I have 3.5 years of experience as a ServiceNow engineer and enjoy the work, but I'm interested in moving into a broader IT systems or sysadmin position at an early-stage startup. My current responsibilities include maintaining the ServiceNow platform and CMDB, writing basic front-end scripts, building reports and workflow automations, and helping implement an AI tool. I also have a master's degree in cybersecurity, CompTIA and ServiceNow certifications, and working familiarity with Azure, Microsoft 365, Jira, and Salesforce. Outside of work, I've been setting up MCP servers, building websites, practicing penetration testing, and taking courses related to Microsoft, Google, and Jira. I'm considering Jira administration or IT systems administration as possible entry points. How realistic is this transition, and which gaps would hiring managers likely notice? Should I prioritize Entra ID and Intune, Google Workspace, Okta, MDM, scripting, or something else?
2 Answers
Be prepared for startup sysadmin work to be much broader and more reactive than ServiceNow engineering. Depending on the company, you could be handling onboarding and offboarding, SSO, endpoint management, permissions, troubleshooting, vendor tools, security controls, and general user support. The workload can be significant, so make sure you understand the expectations before making the switch. Building hands-on projects with Entra ID, Intune or another MDM, Microsoft 365, scripting, and an SSO provider such as Okta would make your background easier for hiring managers to evaluate.
The move is realistic, especially at a startup where one person may own several SaaS platforms and internal workflows. Your ServiceNow, CMDB, automation, reporting, and AI implementation experience already maps well to systems administration. The main thing is showing that you can administer identity, endpoints, access, and cloud services—not just configure one platform. ServiceNow is also a solid career path with good compensation, so you don’t necessarily need to abandon it completely; look for systems or IT operations roles where it remains part of your responsibilities.
That’s why I’m trying to broaden my scope. I like ServiceNow, but I don’t want to become limited to one SaaS platform.
I’m not especially concerned about the workload since startups often require longer hours anyway. I’m mainly trying to identify the skills that will help me get through the initial screening.