The Best Way to Find a Cloud Job

As more businesses are shifting towards cloudification, Cloud professionals are becoming more highly in demand. However, these high demands caught the eye of many and the competition grows thicker as we speak. Breaking into the world of cloud computing isn’t as easy as one may think.

However, don’t fret! At Skillcurb, we aim to provide the most concise guidelines that are guaranteed to take you where you want to be. Just as with any other job out there, the only barrier between you and your career as a cloud professional is knowing where to start.

Therefore, in this article, we will cover all the important know-how to get you started and learn the best way to find a cloud job in a matter of days.

Cloud Computing Job Requirements

Before you begin your journey and read any further, you must meet the requirements. For you, to land that life-changing cloud computing job, you must have a rock-solid foundation in:

1. Understanding of Cloud Technologies and Providers – The most popular vendors in the market are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure, and Oracle. Before diving into Cloud Computing, you must know that all these vendors are different in terms of ease of use, toolkits, and cost. Therefore, being able to understand and differentiate between them will help you in the longer run.
2. Programming Languages – To be more precise, you need to be proficient or have an adequate grasp of Java, JavaScript, and Python. Languages may vary based on the vendor you select. To clarify, if you are already good at a certain programming language, see which vendor offers you the most and go with that.
3. Experience with Cloud Technologies and Providers – To be more specific, you don’t need a “job” experience. Rather, you need to have experience in playing around with at least one vendor and have all the basic knowledge required to work on it. GCP is so far the easiest and most affordable for conducting experiments to gain experience.
4. Database Management & Programming – This is more of an advanced requirement. If you are familiar with MySQL, NoSQL, and Linux, you will have an advantage over your competitors. To be more specific, cloud computing utilizes Linux-based servers. Therefore, it is an important skill to land a high-paying job.
5. Ai and Machine Learning – Depending on the path you choose, you may or may not need a foundation in Ai and Machine learning. However, these technologies aid businesses a lot, and getting a certification in this means that your chances of getting a job are up to 100%.

Most importantly, remember that cloud certifications are role-based. That is to say, each certification is for a specific job role. Make sure you fully understand the path you are taking, so you don’t go stray with learning extras that aren’t required of you at the job you are going for.

Top 8 Cloud Computing Careers in 2022

Once you get the requirements down, now comes the important bit – the best cloud computing careers in 2022:

(Note: The Cloud Careers below are listed based on salary ranges from highest to lowest.)

1. Cloud Architect

As we discussed in the article “which cloud certification is right for you” – Cloud Architects earn the most among cloud professionals. Think of cloud architects as the people who create and maintain the framework within which all the other cloud technologies sustain. The cloud architect is every organization’s contractor who designs and implements the cloud computing infrastructure and strategies.

Salary Range: $76,366 – $197,054 per year

2. Cloud Software Engineer

Cloud Software Engineers come second to cloud architects. They are masters of their art and work with computer scientists and programmers to develop software that operates in the cloud. As a cloud software engineer, you are not only responsible for development but also upgrading, performing fixes, dealing with errors, and maintaining the software you develop. The same goes for the databases that power that software.

Salary Range: $108,500 – $165,000 per year

3. Cloud Engineer

Cloud engineers are responsible for managing aspects of the organization’s cloud infrastructure and strategies. It’s the same as architects designing buildings and engineers building them. The cloud engineers work with the architects to ensure that the strategies are perfectly implemented. Moreover, they also have to deal with the admin work of negotiating with vendors and clients to ensure the budget is maintained and everyone stays on task. 

(If you are interested in becoming a cloud engineer using the quickest route, have a look at this course on becoming a certified cloud engineer.)

Salary Range: $106,500 – $148,000 per year

4. Cloud Automation Engineer

We live in an extremely competitive era, where time is money. Therefore, automation is becoming more common. Cloud Automation Engineers are responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining automation technologies. These automations are specific to the company’s needs and are constantly in effect.

Salary Range: $71,074 – $149,088 per year

5. Cloud Network Engineer

Cloud Network Engineers are specialists who can design and maintain a company’s cloud services across a network. This network could be limited to a specific division or be vast enough for the entire company. These are highly in-demand professionals who may have overlapping duties with cloud architects and engineers.

Salary Range: $64,288 – $160,513 per year

6. Cloud Consultant

Certainly, you have to be an expert to consult. Cloud consultants are professionals with expansive knowledge of cloud technologies and they offer guidance to organizations and companies that are looking for cloud solutions. Normally, a cloud consultant assesses the organization’s needs and then makes a recommendation on software and devices that are best suited to serve those needs. They have to take into consideration – both, the budget and technical requirements. In addition, the consultant may sometimes be required to perform customizations to fit the company’s needs. This is the main reason why they need in-depth knowledge. 

Salary Range: $56,014 – $143,793 per year

7. Cloud Security Analyst

Moving towards the end, Cloud Security Analysts are responsible for ensuring the integrity and security of an organization’s cloud infrastructure and overall presence. This job is executed by constantly assessing threats and coming up with the best defense strategies to prevent data breaches, secure databases, and omit any possible security gaps in case of a breach.

Salary Range: $55,047 – $131,924 per year

8. Cloud Administrator

Finally, at the end of our list – Cloud Administrators are experts who manage the organization’s cloud infrastructure and presence. This has less to do with coding and more with creating, enforcing, and updating policies for how the teams and users access an organization’s cloud services. They are also responsible for establishing security-related policies and protocols, alongside monitoring and ensuring uptime.

Salary Range: $78,000 – $125,000 per year

Roadmap to Starting Your Cloud Computing Career

At this point, you know everything about the requirements for cloud computing jobs and the highest-paying cloud computing careers in 2022. Now, it is time to learn the best way to find a cloud job.

1. Getting the Right Training for Cloud Computing

The first step in starting your career as a cloud computing professional is getting the right training. Surely, there are numerous courses available online. Regardless of having any prior experience, you must get the best training. Why’s that? Cloud computing is extremely competitive, and if you are stuck on a course that’s spinning you around, you will lag in landing your life-changing job. Here are some concise courses that will get you certified in the shortest period possible.

2. Getting Hands-on Experience in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing isn’t as demanding in terms of a formal degree in IT. All you need is a certification from a reputable vendor such as AWS, GCP, Microsoft Azure, or Oracle, and you are good to go. However, the more you meddle with these technologies, the more you learn. Use any means necessary to at least learn your way around operating these technologies. It can be as simple as deploying a static website on a cloud platform.

3. Choosing the Right Cloud Computing Certification

Know what’s right! There are thousands of businesses that have shifted to the cloud. However, each business differs in the technology they use. As aforementioned, AWS, GCP, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle are widely used. Microsoft Azure and GCP being the most commonly used cloud vendors, also offer highly valuable certifications. Bear in mind that if you fail to acquire a certification, you have to wait long periods before you can apply again. Therefore, you must work your way through the fundamentals before getting a professional certification.

If you want to go with the Google Cloud Platform, here is a course that can quickly get you a certification as Digital Cloud Leader. On the other hand, if you are willing to go with Amazon Web Services, try the AWS Cloud Practioner course.

Most importantly, these courses are tailored to provide you with the quickest route in getting your first certification.

4. Building a Good Portfolio

Finishing at least one course is important before you move on to this step. Once you got a grip on the fundamentals and completed the courses, it’s time to put that knowledge to good use. Whether you freelanced or built projects for the sake of the course, you can use them in your portfolio. Make sure you design it well so that it highlights your area of expertise.

5. Networking the Right Way

We live in a digitalized era, you don’t have to go door-to-door to drop resumes. Make sure you have a remarkably professional LinkedIn profile page, and that you are active in building connections and dropping resumes in inboxes. Keep your profile updated with your portfolio items and even your cloud-relevant activities that you do for practice or as a hobby. This gives the impression that you are active in the field and have the right energy to be employed.

6. Gathering Good References

Finally, get good references. References come a long way. Whether it is recommendations from your university professors or your freelance clients, make sure they speak positively about your work. You can add them to your resume and increase your chances of being employed.

Final Thoughts – How to Land a Job in Cloud Computing

In this article, you have comprehensively covered the best way to find a cloud job. At this point, you have a complete understanding of the requirements. In addition, you are also aware of all the high-paying cloud computing careers in 2022. These two information points have helped you in getting a better understanding of the entire roadmap to landing your first cloud computing jobs. So long as you follow each step, you will certainly reap results in only a matter of a few weeks.