Here's how you can overcome the lack of experience when applying for Cloud Computing jobs.

Set up your own enviro in AWS, Azure and GCP at the very least - build some servers, some services, automate a few things, have a few things ready to demonstrate HA - and showcase this as skills in your CV and provide access to recruiters and hiring managers that are viewing your CV. Coders are good at doing this , Sys Admins and Architects not so much - recommend all do it!

It’s not difficult to find the right resources. This is the beauty about Cloud Computing, you can create your own career. AWS Cloud practitioner, Azure fundamentals and GCP cloud courses are very understandable and will give you directly a step in the right direction. Another thing that is underestimated, go to the cloud events in person. Speak with folks over there. Everybody is very willing to help each other. Another valid thing to do is getting a better understanding of containers and Kubernetes. Maybe in the beginning it might look overwhelming, just give yourself the time for it. I’ve learn it because I did a lot of cloud conversations during the last years, and I still learn every day. And I hear new stuff every day.

Setting up a home lab, is one of the best things you can do. By practicing on a small scale, you will understand the challenges in bigger scenarios. It’s a small investment and you will understand the basics. By doing this you can showcase your skills. Besides that it will make it easier to handle interview questions. Terms and acronyms can be overwhelming when you start from scratch, however don’t forget everybody needed to start somewhere. Setting up an website and a small database, showcasing your project on GitHub, will give you visibility and credibility. In my opinion it’s like a kid is learning to walk. First you do some steps, while maybe later you can run a marathon. You need to start somewhere.

Here comes the fun and tasty part, get ready for a lot of free pizzas ??. I’ve attended a lot of events, meetups and roundtables. Again in the beginning you will face the imposter syndrome. However keep in mind nobody knows everything. Networking is maybe even more important than having the right knowledge. Your network is your net worth. Companies are facing a skill shortage, take in mind that companies are expanding towards the cloud. If you position yourself now, you will have a job guarantee for the rest of your life. Try to add all the people you speak with, you never know who will help you landing your dream job.

Learning on the job is always the best. Once you are in and you can showcase some experience, you can apply for the serious jobs. It allows you as well that you can make some mistakes (hopefully not too much). Always showcase your experience on your LinkedIn profile. Mention what you did, what you achieved and how the company progressed. Try to search for a multi cloud company, this will give you directly the possibility to practice your skills in different areas. Basically all the clouds are almost the same, however the cloud providers do a great job in choosing different names. But the core principles are the same, once you practice with this, probably you will start to see this. *disclaimer of course there are some differences

When you have a few certifications, the chances of getting a job dramatically increase, whether you like it or not. I’ve seen several people who just started their cloud career, and because of some certifications they did get the job. Again once you’re in, you are in. Always place the certifications on your LinkedIn profile and write some content about achieving this. Probably you will notice that recruiters will start visiting your profile, or maybe even reach out directly after posting this. I’ve followed some cloud engineers from the start and they have some pretty awesome jobs now. Side note: take some free cloud security courses as well, and you will be a rock star ?? in this industry.