u/dslrfox

Hey all,

I’m currently a Tier 1 Help Desk Support Agent working mostly with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. When I joined, the role was supposed to be closer to Tier 2/senior support, but company changes basically left me stuck doing Tier 1 work with little room to grow or learn higher-level admin work.

I’ve been applying for other jobs for a while now (80+ applications so far), but I keep running into the same problem: even “entry-level” sysadmin, network admin, and IT ops roles want certs plus 2–3 years of experience.

Right now I have Security+, and I should have my CCNA in a few weeks.

To try to make up for the experience gap, I’ve been doing a lot of hands-on learning at home through:

homelabs
VMs
local NAS/storage
general networking/sysadmin practice

My main question is: how much does homelab/self-taught experience actually help when applying for junior sysadmin or network admin roles?

Also:

How should I list that kind of experience on my resume?
Is it worth putting homelab projects on LinkedIn or in a portfolio?
Do recruiters/hiring managers take that seriously, or is it mostly just a bonus?
What kinds of projects would best help me move from help desk into systems or networking?

Basically, I’m trying to figure out how people break out of Tier 1 when their current job isn’t giving them the chance to level up.

TL;DR: Stuck in Tier 1 help desk, have Security+, soon CCNA, and I’m building homelab experience outside of work. How do I turn that into something that helps me land a junior sysadmin or network admin role?

Hi all,

A bit of context regarding the IT role I am currently working in - I was hired to be a Level 2 Technical Support Expert at a major software company, however the role has been largely almost L1 work with some L2 work where and there, and no clear progression to higher roles a year into my role.

So I've pivoted and am currently working on some tech certs at the same time I'm looking to escape the helpdesk entirely, climbing up the ladder into either Systems Admin or Network Admin-focused roles outside my company

However so far, I've encountered a few challenges and after applying for over 50 roles across L2, Sys Admin and Senior Tech Support roles with no success, so I thought to get a fresh set of eyes on my CV in case there's any glaring mistakes I'm not privy to.

What I'm wondering about:

Not sure about the inclusion of a CV summary - I've been given varying advice: some say it's not necessary but others say I should include it. So far I've included mine, but is it worth keeping and if so, should I keep it more general, or tailor it to the specific role I'm applying for?
I've also arranged my technical and non-technical skills into groups, but I add and remove my skills entirely depending on what the role requests (since Sys Admin roles vary greatly in what tech stack the recruiters are looking from their candidates, I'm trying to target this section based on their desired criteria) - thoughts on the layout and skills included for the target role?

Lastly, regarding my career experience and certifications:

I used to do Helpdesk before transitioning into Sales (where I realized it really wasn't my thing) and then moved back into Support. Should I add my prior experience in as an SDR in and my Sales Support roles, or exclude this entirely?
Am I being too wordy or otherwise not descriptive enough with what I have done in my role.
I'm also trying to earn my CCNA (entry-level networking) certs and an Azure (cloud) cert as well, but I'm still studying for them and haven't yet obtained these, thought I plan to do so in August/September of 2026. Is it worth mentioning these are currently in progress or should I exclude them entirely from my resume?

Some more information about me:

I have full Australian working rights (I'm a citizen)
Currently WFO only, but would like to apply only for hybrid and remote roles
Targeting Sys Admin, Senior Support and Network Admin (Junior) roles across any industry, but the bulk of my experiece is in the MSP and Fintech space, with a little Government experience.

Of course if there's anything I'm missing, please let me know and I'd be happy to elaborate. Thank you for the help :)

Stuck in Tier 1 Help Desk — how do I turn homelab/self-study into experience for junior sysadmin/network roles?

[1 YoE, Level 2 Technical Support Expert, System Administrator, Australia]