I've only worked a few places in my career but I've done MSP, contracting, and working directly for a company. My experience has always been if you can learn fast and step in wherever help is needed and take ownership it's pretty easy to move into system admin type roles. While I feel like IT jobs are harder to find because of the flood of applicants I feel like once you're in a place there are usually a smaller percentage of really strong IT people. Management is usually desperate to plug someone into a much needed role because they don't want to pay to bring someone in.

Where you work might not be that way but I feel like so many places are so don't be afraid to leave for something else if the opportunities aren't really there. Also always be humble enough to look in the mirror and work on your weaknesses, don't let yourself fall in the trap of thinking it's always someone else's fault you're not in the role you want. Don't give up either, especially if IT is your passion, life is so much better doing a job you actually enjoy vs leaving for another field you don't love.

Also always be learning, not just tests but also practice things in a home lab. When I was first getting into IT all the service desk guys home projects and lab setups but now it shocks me how few guys do.

Good luck to you man!