Over 94% of enterprise organizations in 2023 have embraced cloud adoption - according to Right Scale. As businesses strive to stay ahead in this dynamic environment, understanding and harnessing the power of the Cloud has become a cornerstone of strategic innovation. Hiring a skilled Cloud Engineer not only signifies a commitment to technological advancement but also opens the door to a realm of possibilities for your business. But where would you begin? Let's explore strategies for recruiting cloud engineers, propelling your organization to new heights.

When Should a Company Hire A Cloud Engineer?

Companies should begin considering hiring a Cloud Engineer as soon as they’re ready to move their applications to the Cloud. You might have already started out using AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, but now you’re ready to scale up. Or maybe you’re in contact with a potential customer that needs help migrating their legacy apps to the Cloud. In any case, hiring a Cloud Engineer is one of the most important decisions a company’s IT department can make.

The technology industry is a growing juggernaut. Between META, Google, Amazon, Apple, and countless startups popping up—competition is fierce. Every tech company wants to become the next Tech Titan. Ensuring your company is up-to-date in Cloud-based applications and hiring the best Cloud professionals is paramount. However, the sheer scope of the Cloud industry is vast. How do you navigate these murky waters while ensuring you’re meeting the standards of an ever-shifting industry?

What Industries Hire Cloud Engineers?

Cloud engineers work in a variety of industries. For example, they can be employed by companies such as Google, Amazon, or Microsoft to develop Cloud-based infrastructure and services. They also work for government agencies that provide public Cloud services. In addition to this, Cloud Engineers are employed by private companies that offer their own Cloud-based infrastructure and services.

As stated earlier, competition within the tech industry is fierce. Determining what industries are hiring Cloud Engineers and what they’re looking for could be a significant first step in deciding what kind of Cloud Engineer is right for your company. However, you should remember that technology companies aren’t the only industries seeking Cloud professionals nowadays.

The Cloud is not just for startups anymore. Cloud computing has become so popular that many large companies are using it to power their IT infrastructure. They use the Cloud to provide services such as email, file storage, and other functions that used to be provided by their own data centers. Nowadays, the Finance, Healthcare, and even Manufacturing industries are also making use of Cloud resources.

Roles for Cloud Engineers

The role of a Cloud Engineer is to design and implement the Cloud infrastructure for an organization. They are responsible for ensuring that all applications, data, and systems are running smoothly in the Cloud environment. They also ensure that security measures are implemented correctly. Some responsibilities of a Cloud Engineer might include: designing and implementing Cloud-based solutions, working with other IT professionals, and setting up or changing services within a company.

You should note the term ‘Cloud Engineer’ itself is an umbrella term. The three main areas a Cloud Engineer works in can be broken down further into Cloud Architecture, Cloud Administration, and Cloud Development. In short, Cloud Engineers are the people who build, maintain, and improve the infrastructure that enables Cloud computing.

Good skills to search for when hiring a Cloud Engineer is finding someone who has strong technical knowledge of operating systems (Linux/Windows), network protocols (TCP/IP), storage solutions (NAS), and virtualization platforms (KVM).

Strategies to Hire Cloud Engineers

You’ve now got an overview of Cloud Engineering and what that entails. So, how do you go about hiring a top Cloud Engineer for your company? According to Tina Hawk, SVP of Human Resources at GoodHire, retaining Cloud professionals starts right at the hiring process: “It starts as soon as you identify what aspects of culture are crucial for you and look for the same in your candidates.”

The best strategy to hire and retain Cloud Engineers is to have a clear understanding of the required skills. Essentially, this means you should do your own research first. It’s crucial to know what you need in your next employee, so it’s essential to take some time out and think about this before making any decisions. 

Some good questions to ask a potential hire are:

• What is the most effective way to build a Cloud Architecture?
• How can you optimize your Cloud infrastructure with automation?
• Which are the best tools for DevOps, testing, monitoring, and logging?

Working in the Cloud is a popular role for Information workers. The skills required are not that different from traditional IT jobs, but the pay is better. Therefore you should make sure you put together an attractive payment package. It’s important to understand where your company fits in the overall IT landscape and your own business model for success. If you don’t know what you need or how to get it, then hiring a Cloud engineer may be more of a challenge than it should be.

Or as Scott Spivak, Marketing Director of United Medical Credit, puts it, “As the industry continues to boom and talent supply struggles to keep pace with demand, employers have to get even more creative with compensation packages. In addition to a good pay rate, perks and benefits are deciding factors.”

As stated earlier, offering the opportunity for continuing education is integral to the operations of any prosperous company. It would be a good idea to not only offer career growth but expand the tech exposure of your Cloud Engineers. David Patterson-Cole, CEO & Co-Founder of Moonchaser, says, “many tech talents join companies with the hope of further career growth, clearly, this is a front of mind for young talents.”

Conclusion

To sum everything up, hiring a good Cloud Engineer starts with the potential employer, not the potential employee. You must familiarize yourself with Cloud infrastructure and applications as much as possible. Looking for a unicorn experience and offering great benefits such as stellar pay are great incentives not just to hire but retain Cloud Engineers for your organization. If you’re feeling uncertain or still don’t know where to begin, we here at Yoh are happy to find the recruit that goes above your wildest expectations.

About the Author: Erika Rykun is a content strategist and producer who believes in the power of networking and quality writing. She’s an avid reader, writer, and runner.