of old or used hardware or systems. They make great learning platforms.

Problem-Solving: Do lots of troubleshooting and root cause analysis. Ability to think critically and find solutions is invaluable. Automation and Scripting: Familiarize yourself with scripting languages like Python, PowerShell, or Bash. Automating routine tasks enhances efficiency. Networking Knowledge: Understand network protocols, routing, and firewalls. A solid grasp of TCP/IP, DNS, and subnetting is essential. Backup and Disaster Recovery: Learn about backup strategies, data redundancy, and disaster recovery. Soft Skills: Communication, teamwork, and adaptability. You’ll collaborate with colleagues, vendors, and end-users. Stay Current: Regularly read tech blogs, attend webinars, and participate in industry forums to stay informed.