What are the most effective Cloud Computing interview preparation strategies?

Indeed basics are everything when you are going for an interview. In cloud computing you don’t need to learn tools, but get clarity and facts cleared on the basics of cloud computing. In general terms you need to have an understanding of distributed systems which involves storage, networking , virtualization. Every interviewer will be judging person on what they have done in their career on any of these concepts, so it’s very important to have strong fundamentals understanding on these concepts.

Lets always start with basics : Know what is Cloud Computing from cost perspective, managing resources (VM, Storage, DB). Good understanding on IaaS, PaaS and SaaS Know what are the key services every Cloud customer uses example if its AWS , you have to know, EC2, S3, VPC, RDS, IAM, ETC Hands on Experience: Get your hands dirty even if you know the concept very well. hands on experience helps you to better answer the questions Automation: Its good to know atleast some of the automation skills , you could be writing simple bash or python script or even use tools like terraform Certifications: Its always good to be certified before taking the interviews the path helps you to brush up all the basic services and prepares you well

The basics form the foundation to any field. For my case, I started with AWS Restart which enabled me to have a high-level understanding of the most common AWS services and resources. The course also equipped me with the basics of Linux, Networking, Security, Scripting and Python programming. I believe anyone preparing for an interview should have a basic understanding of these concepts as they might feature among the interview questions.

If you are preparing for a cloud computing interview, strat reviewing the basics and research the specific cloud platform or service that the employer uses or offers. Practice solving common cloud computing problems or scenarios, such as designing, deploying, managing, securing, or optimizing cloud solutions. Prepare some examples of your own cloud computing projects or experiences that demonstrate your abilities and achievements. Highlight the challenges you faced, the solutions you implemented, and the results you achieved. Also be ready to answer behavioral questions and use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and provide specific details and evidence.

Networking with other cloud professionals is a great way to learn about the latest trends and technologies, and to get your foot in the door with potential employers. You can network online, at conferences, or through industry organizations.

True, Having a deep understanding of one platform is much better than having piecemeal understanding of multiple platforms. Good news though, since most of these platforms have near similar services and resources with different names ofcourse, the knowledge gained in one can be extrapolated to the rest with some tweaking.

Always keep yourself updated with the new features launched on the CSP, it helps you to come with new architectural ideas and maybe helps in doing things in a faster way.

Cloud computing evolves rapidly. Stay updated with the latest trends, services, and best practices by following industry blogs, attending webinars/events, and participating in forums.

While preparing for an interview, relevancy of the platform is important due to 1. The skill set required by the job might demand a focus on a specific cloud provider and tools 2. The features provided by the cloud provider might be exclusive to the provider which might come in handy for a company. That being said, it's also important to demonstrate adaptability to the new platforms as that can demonstrate the ability to learn.

Document whatever you’re doing keeping compliance in mind, it will help you a lot to learn from your mistakes and grow. Trying to do as much POCs you can do, helps in clearing concepts.

1. Gain practical experience by working on cloud platforms. Create projects, deploy applications, and manage resources to develop a hands-on understanding of cloud services. 2. Consider earning relevant cloud certifications. Certifications from AWS (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect), Microsoft (e.g., Azure Administrator), and Google Cloud (e.g., Associate Cloud Engineer) can boost your credibility.

Demonstrating your projects and portfolio can show your expertise and fit for the role. However, relevancy is the key word here as it's important that the projects showcased or discussed resonate with the interviewer and the requirements of the job. One should also be prepared to deep-dive into it especially on what tools were used, what were the challenges faced and how they were tackled and what are the pros and cons of the system.

With modern AI tools, engineers shouldn't be afraid to get their hands dirty and write a little code!! Get Codewhisperer/AmazonQ set up in your IDE, or launch your preferred AI assistant. Im coding far faster than ever, and its not something I spent much time on prior to last year. No more excuses. Time to make it happen!

True ! Coding and scripting skills are essential for any cloud engineer. They enable quick adjustments, execution of specific lines of code, and a deeper understanding of resource interactions, aiding in conflict resolution. These skills serve as invaluable tools in a cloud engineer's toolkit, enhancing efficiency and problem-solving capabilities.

Develop scripting skills in languages like Python, and understand automation tools like Terraform/Ansible or AWS CloudFormation for infrastructure as code (IaC).

Coding and scripting skills forms the basis of cloud computing. With the recent advancement in AI technologies, the entry barrier to learn coding has significantly reduced. In my opinion the best way to learn it is by doing small projects. These projects can be as small as deploying a hello world server on cloud using automation or as complicated as deploying a e-commerce web service.

Absolutely, addressing behavioral and situational questions during interviews is crucial, especially when assessing soft skills related to cloud computing experiences. Therefore, when answering such questions, consider applying the STAR method as detailed below: S for situation , e.g. in my previous cloud role at company XYZ I...... T for task e.g. the task assigned to our team entailed.... A for Action, e.g. to meet the client's needs I proposed we implement Amazon S3 for cost effective storage... R for Result e.g. as a result of implementing Amazon S3 for storage, we ,managed to achieve a 40% reduction in storage cost and improved data retrieval speeds by 60%...

1. Be prepared for behavioral questions, as well as scenario-based questions that assess your ability to apply your knowledge to real-world situations. 2. Conduct mock interviews to simulate the actual interview experience. This helps improve your communication skills and boosts confidence.

Interviews represent a two way portal to the company you're talking to. They 1) are a way for the company to determine if your skill sets meet the necessities of the role they are hiring for, and 2) are an opportunity for you to ask the company questions that are important to you. Oftentimes I find that people I talk to are singularly focused on getting the job no matter what - failing to ask the questions in an interview about things that are important to them. The company is hiring for this role and doesn't really know who you are. They are looking to take your skillset and experience and match it to the specific requirements they have. Make sure you are doing the same thing to the company! How many of your requirements do they meet?

Yes, it's equally important to ask questions that help you evaluate whether the company provides the ideal environment you can be productive in. This is an opportunity not only to show interest in the company by asking relevant questions but you may also impress your interviewer by showing how well you prepared for the interview.