How to go for gold in the cloud career game

Cloud talent is in super high demand, resulting in supersized salaries, plentiful perks, and a near future-proof career path. But what exactly does that mean?

LinkedIn — which has listed cloud computing as one of the most in-demand hard skills for years running — gives the following assessment of 2021, calling out that employers are increasingly seeking and investing in skills around AWS (or Amazon Web Services).

“Technical skills are in high demand across the globe right now as companies look to keep their competitive advantage and develop a track record of success through innovation. This year, employees at the LinkedIn Top Companies grew their skills in AWS (up 42%), Python (up 25%), and machine learning (up 23%) — all skills that are driving innovation in nearly every industry.”

And it's not just AWS skills that employers are on the lookout for. Demand for Microsoft Azure skills is also up, especially in enterprise organizations — with Microsoft's cloud being used in 95% of Fortune 500 companies. Google Cloud (GCP) skills are a hot ticket as well, with GCP certifications regularly topping the list of the best-paying cloud certifications.

Investing in cloud skills can help employees climb in their current organizations or land new jobs (about 120,000 today listed on Indeed) with the countless companies seeking cloud talent.

Sounds good, yeah? But let’s talk pay. Jumping jobs can feel like a daunting task. Will it be worth your effort?  

Indeed reports that right now the average base cloud engineer salary in the U.S. is $117,360 (plus a $10,000 annual bonus).

Not too shabby. Of course, your mileage may vary based on location (or maybe not so much in the growing remote-first world of work) but the short of it is: if you’re looking for a pay bump and more opportunities, investing in developing your cloud skills can be a smart move.

But where do you start?

WATCH: Solving The “No Experience” Cloud Hiring Problem
Need experience to get a job, but need a job to get experience. It’s a cloudy Catch-22! Watch this free, on-demand webinar with insights from the ACG challenge that helped dozens get their first cloud job. 

Whether you’re a total tech newcomer looking to jump-start your cloud career or have some experience and are looking to master new skills, A Cloud Guru’s hands-on learning approach can put you on the path to career success. With ACG in your corner, you get the expert-led coaching and hands-on practice needed to give your cloud career a head start.

Consider the career journey of A Cloud Guru learner Thad McMullen. Thad doubled his salary in 3 months and went from a help desk job to cloud career.

With 400+ courses and 1,800+ Hands-On Labs, you can fine-tune your cloud training regimen to fit your exact needs. Start training for the job of your dreams today. 95% of ACG users say our tools and content directly helped in their careers.

 And there's never been a better time to start your cloud career than right now. 

When it comes to cloud technology, the rules of the game are always changing. Fortunately, it’s easy to stay ahead of the pack with A Cloud Guru.

To help give you a head start, check out our current promos and deals to snag the best price on an ACG membership. Or sign up for a free account and check out our current line-up of free cloud training.

Once you’ve got ACG in your corner, where should you begin?

• Check out ACG's Learning Paths to plot a path through the cloud learning content that will be best for your desired career.

• Dive into some Hands-on Labs to pick up skills. Check out our playlists of labs perfect for picking up AWS essentials and AWS security essentials, plus Azure fundamentals or the GCP basics.

• Whether you’re looking at learning AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud, if you haven’t already, consider studying up for one of the intro-level cloud certifications. Certifications like the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CCP) or AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals require no prior experience. Studying for these certs will give you the foundational knowledge needed to keep climbing in your cloud career.

• Check out the official ACG Discord server. It’s the place to ask questions, study with friends, win swag, and find support along your cloud journey.

• Cloud technologies change all the time. Stay up to date with cloud trends and in the know around the latest in all things cloud with ACG’s original series, including:
  • AWS This Week
  • Azure This Week
  • GCP This Month
  • Kubernetes This Month
  • Linux This Month

• The best way to find a cloud job
• How many certifications do I need to get a cloud job?
• What’s the best AWS training for beginners?
• What is a Cloud Architect (and how do you become one)?
• From student to engineer: How to study smarter for cloud certs

Get in the game today. Start mastering the skills that will drive your career.