Youâve learned Docker. Youâve spun up Kubernetes clusters in your homelab. Youâve automated deployments with Terraform and feel ready for your first DevOps role.
Then you apply to 50 jobs and hear nothing.
Hereâs the uncomfortable truth: the DevOps job market is simultaneously desperate for talent and ruthlessly selective. Over 5,400 DevOps positions are listed on Indeed alone right now. Salaries range from $118,000 to $174,000 for mid-level roles, with senior positions in major cities reaching $270,000. The demand is real.
So why arenât you getting callbacks?
Because most applicants make the same mistakes. They list tools instead of impact. They apply to senior roles without the right experience. They write resumes that get filtered out before a human ever sees them.
This guide breaks down exactly what DevOps hiring managers look for, the mistakes that disqualify candidates, and how to position yourselfâeven without years of experience.
What DevOps Hiring Actually Looks Like
Letâs kill a myth first: âDevOpsâ isnât entry-level. Itâs a discipline that bridges development and operations, requiring knowledge of both sides. The âjunior DevOpsâ role exists, but itâs rare, and competition for those positions is fierce.
(If youâre completely new to IT, you might want to start with our entry-level IT jobs guide first. DevOps is a specialization, not a starting point.)
Most DevOps engineers come from one of two paths:
Path 1: Operations background. Youâve worked as a sysadmin, systems engineer, or infrastructure specialist. You understand networking, server management, and production environments. Now youâre adding automation, CI/CD, and cloud skills.
Path 2: Development background. Youâve worked as a software developer and understand code, version control, and deployment pipelines. Now youâre expanding into infrastructure, containerization, and operational concerns.
If you donât have experience in either area, youâre not disqualifiedâbut youâll need to demonstrate equivalent knowledge through projects, certifications, or adjacent roles.
According to Courseraâs DevOps career guide, 75% of DevOps engineers hold a bachelorâs degree, while 20% hold a masterâs. But the degree matters less than what you can actually do. The path from zero to hired typically takes 6-24 months of focused learningânot years.
The Skills That Actually Matter
Job postings list dozens of tools. Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Ansible, Jenkins, AWS, Azure, GCP, Python, Bash, Prometheus, Grafanaâthe list goes on. Trying to learn everything is a recipe for superficial knowledge that impresses nobody.
Hereâs what to prioritize instead.
Tier 1: Non-Negotiable Skills
These are the fundamentals. Without them, you wonât pass technical screens.
Linux administration. Most production environments run on Linux. You need to be comfortable navigating the filesystem, managing processes, troubleshooting services, and understanding permissions. If youâre still building this foundation, tools like Shell Samurai provide hands-on terminal practice that builds real muscle memory.
Version control with Git. Every DevOps workflow centers on codeâinfrastructure as code, application code, configuration code. You need to understand branching strategies, pull requests, merge conflicts, and how teams collaborate through Git.
Scripting (Python or Bash). Automation is the core of DevOps. You donât need to be a software engineer, but you must be able to write scripts that automate repetitive tasks, parse logs, or interact with APIs. Our Bash scripting tutorial and Python for sysadmins guide cover the fundamentals.
One cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP). Pick one and learn it deeply. AWS has the largest market share, making it the safest default choice. Understand core services: compute (EC2), storage (S3), networking (VPC), identity (IAM), and at least one managed container service (ECS or EKS). Check our cloud computing career path guide for detailed comparisons.
Tier 2: High-Value Skills
These differentiate you from other candidates and unlock more opportunities.
Container orchestration with Kubernetes. Kubernetes is the industry standard for running containers at scale. Understanding pods, deployments, services, and basic cluster architecture puts you ahead of most applicants. Docker is the prerequisite hereâlearn containers before orchestration.
Infrastructure as Code (Terraform). Being able to define, provision, and manage infrastructure through code is a core DevOps competency. Terraform is the most widely used tool for this purpose.
CI/CD pipelines. Understanding how code moves from development to productionâand being able to build and maintain those pipelinesâis essential. Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Azure DevOps are all valid choices.
Tier 3: Nice-to-Have Skills
These wonât get you hired alone, but theyâll strengthen your candidacy.
- Configuration management (Ansible)
- Monitoring and observability (Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog)
- Security fundamentals and secret management
- Networking deep knowledge (TCP/IP, DNS)
Resume Mistakes That Kill Applications
According to Stackifyâs analysis of DevOps resume mistakes, most applications fail before reaching a hiring manager. Hereâs what goes wrong.
Skill Dumping
You list every tool youâve touched. Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Jenkins, CircleCI, Travis CI, GitHub Actions, AWS, Azure, GCP, Python, Go, Bash, PowerShell, Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack, SplunkâŚ
Hiring managers see this and think: âThis person put keywords on a page. They probably donât know any of these deeply.â
The fix: Only list tools where you have hands-on experience. Organize them by proficiency level or context. Better yet, demonstrate them through achievements rather than lists.
No Quantifiable Impact
Bad: âImplemented CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins.â
Better: âReduced deployment time from 4 hours to 20 minutes by implementing automated CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins, enabling daily releases instead of weekly.â
Best: âReduced deployment time by 90% and cut release-related incidents by 60% through automated CI/CD implementation, saving an estimated 40 engineer-hours per month.â
DevOps work in 2026 is about strategic impact, not task completion. Every line on your resume should answer: âSo what? What improved because of this?â
Listing Tools Without Experience
One hiring manager put it bluntly: âEngineers should stop including tools with which they donât have experience. Many times, theyâll include technologies where they have a high-level knowledge, but not tangible experience. This is misleading.â
If you watched a tutorial but never used the tool in production or a serious project, donât list it. Getting caught during an interview destroys your credibility.
The Lone Wolf Problem
For a DevOps position, candidates need to avoid anything suggesting they prefer working alone. DevOps requires team thinking and constant collaboration between development, operations, and security teams.
Mention team contributions. Describe cross-functional collaboration. Reference how you communicated with stakeholders. This matters as much as technical skills.
ATS Failures
Most large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that automatically filter resumes. Common mistakes that get you filtered out:
- Creative section titles instead of âWork Experience,â âEducation,â âSkillsâ
- Important information in headers or footers (ATS often ignores these)
- Using synonyms instead of exact keywords from the job description
- Complex formatting with tables, columns, or images
Keep it simple. Use standard section headers. Match keywords from the job posting. One to two pages maximum.
How to Get Hired Without Years of Experience
âCan I become a DevOps Engineer without experience?â The answer is yes, but it requires strategy.
Build a Portfolio That Demonstrates Skills
Early 2026 trends show entry-level positions favoring portfolios over degrees. Your GitHub profile matters more than your diploma.
What to include:
- 3-5 projects with detailed READMEs explaining what you built, why, and what you learned
- Live deployments whenever possibleâstatic documentation is less impressive than working systems
- Infrastructure as code repos showing Terraform or CloudFormation configurations
- CI/CD pipeline definitions (GitHub Actions workflows, Jenkinsfiles)
- Contributions to open-source projects proving you can work with existing codebases
What not to include:
- Tutorial follow-alongs with no original work
- Private repos with vague descriptions
- Abandoned projects with no documentation
Target the Right Entry Points
âJunior DevOps Engineerâ roles exist but are competitive. Consider these adjacent paths:
Release Manager or Build Engineer: These roles focus on CI/CD pipelines and release processesâcore DevOps activitiesâwithout requiring full-stack infrastructure knowledge.
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) Associate: Some companies have entry-level SRE programs that train engineers in DevOps practices while they work.
Cloud Support Engineer: AWS, Azure, and GCP hire support engineers who learn cloud infrastructure by troubleshooting customer issues. Itâs a legitimate stepping stone.
Junior Systems Administrator: Traditional sysadmin work provides operational experience that transfers directly to DevOps.
Get Relevant Certifications
Certifications wonât get you hired alone, but they validate baseline knowledge and help with ATS filtering. See our IT certifications topic page for guidance on certification strategy.
High-value certifications for DevOps:
| Certification | Focus Area | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified DevOps Engineer | CI/CD, monitoring, automation on AWS | Professional (intermediate) |
| AWS Solutions Architect Associate | Core cloud architecture | Associate (beginner-friendly) |
| CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator) | Kubernetes operations | Intermediate |
| Terraform Associate | Infrastructure as Code | Beginner-friendly |
| Azure DevOps Engineer Expert | Azure CI/CD and automation | Professional |
If youâre starting from scratch, begin with the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification path, then move to Solutions Architect Associate before tackling DevOps-specific certs.
Network Strategically
According to DevOps community insights, contributing to open-source projects or joining DevOps communities can lead to mentorship and job leads that never hit job boards.
Where to engage:
- DevOps-focused Discord servers and Slack communities
- Local meetups (AWS user groups, Kubernetes meetups, DevOpsDays)
- Conference talks and workshops (many are free or low-cost)
- Open-source projects that need contributors
The goal isnât collecting connections. Itâs demonstrating competence and building relationships with people who hire or refer candidates.
(Yes, networking feels awkward. Nobody loves it. But the people who get hired without applying through job boards? They networked. Thereâs no shortcut around this one.)
What Happens in DevOps Interviews
DevOps interviews typically have three components.
Technical Screening
Expect questions about:
- CI/CD concepts: Whatâs the difference between continuous integration and continuous deployment? Describe a pipeline youâve built.
- Infrastructure as Code: Explain how Terraform state works. How do you handle secrets?
- Containerization: Whatâs the difference between Docker images and containers? How does Kubernetes networking work?
- Linux fundamentals: How would you troubleshoot a slow server? What happens when you run a command?
- Scripting: You may be asked to write or explain Bash or Python code
According to LinkedIn Talent Solutions, hiring managers want to see problem-solving ability, not just tool knowledge. Explaining your thought process matters as much as getting the right answer.
System Design
Senior roles include system design questions. You might be asked to:
- Design a deployment pipeline for a microservices application
- Architect a highly available web application on AWS
- Explain how youâd implement monitoring and alerting for a production system
For these questions, clarity of communication matters. Walk through requirements, trade-offs, and decisions. Donât jump straight to solutions.
Check our system design interview guide for deeper preparation.
Behavioral and Cultural Fit
DevOps isnât just technicalâitâs cultural. Expect questions like:
- âTell me about a time you had to collaborate across teams to solve a problem.â
- âDescribe a production incident you handled. What went wrong? What did you learn?â
- âHow do you approach learning new tools or technologies?â
According to FlexJobsâ interview research, even when unsure of the correct answer, showing passion and critical thinking skills matters more than perfect responses. Demonstrate curiosity, collaboration, and a continuous learning mindset.
For more on handling behavioral questions, see our STAR method interview guide.
Salary Expectations and Negotiation
DevOps salaries vary significantly by experience, location, and company type.
| Experience Level | Salary Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level / Junior | $85,000 - $110,000 | Rare roles, often titled differently |
| Mid-level (2-4 years) | $118,000 - $150,000 | Most common hiring level |
| Senior (5+ years) | $150,000 - $200,000 | Specialized skills command premiums |
| Staff/Principal | $200,000 - $270,000+ | Architectural and leadership focus |
Remote positions often pay 5-15% less than on-site equivalents, but cost savings and flexibility often offset this difference. Some companies like Basecamp maintain consistent pay regardless of location; others like Google and Meta adjust salaries based on where you live.
When negotiating, research specific salary ranges on Levels.fyi for tech companies or the Robert Half Salary Guide for broader market data. For negotiation tactics, see our salary negotiation guide.
Where to Find DevOps Jobs
Not all job boards are equal for DevOps roles.
Best Platforms for DevOps Positions
Built In: Tech-focused job board with strong DevOps listings from startups and established companies.
Wellfound (formerly AngelList): Startup-focused platform where DevOps skills are highly valued. Smaller companies often offer more autonomy and broader responsibilities.
LinkedIn: Still the largest professional network. Set up job alerts for âDevOps Engineerâ and related titles.
Company Career Pages: Many DevOps positions get filled before they hit job boards. Target companies youâre interested in and check their careers pages directly.
Job Titles to Search
âDevOps Engineerâ isnât the only title. Also search for:
- Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
- Platform Engineer
- Infrastructure Engineer
- Cloud Engineer
- Release Engineer
- Build Engineer
- Systems Engineer (with DevOps focus)
Many companies have their own naming conventions. A âPlatform Engineerâ at one company might do identical work to a âDevOps Engineerâ at another.
Breaking In: The Realistic Timeline
Hereâs an honest assessment of what it takes to land your first DevOps role from different starting points.
From software development: 3-6 months to build infrastructure and operations knowledge. You already understand code, version control, and deployment basics. Focus on cloud platforms, containerization, and operational concerns.
From systems administration: 3-6 months to add automation, CI/CD, and infrastructure-as-code skills. You already understand production environments. Focus on scripting, cloud-native tools, and development practices.
From scratch (no IT background): 12-24 months realistically. You need to build foundational IT knowledge before specializing in DevOps. Consider starting with help desk or junior sysadmin roles to gain operational experience, then transition to DevOps.
These timelines assume consistent, focused effortânot passive consumption of tutorials.
The Bottom Line
DevOps jobs pay well and offer strong career prospects. Job growth for software developers and related roles is projected at 17% through 2033âmuch faster than average.
But breaking in requires more than collecting certifications and listing tools on a resume. You need demonstrable skills, a portfolio that proves your abilities, and the ability to communicate impact rather than activity.
Stop applying to 50 jobs with the same generic resume. Pick 10 companies you actually want to work for. Research their tech stacks. Tailor your application. Show what youâve built and what you can do.
The DevOps market needs talent. Give them a reason to pick you.
For related career paths, explore our guides on becoming a cloud engineer and the sysadmin to DevOps transition.
FAQ
Can I get a DevOps job without a degree?
Yes. While 75% of DevOps engineers hold bachelorâs degrees, demonstrable skills and experience matter more than credentials. A strong portfolio, relevant certifications, and work experience in related roles (sysadmin, development, cloud support) can substitute for formal education.
Whatâs the fastest path to a DevOps job?
If you already have IT experience, the fastest path is adding automation and cloud skills to existing knowledge. Learn one cloud platform deeply (AWS is safest), get comfortable with infrastructure as code (Terraform), and build CI/CD pipelines for personal projects. This can be done in 3-6 months with focused effort.
Should I apply to âDevOps Engineerâ jobs without DevOps experience?
Be strategic. Junior DevOps roles exist but are rare. Youâll have more success applying to adjacent roles (release engineer, cloud support engineer, junior SRE) that provide DevOps exposure, or targeting companies known for training new hires. Always tailor your resume to show relevant transferable skills.
Which DevOps certification should I get first?
Start with the AWS Solutions Architect Associate. It provides foundational cloud knowledge that applies to most DevOps work. After that, consider the Terraform Associate for infrastructure-as-code skills, or the AWS DevOps Engineer Professional if you want to demonstrate specialized expertise.
Are DevOps jobs being automated away?
No. AI and automation tools are augmenting DevOps work, not replacing it. Engineers still need to design systems, make architectural decisions, troubleshoot complex issues, and implement new tools. The role is evolving, but demand remains strong.