Is it possible to land a sysadmin role right after university?

It's definitely possible to jump straight into a sysadmin role, especially in smaller companies. But you've got to have a knack for quickly solving problems independently and be okay with doing some help desk work too. Just don’t underestimate the value of learning from basic IT tasks; they can teach you a lot.

Honestly, I think skipping help desk is a bad idea for most people. It gives you a solid foundation and the chance to see how the IT structure operates from the ground up. Many teams expect sysadmins to handle escalated help desk issues, and if you miss that early experience, you might struggle later on.

In this job market, expect strong competition. Employers usually favor candidates with help desk experience. Having a deep understanding of the basics can make all the difference, so if you can, try to get some entry-level experience before applying for more advanced roles.

In theory, yes, it can happen. Some people land sysadmin jobs shortly after school, but it's not easy without experience. If you can shine in areas like soft skills and have some practical knowledge from internships or projects, it might work out. Just remember, hands-on experience is crucial for this role. Build something at home using virtual machines and experiment, that's the best way to learn and prepare for interviews.

From my perspective, if you have strong cloud certifications and nail the technical interview, you could land a job. I know friends who've transitioned into significant cloud roles without traditional IT experience. But, you'll need to be proactive and prove you can do the job right out of the gate.