What do you do if you want to transition into the most in-demand roles in IT Operations?

1 Assess your skills

The first step is to assess your current skills and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can use online tools, such as Skillsoft or Pluralsight, to measure your proficiency in various IT domains, such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, automation, and data analytics. You can also ask for feedback from your peers, mentors, or managers to get a realistic picture of your skill level and areas for improvement. By assessing your skills, you can determine where you stand in relation to the most in-demand roles in IT operations and what gaps you need to fill.

2 Update your certifications

To further your IT operations career, the next step is to update your certifications or acquire new ones that are relevant to the most in-demand roles. Certifications are an effective way to demonstrate your knowledge and skills, as well as build your confidence and credibility. Popular and valuable certifications for IT operations include AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate, CompTIA Security+, Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE), and Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA). The AWS certification validates your ability to design and implement scalable, secure, and cost-effective solutions using Amazon Web Services (AWS), while the CompTIA Security+ verifies your competency in core cybersecurity topics. The RHCE demonstrates your expertise in managing and automating Linux-based systems using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Finally, the CKA proves your skills in deploying and managing containerized applications using Kubernetes.

3 Learn new tools and technologies

The third step is to learn new tools and technologies that are essential for the most in-demand roles in IT operations. You can use online platforms, such as Coursera or Udemy, to access courses and tutorials on various topics. For example, Terraform is a tool for creating and managing infrastructure as code; Ansible is a tool for automating tasks and workflows; Grafana is a tool for visualizing and analyzing metrics and logs; and Python is a programming language that is widely used for scripting, data analysis, automation, and web development. All of these tools have their own advantages - Terraform allows you to automate and standardize the provisioning of IT resources, Ansible helps you deploy applications using a simple and declarative language, Grafana helps you monitor and optimize the performance of your IT systems, and Python has a rich set of libraries and frameworks.

4 Build your portfolio and network

The fourth step in your journey to become an IT operations professional is to build your portfolio and network. You can create a personal website or blog to showcase your skills, contribute to open source projects or communities, and participate in hackathons or competitions. To build your network, you can join online platforms or forums, attend online or offline events, and seek mentorship or coaching. All of these activities will help you connect with other professionals and opportunities in the IT operations field, as well as demonstrate your problem-solving and coding skills. You can also follow, interact, and learn from other IT operations experts and influencers, meet and exchange with other IT operations professionals and enthusiasts, and get guidance, advice, and support from experienced people in the field.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?