What’s the best thing about writing a System Administrator cover letter? You get to decide which parts of your experience need to be highlighted and which should better be skipped!
And what’s the thing that will make every hiring manager want to learn more about you? Mentioning the tools that have helped you overcome challenges and improve your skillset.
Let's look at our professional tips and examples that will help you write a memorable cover letter and land an interview.
Easy-to-follow cover letter writing tips for System Administrator
First off, you need to remember that a cover letter should build upon the information in your resume, rather than just repeat it.
Second, make sure that the tone of voice you use matches the company culture.
And last but not least, try to convey your enthusiasm for the position and the field. This will give your text a personal touch.
But how can you make your cover letter grab every hiring manager's attention? Let’s see…
Choose the right salutation and show your eagerness for the job
It’s always better to address your cover letter to a specific person. This shows that you’ve taken the time to research who the hiring manager might be and that you’re attentive to detail.
However, in case you don’t know the recruiter’s name, you can go for traditional gender-neutral salutations.
Here are some of our suggestions:
- To the [team you're applying for] Department,
- Dear Paul Black,
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear Ms. Stone
The introduction of your cover letter is the first thing the hiring manager will read. Logically, having a strong introduction is your chance of getting their attention.
In order to do that, you need to get creative. Don’t just do what everyone else’s been doing for years, i.e. writing “I found this job opening on that website and decided to apply”.
Rather, show that you are genuinely excited about the position and the company. You could do that by mentioning your love for the industry or what you can bring to the table.
Emphasize your System Administrator soft skills and mention your hard skills
Although you’ve probably listed all your skills on your resume, it’s worth mentioning them again, but by telling a personal story. Focusing on your soft skills and leaving most hard ones behind is also a good idea.
Maybe you want to mention the things that help you overcome setbacks? Or the things that help you reach your goals? It doesn’t really matter what you choose, as long as you link it back to the specific job requirements.
Naturally, if the job advert mentions some hard skills explicitly, you should do the same in your cover letter. This will help you pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen resumes and cover letters for certain keywords.
Prove that you've researched the company and are aware of industry problems
Having a paragraph that shows you’re aware of the company and the issues it faces is always a good idea. It proves your enthusiasm to join the team and makes a great impression.
For bonus points, you could also share how some of your strengths could help resolve company or even industry problems.
Go for an actionable ending
The last paragraph of your cover letter should briefly sum up the whole text. This is the time to express your motivation to get to the next step of the hiring process, but also your gratitude for the reader’s time and consideration.
You can be creative or use traditional closing lines here – it all depends on your preference and the company culture.
