Top 12 IT Support Analyst Skills to Put on Your Resume

The tech stack shifts. Tickets pile up. Systems refuse to behave. IT Support Analysts keep the lights on through it all, stitching together calm from chaos with sharp tooling, steady process, and patient communication. A resume that shows both technical depth and people sense doesn’t just help; it opens doors.

IT Support Analyst Skills

1. Python
2. PowerShell
3. Active Directory
4. Linux
5. SQL
6. AWS
7. Azure
8. VMware
9. Cisco
10. ITIL
11. Jira
12. ServiceNow

1. Python

Python is a high-level language prized for its clarity and massive ecosystem, great for scripting, automation, data work, and quick operational tooling.

Why It's Important

It turns repetitive toil into scripts, stitches APIs together, and speeds up troubleshooting. Less clicking, more solving.

How to Improve Python Skills

1. Get comfortable with the basics: data types, functions, modules, and virtual environments.
2. Lean on the standard library: pathlib, subprocess, logging, json, argparse. Quiet powerhouses.
3. Automate real support chores: log parsing, API checks, bulk file ops, inventory pulls.
4. Write maintainable code: clear naming, docstrings, type hints, and small focused functions.
5. Test what matters using pytest; catch regressions before they catch you.
6. Package and share: requirements files, simple CLIs, and readable README notes.

How to Display Python Skills on Your Resume

2. PowerShell

PowerShell is Microsoft’s object-centric shell and scripting language for administering Windows and beyond, now cross-platform and script-friendly.

Why It's Important

It automates busywork, standardizes fixes, and lets you interrogate systems with precision across fleets.

How to Improve PowerShell Skills

1. Think in objects, not text. Pipe rich objects and select only what you need.
2. Remoting and Just Enough Administration: safer, faster, auditable.
3. Module mindset: import, explore with Get-Command and Get-Help, then compose.
4. Error handling done right: try/catch/finally, $ErrorActionPreference, verbose logging.
5. Secrets and credentials: secure strings, vaults, minimal privileges.
6. Harden your formatting and output: ConvertTo-Json/Html/Csv for reports and integrations.
7. Validate with Pester; schedule with Task Scheduler or desired state configurations.

How to Display PowerShell Skills on Your Resume

3. Active Directory

Active Directory centralizes identity, authentication, authorization, and policy for Windows domains, tying users, devices, and resources together.

Why It's Important

It’s the backbone for access and policy at scale. When AD is tidy and secure, everything else feels lighter.

How to Improve Active Directory Skills

1. Design clean OUs and naming. Consistent structure makes policy and delegation straightforward.
2. Group Policy hygiene: fewer, targeted GPOs; document precedence; test before broad rollout.
3. Security first: least privilege, tiered admin, protected groups, and privileged access workstations.
4. Keep time in sync; Kerberos depends on it. Monitor replication health religiously.
5. Enable AD Recycle Bin, back up the system state, and rehearse recovery steps.
6. Audit and alert on risky changes, lockouts, and lateral movement indicators.
7. Regular cleanup: stale accounts, lingering computers, orphaned groups.
8. Hybrid awareness: if syncing to Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), align password, MFA, and conditional access policies.

How to Display Active Directory Skills on Your Resume

4. Linux

Linux is the open-source engine driving servers, appliances, and containers. Flexible, stable, fast when tuned.

Why It's Important

Server rooms depend on it. So do clouds, network gear, and a thousand tools. Knowing Linux means fewer surprises.

How to Improve Linux Skills

1. Command line first: Bash, pipes, grep/awk/sed, and shell scripting for repeatability.
2. System services: systemd, journalctl, timers, and service dependencies.
3. Packages and filesystems: apt/yum/dnf/zypper, LVM, fstab, permissions, ACLs.
4. Networking fluency: ip, ss, nmcli, tcpdump basics, and DNS troubleshooting.
5. Security posture: SSH hardening, firewalls (ufw/nftables), updates, and minimal install footprints.
6. Monitoring and logs: top/htop, iostat, vmstat, sar; log rotation and retention.
7. Automate configuration with Ansible for consistent, readable state.

How to Display Linux Skills on Your Resume

5. SQL

SQL is the language of relational databases—querying, shaping, and safeguarding structured data.

Why It's Important

Support analysts live on data trails. SQL unlocks root causes, reliable reports, and fast answers.

How to Improve SQL Skills

1. Nail the essentials: joins, grouping, filtering, subqueries, and window functions.
2. Design matters: normalization where it helps, denormalization where it pays off.
3. Index intelligently; read query plans; reduce scans; favor sargable predicates.
4. Keep transactions safe: ACID awareness, isolation levels, and deadlock avoidance.
5. Harden inputs with parameters; never trust raw strings.
6. Backups tested, restores rehearsed. Integrity checks scheduled.

How to Display SQL Skills on Your Resume

6. AWS

AWS supplies a broad cloud platform: compute, storage, databases, networking, security, and more—globally available and deeply integrated.

Why It's Important

It scales fast, survives failure, and makes experimentation cheap. Support can diagnose and remediate without waiting on hardware.

How to Improve AWS Skills

1. Identity right-sized: IAM roles, least privilege, and periodic access reviews.
2. Observe everything: CloudWatch metrics and logs, alarms that page the right people.
3. Trace actions: CloudTrail enabled and retained; detect anomalies early.
4. Automate the grind: AWS CLI and SDKs; Systems Manager for fleet tasks and patching.
5. Reliability basics: multi-AZ, backups with defined RPO/RTO, lifecycle policies.
6. Keep costs visible: tagging, budgets, and alerts; turn things off when not needed.
7. Infrastructure as code: CloudFormation or Terraform; versioned, peer-reviewed, repeatable.

How to Display AWS Skills on Your Resume

7. Azure

Microsoft Azure delivers cloud services for compute, storage, networking, analytics, identity, and more, tightly aligned with the Microsoft ecosystem.

Why It's Important

It powers hybrid setups elegantly and brings familiar tooling to cloud ops, which lowers friction for support teams.

How to Improve Azure Skills

1. Security posture first: Microsoft Defender for Cloud recommendations, RBAC, and conditional access.
2. Policy and governance: Azure Policy, naming standards, tags, and resource groups that actually reflect reality.
3. Watch the signals: Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, alerts wired to action.
4. Automate: Azure CLI/PowerShell, runbooks, and templates with Bicep or ARM.
5. Resilience: availability sets/zones, backups, and tested restore workflows.
6. Cost control: budgets, reservations where it fits, rightsizing regularly.

How to Display Azure Skills on Your Resume

8. VMware

VMware’s virtualization stack (vSphere, ESXi, vCenter) consolidates workloads and simplifies lifecycle operations across hosts and clusters.

Why It's Important

It stretches hardware farther, speeds recovery, and makes lab, test, and prod look and feel consistent.

How to Improve VMware Skills

1. Keep tools current: VMware Tools inside VMs, hardware compatibility checked, hosts patched.
2. Right-size VMs: CPU/memory tuned to workload, reservations and limits used judiciously.
3. Network smartly: VMXNET3 adapters, proper VLANs, and traffic shaping where needed.
4. Storage discipline: align block sizes, monitor latency and contention, avoid snapshot sprawl.
5. High availability: HA, DRS, and vMotion configured and tested under load.
6. Capacity and health: track trends with Aria Operations (formerly vRealize) or equivalent.

How to Display VMware Skills on Your Resume

9. Cisco

Cisco supplies core networking gear and software—switching, routing, security, and collaboration—found in countless enterprise networks.

Why It's Important

Reliable networks are non-negotiable. Cisco fluency helps you keep packets flowing and outages short.

How to Improve Cisco Skills

1. Master the essentials: VLANs, trunking, STP, EtherChannel, inter-VLAN routing.
2. Routing basics solid: OSPF and EIGRP fundamentals; know when and why.
3. Security guards: ACLs, port security, DHCP snooping, and proper device hardening.
4. Troubleshooting rhythm: show and debug commands with intent; capture before you change.
5. Standardize configs: templates, golden baselines, and version control.
6. Visibility: syslog, SNMP, and flow data feeding dashboards that someone actually checks.

How to Display Cisco Skills on Your Resume

10. ITIL

ITIL is a set of practices for IT service management focused on value, outcomes, and continual improvement (with ITIL 4 as the current approach).

Why It's Important

It turns support into a predictable service. Clear flows, measurable targets, fewer fires.

How to Improve ITIL Skills

1. Work the practices: Incident, Problem, Change Enablement, Request Fulfillment, Service Catalog.
2. Define SLAs/OLAs that reflect reality and publish them where users can see them.
3. Shift left: strong knowledge base, self-service, and smart routing to speed resolutions.
4. Measure and learn: meaningful KPIs, retrospectives, and a visible improvement backlog.
5. Tighten handoffs: crisp definitions, assignment rules, and escalation paths.
6. Communicate like a pro: updates early, updates often, in words users understand.

How to Display ITIL Skills on Your Resume

11. Jira

Jira tracks work—incidents, requests, bugs, and projects—with configurable workflows and reporting that teams can actually use.

Why It's Important

It organizes chaos into queues and dashboards, enabling throughput without losing the human details.

How to Improve Jira Skills

1. Customize issue types, fields, and screens to match your real support process.
2. Automation rules for assignments, transitions, notifications, and repetitive updates.
3. Service management SLAs and queues that highlight what needs attention now.
4. Dashboards that surface trends, bottlenecks, and upcoming deadlines.
5. JQL mastery for fast filters, targeted reports, and ad-hoc investigations.
6. Permission schemes that are simple, predictable, and regularly reviewed.

How to Display Jira Skills on Your Resume

12. ServiceNow

ServiceNow is a cloud platform for digital workflows, especially ITSM—centralizing tickets, knowledge, assets, and changes in one place.

Why It's Important

It ties incidents to knowledge, changes to risk, and people to outcomes. Less swivel-chair work, more resolution.

How to Improve ServiceNow Skills

1. Design clean catalogs and categories; make it easy for users to ask for the right thing.
2. Define priority clearly with impact and urgency; keep SLAs visible and actionable.
3. Automate with Flow Designer: routing, approvals, and notifications that run themselves.
4. Strengthen knowledge: templates, feedback loops, and article freshness checks.
5. Keep CMDB credible: discovery tuned, relationships managed, and data owners assigned.
6. Elevate insight: Performance Analytics dashboards that drive decisions, not vanity metrics.

How to Display ServiceNow Skills on Your Resume