How to Get a Cloud Engineering Job with No Experience

October 7, 2025

Step-by-step strategies, actionable projects, and certification paths to land your first cloud engineering role without prior experience.

Last Updated: October 2025

Let's be straightforward-- getting that first cloud engineering job is harder than getting that second or third one. Employers can be hesitant to hire someone who isn't a proven quality, and it's no secret that the easiest time to find a job is when you already have one. That said, it is absolutely achievable. The key is proving you can do the work before anyone pays you to do it. This means real projects, earning certifications, and being comfortable enough with any questions or problems that come your way.

The upside of cloud engineering is that the barrier of entry is technically low. Doctors can't practice without a licence, lawyers can't practive without passing the bar. But there's nothing stopping you from making an Azure account, taking your $200 free credits, and shipping some projects.

Start with Foundations: What You Need to Learn First

The first step, no matter what, is building a solid technical foundation. Cloud engineering builds on core IT skills like Linux and networking. Skipping these fundamentals will leave gaps that surface during interviews or on the job. Get comfortable on a terminal, learn about the OSI model/TCP/IP protocol, etc., and understand how packets are sent and received on the internet.

Core Technical Skills to Master

Linux fundamentals. Most cloud workloads run on Linux. Get comfortable with the command line: navigating directories (cd, ls, pwd), managing files (cp, mv, rm), viewing logs (cat, tail, grep), and understanding permissions (chmod, chown). Install a Linux distro locally or spin up a free-tier EC2 instance to practice. Get creative... if an interviewer asks you about hypervisors and you used VMWare to set up your linux instance, you're ahead of the game just because you went the extra mile with your setup.
Networking basics. Learn about IP addresses, DNS, Vnets/subnets, routing tables, firewalls, and load balancers. Be able to explain what a VPC is and how subnets isolate traffic. Once you've got the fundamentals, you can learn about more advanced concepts like DMZs, NAT, WAN/LAN, etc.
Version control with Git. Every cloud engineering team uses Git. Learn the basics: git clone, git branch, git commit, git merge, and git pull/git push. Learn what PRs are, what cherry-picking is, etc. Comfort with the fundamentals makes everything so much less stressful. Make sure your projects are public on GitHub so people can see your work.
Scripting and automation. Cloud engineers automate repetitive tasks. Pick a language: Python is the easiest/most versatile, Bash works for quick scripts, and PowerShell is essential in Windows-heavy shops. Start small: write a script to fetch, pull, tag, and push to your git repositories.

Build Portfolio Projects: Show Don't Tell

Hiring managers want proof you can deliver; portfolio projects are your evidence. They demonstrate technical skills, problem-solving ability, and initiative—qualities that matter more than years of experience. They can also be a good way to showcase your interests outside of work. If you build a project about chess and your interviewer likes chess, that can be a conversation starter. Personality matters-- most interviewers hire people they want to work with, not just people who can do the job.

Project Ideas That Signal Job-Readiness

Deploy a web application with CI/CD. Build a simple web app (a to-do list, blog, or API), containerize it with Docker, and deploy it to AWS, Azure, or GCP using GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps. Add automated tests and a deployment pipeline. Document the architecture and deployment process in a README.
Infrastructure-as-code project. Use Terraform or CloudFormation to provision a complete environment: VPC, subnets, security groups, compute instances, and a database. Build one script to create the environment and another to destroy it. Store the code in Git and include instructions for others to deploy it. Write a nice README.md-- show that you understand the value of documentation.
Monitoring and alerting setup. Deploy a service, instrument it with CloudWatch, Prometheus, or Azure Monitor, and create dashboards and alerts. Play around with the application and see what metrics are available. If you're really ambitious, go a step further and simulate an incident.

Best Practices for Portfolio Projects

Document everything. Write clear READMEs explaining what you built, why you made specific design choices, and how to reproduce your work. Assume that other people will look at your code. Assume you'll look at it in a year with fresh eyes and want to understand it.
Make it public. Hiring managers want to see your code. Public repos signal confidence and transparency. If you're worried about quality, remember that showing iterative improvement is better than showing nothing.
Write blog posts about your projects. Describe what you built, challenges you faced, and lessons learned. This demonstrates communication skills and helps with SEO if you're building a personal brand. Anything you learn will stick with you longer if you write about it. The goal really is to learn, not just to say you built something.

Earn Certifications: Validate Your Knowledge

Certifications aren't enough to get you a job by themselves, but they signal credibility and commitment. If you don't have any experience, you can at least show that you're willing to spend a few hundred dollars to validate your knowledge. Some interviewers don't care about them at all but most will see them as a positive sign.

Which Certifications to Pursue First

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03). The most recognized entry-level cloud certification. Covers core AWS services, architecture best practices, and cost optimization. Ideal if you're targeting AWS jobs.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104). Focuses on managing Azure resources, virtual networks, identity, and governance. Best for Azure jobs or enterprise environments.
Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE). Covers GCP infrastructure, networking, and deployment. Less common than AWS or Azure, but valuable if targeting GCP jobs. NOTE: GCP is not as popular as AWS or Azure, but it's still a valuable skill to have, and it's the highest-paying platform for engineers further in their career.

Certification Strategy

Start with one cloud platform. Don't spread yourself thin. Go deeper into AWS, Azure, or GCP before adding a second platform. Most companies use one primary platform; secondary platform knowledge is a bonus but not a requirement.
Combine study with hands-on practice. Don't just read words on a screen, build projects that use the services covered in the exam. This will help with long-term retention and give you talking points for interviews.
Use free-tier accounts aggressively. Every cloud platform offers a free tier. Use them to practice deploying services, troubleshooting issues, and experimenting without cost.

Network Strategically: Build Relationships That Open Doors

Many cloud engineering jobs are never publicly posted. Networking helps you access the hidden job market and get referrals that skip you past resume filters. Some companies will show up to job fairs but not post on linkedin, some companies post to linkedin but don't go out in person. Make sure to pursue a variety of channels.

Actionable Networking Tactics

Join cloud communities. Participate in forums like Reddit's r/devops, r/aws, or r/azure. Join Slack communities, Discord servers, or local meetups focused on cloud engineering. Answer questions, share your projects, and build visibility. If you're active in communities and keep learning, eventually you'll get referrals. Remember that people are more likely to refer friends than strangers.
Connect with professionals on LinkedIn. Follow cloud engineers, recruiters, and hiring managers. Comment on their posts, share your projects, and send personalized connection requests. Don't just ask for jobs-- build genuine relationships.
Attend virtual and in-person events. AWS, Azure, and GCP host user groups and conferences (AWS re:Invent, Microsoft Ignite, Google Cloud Next). Attend talks, ask questions, and network with attendees. Many companies recruit at these events.
Contribute to open-source projects. Find cloud-related open-source projects on GitHub and contribute. This builds credibility, expands your network, and gives you real-world collaboration experience.

Tailor Your Resume and Application: Stand Out in a Crowded Field

Without experience, your resume needs to highlight projects, certifications, and skills in a way that proves you can do the job.

Application Strategy

Apply strategically. Don't spam applications. Target companies and roles where your skills align. Research the company's tech stack and tailor your application accordingly. Include a cover letter where you talk about projects you've built and how they align with the job description.
Follow up. If you don't hear back after a week, send a polite follow-up email. Many applications get lost in the shuffle, and a follow-up shows persistence. And getting a firm rejection isn't any worse than getting no response at all.

Alternative Paths: Internships, Bootcamps, and Adjacent Roles

If the direct path isn't working, consider alternative routes into cloud engineering.

Entry Points to Cloud Engineering

Internships and apprenticeships. Some companies offer internships or apprenticeship programs for career changers. These provide hands-on experience and often lead to full-time roles.
Cloud bootcamps. Programs like Cloud Resume Challenge or paid bootcamps (e.g., A Cloud Guru, Linux Academy, or university-affiliated programs) offer structured learning and job placement support.
Adjacent roles. Start in a related role—help desk, systems administrator, or junior developer—and transition into cloud engineering. Many cloud engineers started in IT support or sysadmin roles. For more on how cloud engineers differ from sysadmins, see what does a cloud engineer do.
Freelance or contract work. Platforms like Upwork or Toptal sometimes have cloud-related gigs. Even small projects build experience and references.
Joining the military. Not a joke. The military can be a short-term path to real hand-on experience, and they'll pay you, house you, and give you a job. Many cloud engineers started in IT support or sysadmin roles with the armed forces. Not a great option if you aren't a citizen.

Set Realistic Expectations: Timelines and Challenges

Getting your first cloud engineering job without experience takes time. Most candidates need months of focused effort to become job-ready. For more details on timelines, check out how long does it take to become a cloud engineer.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Rejection fatigue. You'll get rejected a lot, and ghosted even more. When you do get a job, you'll probably get a handful of rejections from prior applications even months into it. Don't take it personally.
Imposter syndrome. Everyone feels underqualified at first. Focus on what you know, not what you don't. Confidence comes with practice. But you also have to be honest. Think about your weak areas and shore them up outside of work. Any practice you do early in your career will pay dividends for decades.
Skill gaps. You won't know everything, and that's fine. Be honest about gaps, and after the interview, try to find time to work on them. Hiring managers value curiosity and adaptability.
Competitive market. Cloud engineering is popular, and competition is fierce. Differentiate yourself with unique projects, strong communication, and persistence.

The Bottom Line: Proof Beats Pedigree

You don't need a CS degree or years of experience to become a cloud engineer. You need proof you can do the work. Build projects, earn certifications, and don't stop working and marketing yourself until the job is done.