I have about three years of sysadmin experience with AWS multi-account administration, IAM, Active Directory, M365, and some security work. I have Cloud Practitioner and am studying for the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam.
I've been applying for a few months and made it to the final three for one role. Indeed and Dice haven't turned up much. Where else should I look for roles at this level?
Check employer career pages directly, especially organizations with sizable internal IT teams and managed service providers. Search for systems administrator, infrastructure engineer, cloud administrator, and IAM roles rather than only cloud engineer.
Your mix of AWS and Microsoft administration could fit a hybrid infrastructure job even if the title doesn't mention cloud. When a posting looks promising, make the relevant work easy to spot on your resume, including the scope of the environments you supported.
Don't rule yourself out just because a cloud posting has a huge wish list. Some ask for Kubernetes, deployment pipelines, years of experience, and clearance all at once. Read the actual responsibilities and apply where your AWS and admin experience covers a meaningful part of the work.
The associate cert can help show what you're learning, but I'd lead with the hands-on multi-account and IAM work you already have. Those are more specific than a cert name alone.
One final-round interview isn't much data, but it does show your application got through and you were competitive for at least one opening. Keep applying while you're employed, and use that interview to identify anything you want to practice before the next one.
Try reaching out to local recruiters who specialize in infrastructure and cloud, and ask people in your professional network about openings. Local technology groups and events can also help you find employers that aren't showing up in your usual searches.
Be clear about your location, experience level, and salary target so you don't spend all your time on roles that are a poor fit.
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Clearance requirements can be a real constraint, though. Check whether the posting requires an existing clearance or says the employer can sponsor one.