I've been in the sysadmin field for about 10 years and transitioned to DevOps four years ago, mainly due to my dislike for physical work—especially printers! My boss hired me for a DevOps role despite my lack of experience, based mainly on my background and eagerness to learn. However, in my current job, I haven't done much real DevOps work, mostly handling WordPress websites and troubleshooting Microsoft accounts. Although my company has an AWS account, we only use S3 for storage. Now, with the company being bought out, I need to find a new job but realize I lack essential DevOps skills in AWS, GCP, Terraform, and Docker. I want to know how to quickly gain these skills—ideally in about a week. I'm a fast learner with experience in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, and I've become quite proficient in WordPress. My boss suggested getting certified in AWS, which I plan to do, but I also want to apply my past experience in interviews effectively. Any tips or project ideas for speeding up my learning process would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
Just dive in! Manage your AWS setup using Terraform, automate server management with Ansible, and try running things in Docker. You're the main obstacle holding yourself back! If you're nervous about jumping into complex environments, find a small project to focus on first. Everybody has to start somewhere, and practical experience is invaluable.
Finding a new DevOps position is key, so keep applying! My first devops role was mostly config management with Puppet, and I learned so much on the job. Don’t be afraid to move until you find the right fit. You’ve done a lot in sysadmin and web admin roles—embrace that experience!
Check out resources like the DevOps roadmap to visualize what skills you need to cover. While certifications are nice, they don’t replace hands-on work. Build out a project that shows you've implemented a CI/CD pipeline or automated infrastructure management, and you'll have a much stronger story for interviews!
You’re definitely not going to speedrun DevOps in a week, but you can prepare yourself for interviews quickly if you work on a real project. Combine AWS, Terraform, and GitHub Actions to create something tangible. For instance, set up a small application using ECS and CloudWatch for logging. This hands-on approach will give you concrete proof of your skills!
Speedrunning through DevOps isn't really feasible since you're up against people who've dedicated years to mastering tools like AWS, GCP, and Docker. You'll need to invest time to build that expertise, but you definitely shouldn't underestimate your 10 years of sysadmin experience. You're already further ahead than you think! Just focus on integrating coding into your workflow with simple tools like Terraform and Docker.
Related Questions
Can't Load PhpMyadmin On After Server Update
Redirect www to non-www in Apache Conf
How To Check If Your SSL Cert Is SHA 1
Windows TrackPad Gestures