Linux Administrator

As a Linux Administrator, you are a specialized System Administrator who manages the technology needs of businesses that use the Linux computer operating system. Your duties are broad, ranging from outfitting an office with a new set of computers to restoring crashed hard drives to implementing network security to figuring out why in-house applications are loading so slowly.

When you’re a Linux Administrator, you’re the one people call when they’re freaking out because of a computer problem. So it’s important for you to remain calm in stressful situations, and to be patient with people who may not understand technological terms. You should also be able to work with various versions of Linux, and know how to update them, as a Linux Administrator. On occasion, you’ll be called upon to do light programming, when you cannot fix application errors without going behind the scenes.

Nearly all data in the modern world is touched by technology, whether it is digitally stored, electronically delivered, or managed online. This means you can work in any field as long as the organization uses Linux as its primary computer operating system. If, for example, you are passionate about healthcare but the sight of blood makes you queasy, you can use your tech know-how to manage computer systems for hospitals. That way, you can work in the healthcare field without ever having to assist in surgery.

Though you might go to work in a button-down shirt, you’re still a bit of a rebel. Maybe that’s why you’ve chosen Linux, which is an alternative to Microsoft’s mainstream Windows operating system, as your area of expertise. Linux is also open source technology, which means the code used to create it is accessible to everyone. Nothing is hidden. Except maybe the punk rock t-shirt underneath your acceptable work attire.