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IT support / systems administrator: CV and cover letter examples

2 fully written cover letters, a ready CV with a placeholder portrait and practical tips – open the example and replace the details with yours.

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Cover letter examples

Each example is written for a different starting point. Borrow the structure, not the sentences – your own examples and numbers are what make a letter work.

1Junior administratorEntry level

Daniel Mensah
40 Abbeydale Road
Sheffield S7 1FD
030 23125 795 · daniel.mensah@example.com

Northfield Water
Hart
Riverside House
Sheffield S1 2GH

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Junior systems administrator

Dear Mr Hart,

For my final apprenticeship project I rebuilt the backup strategy at an 80-person engineering firm: from a single NAS in the server room to a 3-2-1 setup with an encrypted offsite copy and monthly restore tests. The first test found a broken database backup.

I have rolled out laptops, managed users and groups, documented firewall rules and helped run the service desk. I manage Linux servers at work and at home, and I automate routine tasks with PowerShell and Bash.

At a utility, security is not optional, and I would like to learn how you separate office IT from operational systems. I can start in August.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Mensah

Enclosures
CV
Qualification certificate

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2Experienced engineerExperienced

Anna Kowalska
20 Ecclesall Road
Sheffield S11 8HN
030 23125 105 · anna.kowalska@example.com

Peak Engineering Ltd
Unit 5, Meadowhall Way
Sheffield S9 1EP

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Senior systems administrator

Dear Sir or Madam,

For eight years at a managed service provider I have looked after other companies’ infrastructure without ever seeing what it is used for. I would like to work in-house again, for people I know.

I am responsible for around 200 virtual servers, several customers’ directories and their migration from on-premises mail to the cloud. Last year I coordinated recovery after a ransomware incident; since then I push offline backups and network segmentation wherever I can.

I am happy to join the on-call rota and can move after three months’ notice.

Yours faithfully,

Anna Kowalska

Enclosures
CV
Certifications

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All people, companies and contact details in the examples are fictional.

CV example

A complete CV for the role – with an illustrated placeholder instead of a photo.

Preview of the CV of Daniel Mensah in the Modern design
Read the CV as text

Daniel Mensah

IT support / junior systems administrator

40 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield S7 1FD · 030 23125 795 · daniel.mensah@example.com

Placeholder portrait: replace it with your photo in the editor, or remove it.

Work experience

  • 08/2023 – 06/2026
    IT apprentice
    Lutter Engineering, Sheffield
    • Laptop rollout and user management
    • Service desk for 80 staff
    • Final project: new backup concept with restore tests

Education

  • 2023 – 2026
    IT infrastructure apprenticeship
    Sheffield College, Sheffield
  • 2018 – 2023
    Secondary school and sixth form
    King Edward VII School, Sheffield

Training

  • 2025
    Linux administration (foundation)

Skills

Windows Server / directory, Linux, Backup and recovery, PowerShell / Bash, Networking

Languages

English (Native), Twi (B1 – intermediate)

Interests

Homelab, basketball

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Good to know

Your application in three steps

  1. Add your own photo – or none

    The example uses an illustrated placeholder. Replace it under “Choose photo” in the editor, or remove it: in the UK, US and many other countries a CV photo is not expected.

  2. Replace the details

    Name, contact, jobs, skills: everything is filled in and can be overwritten field by field.

  3. Save as PDF

    The PDF is created in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, no account needed.

What employers look for

Employers want admins who keep systems stable, take security seriously and can explain things to colleagues without jargon. Describe your environment and what you changed rather than listing every product.

  • Windows and/or Linux servers, directory services, virtualisation

  • Backups, patching, monitoring, security

  • Networking basics

  • Scripting and automation

  • Clear documentation and user communication

Tips for your application

Do

  • Describe your environment with numbers.
  • Name one project and its result.
  • Show how you think about security.

Don’t

  • Paste endless tool lists.
  • Reveal security details of past employers.
  • List expired certifications without saying so.
Typical interview questions

Prepare a short, honest example from your own work for each one.

  1. A user cannot log in. Walk us through it.
  2. How would you set up patch management?
  3. Tell us about an outage you fixed.
  4. How do you document your work?

Salary expectations

If the advert asks for your salary expectations, give an annual gross figure or a range you have researched – through pay scales, salary surveys from public sources or people who do the job. If it does not ask, leave pay out of the letter; it will come up in the interview.

Frequently asked questions
Are certifications essential?

They help, especially for junior roles, but interviewers care more about what you actually did with the technology.

Should I put a photo on my CV?

It depends on the country. In the UK, Ireland and the US a photo is usually left out to avoid bias, and many employers prefer CVs without one. In Germany and some other countries it is common but optional. If you use one: recent, friendly, plain background, dressed as you would be on a good day at work.

Can I copy the example letters?

Yes, they are free to use. But recruiters read a lot of letters – one with your own examples, numbers and a real reason for choosing this employer will always do better. Use the examples as scaffolding and write the sentences yourself.

Is my data stored anywhere?

No. The CV and the letter are created in your browser. Nothing is stored unless you switch on “Save the draft” in the editor – and then only on your device.

Related jobs

Finish your application

Cover letter and CV as PDF, certificates added, all in one file – small enough for any job portal.