I'm a freshman just starting on the help desk at my university, and I've really gotten interested in the DevOps space because it seems like such a great culture. I genuinely want to learn as much as possible and contribute positively to a company. However, I sometimes feel discouraged by what I read online about the field. Should I stick with my plans for a career in DevOps, or should I consider switching to a different area?
6 Answers
Getting into DevOps requires some background in either development or operations first. It’s not just about scripting and automation; you really need to grasp the software development lifecycle and how businesses function. Starting at help desk is fine—it’s a valuable experience. Remember, this isn’t a quick journey, so be prepared for the long haul. I came from a network operations center and it took years to get where I am now.
Finding a mentor in the field can really boost your chances. Look for people already doing what you want to do, and think about how you can offer them help in return!
DevOps is really more of a senior role. Generally, you’d want to start as a software engineer and then move into DevOps once you've built up some basic experience. Yes, you can get a DevOps job straight away, but it’ll be tough to catch up to those with more background and knowledge.
DevOps is definitely not dead! It's incredibly important, though often unappreciated until something goes wrong. Keep pushing forward!
A lot of what you see on Reddit can be pretty negative, often just people venting. My experience has been mixed in the industry; it really depends on the team and management rather than just tech issues. DevOps can mean a lot of things: sometimes it's just another word for Operations or a catch-all title for certain roles. Stay focused on your education, and by the time you finish, the landscape could look quite different!
Don't forget to check out 'Site Reliability Engineer' roles—they're very similar and quite prevalent right now.
Could you explain what you mean by 'senior role'? I'm genuinely curious. I actually started in a DevOps support role during my studies and I’m now at the junior level.