Application as System Engineer

System Engineer is a profession in IT / Infrastructure, typically entered via IT Specialist EFZ, Platform Development track. Anyone applying here should know these requirements and pitfalls - specific to the Swiss job market, not generic.

Technical Requirements

• Windows Server and Active Directory, often alongside Linux
• Virtualization with VMware or Hyper-V
• Microsoft 365 and Entra ID - the standard setup in Swiss SMEs
• Backup and recovery concepts
• Scripting with PowerShell or Bash
• Category B driving licence if multiple sites are supported

Personal Requirements

• Reliability during on-call duty and maintenance windows
• Discipline in documentation
• Patience when dealing with end users

Common Mistakes in the Application

• Willingness to do on-call and weekend work is not addressed, even though it is almost always part of the job
• Certifications are missing or outdated - Microsoft certificates have expiry dates
• Only technologies are named, not the size of the environment managed
• The move from a service provider to internal operations is not explained, even though it is often questioned

Typical Employers in Switzerland

Swiss SMEs across all industries, hospitals, municipal administrations, educational institutions, IT service providers such as Bechtle or Also.

Excerpt from a Cover Letter

Dear Ms. Hofer For the past three years I have managed an environment with 24 virtual servers, three sites and around 180 workstations at an industrial company in Aargau. Last winter I planned and carried out the migration from a local Exchange server to Microsoft 365 over four weekends, without a single working day lost in production.

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