Follow these 5 SIMPLE Steps to Land a Cloud Job in 2026!

Summary

The speaker argues that cloud careers will remain viable in 2026 despite layoffs and AI-related changes. Cloud infrastructure continues to underpin AI, and companies still need people to build, deploy, and maintain it. The advantage, she says, will go to candidates who combine cloud skills with the ability to use AI tools to learn and work more productively.

Five Steps to Pursue a Cloud Job

1. Master cloud and IT fundamentals

   • Choose a learning route that fits your goals:
     • Certifications: They can provide structure and help you get interviews, but the speaker says certifications alone carry limited weight without practical experience.
     • Hands-on learning: Build projects directly, using AI tools to help you learn and develop a portfolio.
     • Boot camps or degrees: The speaker generally advises trying lower-cost or free resources first, since some programs are expensive and may not guarantee a job.
   • Suggested resources include AWS Skill Builder, Udemy, and free tutorials.
   • Set aside roughly two to three months to understand concepts such as compute, storage, networking, and security.
   • Use AI assistants to create notes and summaries, and to quiz you on key concepts.

2. Gain hands-on experience

   • Start with a simple project, such as hosting a website on Amazon S3.
   • Progress to projects that connect three or more cloud services, such as a three-tier web application.
   • Aim for three to four well-documented projects that demonstrate a variety of services and use cases. Prioritize quality over quantity.
   • The speaker recommends spending about one to two months building portfolio projects.

3. Experiment with AI

   • Treat AI as a tool to explore and use, rather than a subject that must be mastered before getting started.
   • Try AI tools and agents to discover what they can do, including for creative tasks and workflow automation.
   • Develop the habit of using AI to improve productivity alongside your cloud knowledge.

4. Prepare for interviews

   • Practice before an interview is scheduled. Cloud interviews may include behavioral questions, technical discussions, and presentations.
   • For behavioral interviews:
     • Use the STAR format: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
     • Prepare at least five to eight examples from past work or other relevant experience.
   • For technical interviews:
     • Practice explaining your projects aloud.
     • Review common questions, including those shared on Glassdoor.
   • For presentations:
     • Practice designing architectural diagrams and clearly explaining your reasoning and proposed solution.

5. Network and build your professional brand

   • The speaker says networking can help candidates stand out beyond the large pool of people applying through job postings.
   • Participate in the cloud community by:
     • Commenting on LinkedIn posts by cloud engineers and architects.
     • Sharing projects and lessons as you learn.
     • Joining cloud communities on Slack or Discord.
     • Attending local meetups and conferences.
   • Networking may take consistent effort, but the speaker gives an example of a student who found a cloud engineering role through connections made at local AWS meetups.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Speaker: Lucy, the video’s presenter. She refers to her experience as a former AWS solutions architect and to one of her students’ job-search experience.
• Organizations, services, and platforms mentioned: AWS/Amazon, AWS Skill Builder, Udemy, Zero to Cloud, Freepik, Google, OpenAI, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Slack, and Discord.