How Do I Become a Business System Administrator?

Business system administrators are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for optimizing and securing the information systems businesses use to share and store information. To become a business system administrator, your first step should be to learn about the software and hardware used in business contexts. While some people do manage to find system administrator positions without college preparation, many experts highly recommend earning at least an undergraduate degree in a field such as management information systems. A person who wants to become a business system administrator should also be able to communicate with different kinds of people in a business environment and must also be an excellent problem solver and critical thinker.

Business system administrators work in big and small companies in a variety of industries. Those in smaller business that have solely local interests might not even need to undergo academic preparation. If a business system administrator has experience with similar software, a small business owner might decide that this is a satisfactory qualification. Larger businesses, on the other hand, such as national and global corporations might require all job applicants to have undergraduate degrees in fields related to information systems. For higher level administrator roles, graduate degrees might be required.

A person who wants to become a business system administrator needs to have a firm understanding of both the principles regarding business systems, and of real world applications. For example, a person might be trained to create a database with web applications, but he or she might not know how to set up a proper database for a sales department. It is essential that you get real world training while you go through your academic preparation. Internships, when available, are great ways to learn firsthand about a job. If you can't find an internship, you can look into part-time positions or apprenticeships in IT departments.

To become a business system administrator, it is important that you compose a resume that shows you can communicate with IT professionals, as well as with representatives from other departments who might not be familiar with much technical terminology. You can do this by listing tasks that are representative examples of these abilities, perhaps a special project you worked on during an internship, or a time when you worked for a non-computer savvy boss. It also is important that you compose a resume that illustrates your ability to solve problems and to act as a point person when problems occur.