My No BS Guide to Get Into Cloud
Here’s my advice to get into cloud without a degree. This is what I did to go from $15 an hour selling iPhones to working my way up to a $175k base salary at one of the most known tech companies. If you're looking for something quick, skip this, it ain't easy money over here.
Start in support, work your A$$ off in that role for a year and upskill in your free time. I know support roles get a lousy reputation, and people wanna skip them but trust me, it gives you a range of high-level skills that are great for your next role. Primarily documenting, ticketing systems, and troubleshooting.
Besides upskilling, get the 2 most relevant certifications for the position you want (research!), build as many projects as possible, and most importantly, document them. This will help you practice when it comes to interviewing. I wrote learn to cloud to the technical skills and projects you'll need for Cloud Engineering. It is free and open source
After a year in support, I think that's enough experience to leverage for the next role. When applying to your next position, don't pay too much attention to the role title and care more about the description. Plenty of roles will give you cloud exposure without having "cloud" in the title.
Once you feel you have 50% of the job requirements in the post, apply! Tailor your resume, and tailor your cover letter. I know people complain about having to write cover letters, but it could make a difference if it’s a role you really want (it did in my case, I have a video on this, if you want to use my Microsoft cover letter as an example).
Most importantly, my friends learn how to learn. Yes, you can be self-taught. Learning something technical is hard, but trust me, the sooner you take the time to learn how you learn best, the better. There's this ted talk called learning how to learn that is fantastic.
I can't see how paid Bootcamps are worth it. So many examples of them not delivering on what they promise. Some people need that type of structure, but I don't see how they are worth the tens of thousands that they charge when you can teach yourself everything at home. You'll need to upskill your entire career. The sooner you learn how to do it on your own, the better.
F the gatekeepers.
Attend free meetups and networking events, don't try to leech off people, and bring value to relationships. If someone does extend you an opportunity or favor, bring your best! Be honest, authentic, kind, and work hard.
You can do this. I know you can,
Much luck in 2023.
GPS.