With more and more companies, businesses, and organizations going digital, there is an increased demand for professionals who have a hold on computer systems. Organizations nowadays run on systems that keep them up-to-date with the latest trends of the market and to keep up with the competition, they need to satisfy the company’s digital requirements. This is where network administrators come in.

If you are interested in technology and have good problem-solving skills, working as a network administrator might be a good fit for you. In some organizations, network administrators are also called ad system administrators. So, when looking for a job, you should look for vacancies under both categories. The best thing about being a network administrator is that you can advance your career and there is much room for growth and learning.

Network administrator’s job description

A network administrator’s job description is to fully integrate a company’s hardware and software. They can either control a small section of a big organization or all the systems in a smaller company. They are responsible for keeping the systems up and running smoothly at their maximum potential. The maintenance of hardware such as cables, routers, hubs, and others is the key duty of a network administrator. The essential software needs such as backing up memory and routers, maintaining and installing operating systems, and dealing with the issues related to software also need the expertise of a technology expert.

In addition to that, any new software that needs to be installed or hardware equipment that the system needs is also determined by administrators. Auditing, demanding, purchasing, and installation of latest updates to the system is also carried out by them. Preparing and maintaining documents related to systems and other layouts and maximizing the network potential are the responsibilities of network administrators. Using their excellent verbal and communication skills, they also work with their team members and concerned professionals from other departments and train them for the effective use of systems so that they can run minor operations themselves. 

Network administrator’s career options

To get a job as a network administrator, employers require a bachelor’s degree and certain certifications like CompTIA, Cisco certified network associate, Network+, and others. The network administrator career path can open doors to a lot of career options after gaining the required experience in the relevant field.

Cloud engineer

While working as a network administrator, you can choose to specialize in cloud computing and can land the job as a cloud engineer. This job requires you to secure the cloud network of the organization and keep any threats or attacks away from the company. While most companies require a bachelor’s degree and experience in the field, getting certified in various programs such as web services, web development, and systems engineering may also prove to be useful for you.

Security engineer

The duty and the responsibility of a security engineer is to assess system security needs. Installing security patches and keeping them up-to-date to minimize the potential threats also requires a security engineer. In addition to that, you will be tasked with creating effective threat detection protocols and maintaining server architecture. After you meet the experience requirements, you can be promoted to a job as a security manager or a security director.

Information systems manager

A bachelor’s degree combined with an MBA degree and the required experience in the relevant field as a network administrator will make you the perfect candidate for a position as an information systems manager. During this job, you will have to oversee all the matters related to upgrading the systems, analyzing the cost, and other managerial functions. You can resume your studies for a higher degree or an MBA degree while you are working as a network administrator.

Chief technology officer

The ultimate job that every network administrator wishes for is the chief technology officer. You can avail this after more than 10 years of experience in the field while getting all the knowledge you can and strengthening your hard and soft skills. Learning programming languages such as Python, Java, and others will make your résumé stand out.

Network administrator’s salary

Network administrators starting as professionals earn more than $50,000. As they gain experience and expertise in the field, they start getting promoted and can earn up to $85,000. Depending on the job post, experience, locality, and the size of the company or organization, the salaries may vary.