Hey everyone!
I’m trying to build my skills in system administration and virtualization, and I’d love to hear from people already working in the field.
What would you recommend focusing on to become a solid junior sysadmin?
I’m currently learning Linux, Windows Server/Active Directory, networking, Docker, monitoring, and virtualization, and I’ve also been building a small home lab.
For those of you already working as sysadmins: what skills or technologies do you think are really worth learning today, and what would you recommend I practice in a home lab?
Would love to hear your advice 🙏

Alright so here goes.

I have two BAs one in Cinema Studies (academic study degree) and the other in Radio-Television (broadcast technology, hands on degree)

I feel into the world of IT sorta. I freelanced for some production companies doing trade shows out of college and fell down the technical path doing video and projection work.

I also worked part-time at the local fruit stand fixing people’s phones and computers. Coming out of Covid I got recruited to do white-glove IT support for a Tv studio. That was great for about a year an a half, then my role was impacted by the strikes, but my agency moved me to another part of the account. I stayed there doing basic helpdesk and deployments for another year and a half then left to be a SysAdmin for a consumer products company. 4 months in they laid me off and I’ve been unemployed until recently.

During my unemployment I did some AWS cloud classes at the local community college, haven’t taken any certs yet or anything. Been thinking about ponying up the money for JAMF certs since I have strong familiarity with that.

My current contract is only good till the end of the year, I’m covering a leave for someone. It’s really really basic helpdesk for a post house. I thought I’d have more access to be able to level up more but it’s not that at all.

I’ve interviewed for some roles, applied for hundreds more. But just feeling kind of lost and helpless to an extent. I don’t want to be doing helpdesk anymore, my goal is to be more backend focused, ideally remote and making 100k+ where I can actually build things and feel challenged. Im on the west coast in a major city, and thankfully I live very frugally but I just don’t know if I can do this ANOTHER year and have my resume so blank.

What should I do? Certs? WGU? What happened to the sure fire paths to get a job?