What they don't tell you about working in the Cloud.

Because the Cloud Computing world is always changing, it can be hard to predict what it is like working in such an industry. You may have heard second hand about the things you can expect from working in the cloud - but we as experts in the world of cloud are going to have a look at some things you may not have heard when you are diving into cloud computing industry.

Everyone is really kind and helpful

The Cloud computing world definitely has a steep learning curve. This will enable you to learn a lot of important information in as short a time as possible, and with close support from your colleagues, you will have an extra brain to pick when you are stuck with something.

What we have found from a number of our clients is that there is no shortage of people who are willing to jump in and help you. This isn't only true if you are new to the cloud but also applies if you are deep into the industry.

Regardless of seniority, job roles, etc, you will find that the majority of the time your co-workers will be willing to dive in and help you with anything they can.

The learning NEVER stops!

You may well have done a lot of learning in order to get your first job in the cloud - but it's good to know going in that the learning doesn't stop after you have landed your first role!

Whether you will simply gain more certifications, or gain new experience through hands-on-learning learning new skills is part of the job.

In order to best position yourself as a keen employee - take the initiative when it comes to your learning, and don't wait until you HAVE to learn something before you learn it. Continual and incremental learning is the best way to keep on top of all of the new releases and new technologies which take place in the cloud world.

Security is job zero

Being secure isn't just a buzzword - it is actually taken incredibly seriously.

Regardless again of your job role, how secure you are in your security posture is a key indicator of how mature you are in your cloud journey. Your goals should always be aligned with security best practices and you should be able to view every challenge with this mindset of security first.

You will feel imposter syndrome, but that is ok

You will feel time and time again that there is something wrong. You may feel like the wrong application got accepted for the job, and that you are not in fact deserving of your job, and in fact, it is all a bit of luck!

Let me be the first to tell you. Firstly, you earned this role - you likely went through many rounds of interviews to get to the point where you have finally accepted an offer.

Secondly, Imposter Syndrome is definitely normal! The difficult learning curve and the adaptation to new skills and situations often make you feel out of your depth - but if you are not struggling sometimes, you are not trying and you are definitely not learning!

Certifications are important but aren't everything

There are a number of prestigious certifications that look really good on a cloud computing CV. These certifications are seen as a vitally important badge to demonstrate your knowledge - but the value of them must be taken with a grain of salt.

Getting more certifications that you know what to do within a sporadic and unplanned way is a good way to think you know WAY more than you actually do.

It is easy to assume that if you pass some certifications you will automatically have the full range of skills needed to land a high-level role at the company of your dreams -but this often isn't the case.

Over-focus on certifications can actually dampen real-life learning opportunities and will only hurt you in the long term. We prescribe a fine balance between gaining certifications for the knowledge you learning, and then taking the knowledge and applying it to build a real-life solution, simulating a real job. You have to choose wisely and not over-rely on either of these things.

Doing your homework on how much you are worth is important

As you are moving into the cloud and deciding which role is for you, it is important to do your research on the role, the expected salary, and any extra perks you may be getting from the role.

It is often not very clear what the salary band is for a role for example - and only through researching online can you find out what you should be asking for so as to not price yourself out, or undercut yourself unnecessarily.

Websites like Glassdoor can help you put yourself in the driving seat and make sure you are asking for exactly what you are entitled to. You can also use the information gained from one employer's offer to push other offers to be more competitive with theirs. This will never lose you an offer by the way!

Your day will be varied, no matter which role you choose

As Cloud computing?is a term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the internet, the different job roles available are very varied. From a Software Developer to a Cloud Business consultant you will find that due to the ever-changing nature of the cloud, you will be wearing many different hats and juggling lots of plates.

This could be one-minute running commands into a Linux machine, and the next minute driving a strategic customer review for a struggling client. You will never be bored in the cloud.

This principle is the same within roles too! Due to how quickly cloud platforms are scaling up their offerings it is up to you to be as knowledgeable as possible and if you are struggling to upskill yourself to fit into a new role, why not try Level Up in Tech?

Your Existing IT Skills Are a Huge Asset

If you come from an IT background you will be shocked at both how much, and how little things are different within the cloud. The fundamentals of any IT role will to some extent apply, with knowledge like:

• CPU
• Memory
• Networking

These concepts do not go away in the cloud regardless of your level of seniority and you must continually refresh the basics as you go (see the last point).

If you are understanding cloud concepts from the get-go also it maybe helps as you can take the time to focus on learning your job role.

Try to build upon the concepts you know and apply them to the cloud - you will be surprised how many services have an analog in a SaaS solution or within a Cloud Service providers catalog of services.

Your opportunities will compound

You will find that as the cloud computing industry changes and grows, you will need to match this. If you do, however, the scalability of a role can be near infinite. If you take advantage of the options you are afforded, and if you are always self-studying you will thrive within this incredibly rewarding career path.

There are a number of skill sets that can lead to a job within cloud computing. The more experience you have, the more likely you are to land a role, but just like in certain IT roles, lots of the learning can be done online. This makes it much easier to land a job whilst working a full-time role.

Fundamentals never cease to be important!

Don't skip the tech fundamentals!

This one seems fairly obvious, but skipping cloud computing concepts like Capex vs Opex and how the AWS Shared responsibility model works never ceases to be important. You should be always refreshing your IT basics as these things can often fall to the wayside for seeming more 'important' aspects of your job role which take pressing concern...

Thanks for reading! Hopefully, you have a better insight into what you should expect when you land your first cloud role, and how you can get the most out of it for your career.

PS if you are looking to "Get Ready" for that cloud role. Then let's book a call to chat about how we can help you through our 6 Step Process in our program!