Becoming a Systems Engineer

8 March 2021 by Bailey Jones

    Long time no see weary traveller. Where have I been you ask? Living life as a Systems Engineer! On December 1st last year I began my career as a Systems Engineer at an amazing company, OverlayAnalytics. All of my studying has prepared me for this moment in my life and I will only be able to progress and expand my skillset from here. In January of this year I sat, and passed, the AWS SysOps Adminstrator exam and I have to say working hands on in the cloud assisted me tremendously. Afterwards, in February I achieved the Terraform Associate certification. I could not ask for more than I have right now, I love my job and my coworkers are exceptional.

    Now, a message to those who are still looking to start out their career as a Systems Engineer: build a portfolio. Getting certified in the field of your choice is only the first step; you have to prove you can apply textbook knowledge to "real-life" scenarios. After getting my first 3 AWS Certifications, CCP, CSA, and CDA, I took a couple weeks off and built this website. This is my portfolio. If you are interviewing two candidates, and one has a resume, but the other has both a resume and a website showcasing his/her ability the skills learned... which one is going to stand out more? A rather hypothetical question, but still something to ponder upon none the less.

    What's my game plan going forward? I have all 3 AWS Associate certifications, what more could I possibly want? I will say this, the satisfaction that achieving certifications delivers is perpetual. Eventually I would love to have all of AWS' certifcations under my belt, but right now I am focused on my job and what will allow me to progress and lead others. The AWS Security speciality is next on the list, but I will be sure to update my blogs between now and then. As always, thank you for reading and keep building greatness.