7 Top Skills to Look When Recruiting for Cloud Platform Engineers (AWS, GCP and Azure) Jobs
According to Gartner, by 2025, 95% of new digital workloads will be deployed on cloud-native platforms. Companies recognize the huge benefits that cloud platforms provide, both for clients and related to internal functionality. As a result, cloud platform engineers are in high demand.
As you work to fill these engineer jobs, you might be questioning what an ideal candidate looks like. Below are some of the top skills for AWS (Amazon web services) jobs, Azure jobs, and GCP (Google Cloud Platform) jobs.
The three main cloud computing platforms (AWS, Microsoft Azure, and GCP) all provide a training course to help engineers better understand the platform. These courses are vital if an engineer wants to gain the skills necessary to use these systems.
Every business is different when it comes to using one particular cloud platform over the other. However, a candidate’s knowledge of each platform will be helpful to ensure they are versatile enough to use any of them.
Not every employer will put network knowledge on their list of must-haves for an engineering job. However, many cloud engineers will help clients transition from an on premise or server-based network to the cloud. Knowledge and experience with these networks can be very helpful for engineers—these skills make the transition easier for clients.
In addition, experience configuring and maintaining cloud networks can be very valuable as well. If any issues crop up, a cloud engineer with network experience can address them competently.
A cloud engineer may need to write code and build applications. They might also need to manage and deploy applications for clients as well. Having a working knowledge of various programming languages can be very helpful, including Java, C++, Python, and SQL.
Some employers will have a preferred programming language. If that is the case, it can be helpful to include that information in the job description. However, cloud engineers that are proficient in several programming languages can be very valuable for growing companies.
One of the biggest client concerns about migrating to the cloud often centers around security. All cloud engineers should know and understand what businesses need to do to protect their data and secure customer information. They should also be able to address cyber-attacks and data breaches.
Security knowledge is critical, but so are the soft skills associated with security concerns. For example, if a data breach occurs, having a cloud engineer who remains calm, cool, and collected can be extremely helpful. They will be an asset to an employer and any client who works with them.
Every business is different, which means their needs in the cloud will be different. A cloud engineer should be able to think critically and engage in problem-solving methods when issues arise. Troubleshooting, debugging, and testing are all vital functions in any cloud engineer’s position.
Cloud platform engineers also need to constantly think about ways to save time and money without compromising customer experience or security. Long-term strategic planning is vital.
Creating the best possible solution and implementing it in a way that is not only effective but efficient requires a level of skill and creativity that some engineers simply do not have. Candidates that can demonstrate these skills will be leaps and bounds ahead of their peers when applying for engineering jobs.
A cloud platform engineer will often work with clients to move their databases or functions to the cloud. This type of huge internal change for companies can be extremely time-consuming and frustrating. Many business owners and managers understand the need (or desire) to make a move to the cloud, but they are not aware of the nuances of the transition.
Having a cloud engineer who can communicate with a client in a way they can understand is critical to maintain and build client relationships. For instance, if the engineer cannot explain why things are done the way they are done or why certain steps need to be taken, a client can become extremely frustrated. That frustration can lead to strained relationships and may even put the entire project at risk.
Communication is critical in any job, but it is especially relevant when clients rely on an engineer to change such a huge part of their business.
Many clients who work with cloud engineers are moving an existing database to the cloud. Having a working knowledge of non-cloud databases will be helpful in evaluating in-house or internal databases.
This type of background information will help improve the cloud database experience. For instance, a cloud platform engineer can often create a better experience for clients by making their cloud database function similarly to their in-house database. It will make the data migration process easier as well.
Database knowledge will also allow a cloud engineer to point out the benefits of switching to the cloud. With this type of knowledge and training, a cloud engineer can better explain the differences between the cloud and an internal database, so clients know what to expect.
Specialty engineers can be difficult to find. The position is complex enough that spending the time and effort to get the right person for the job is often well worth it. However, that process can be time-consuming and cumbersome.
OSI Engineering can help. We pair engineering candidates with employers who have engineering jobs to fill. As engineers ourselves, we understand the unique aspects of recruiting engineers and being a candidate reviewing engineering jobs.
Our technical knowledge and know-how allow us to provide outstanding service to employers and employees alike, making the entire recruiting process for engineer jobs much more efficient for everyone involved.
Learn more about OSI Engineering by calling us today by phone at (408) 550-2800 or online.