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🚀 Get Hired

Your complete guide to landing your dream platform engineering role. From crafting the perfect resume to negotiating your offer, we've got you covered.

What's Inside

💼 Job Search Strategy

Strategic approach to finding opportunities:

  • Writing a standout platform engineering resume
  • Building an impressive portfolio
  • Networking effectively in the tech community
  • Finding hidden job opportunities

🏢 Company Research

Know before you apply:

  • FAANG interview processes decoded
  • Startup vs enterprise culture comparison
  • Remote-first company insights
  • Compensation research and benchmarks

💰 Offer & Negotiation

Maximize your outcome:

  • Understanding total compensation packages
  • Negotiation tactics that work
  • Comparing multiple offers
  • Making the final decision

Your Job Search Timeline

Week 1-2: Preparation

  • Update resume with platform engineering keywords
  • Create/update GitHub portfolio
  • Update LinkedIn profile
  • List target companies

Week 3-4: Application

  • Apply to 3-5 positions daily
  • Customize cover letters
  • Track applications
  • Follow up appropriately

Week 5-8: Interview Process

  • Phone screens
  • Technical interviews
  • On-site/virtual loops
  • Thank you notes

Week 9-12: Decision Time

  • Evaluate offers
  • Negotiate compensation
  • Check references
  • Make your choice

Platform Engineering Job Market

  • High Demand: 87% of companies investing in platform teams
  • Remote Opportunities: 65% offer remote/hybrid
  • Competitive Salaries: 25% above traditional ops
  • Growth Potential: Clear path to staff/principal

🔥 Hot Skills

  1. Kubernetes (mentioned in 76% of jobs)
  2. Terraform/IaC (72%)
  3. Cloud Platforms (68%)
  4. Python/Go (65%)
  5. CI/CD (61%)

💼 Role Variations

  • Platform Engineer
  • Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
  • DevOps Engineer
  • Infrastructure Engineer
  • Cloud Engineer
  • Production Engineer

Success Stories

From Sysadmin to Platform Engineer

"Used this guide to transition from traditional sysadmin to platform engineering at a unicorn startup. 70% salary increase!" - Sarah K.

New Grad Success

"Landed a platform role at FAANG straight from college by focusing on the projects suggested here." - Alex T.

Career Switcher

"Moved from backend dev to platform engineering. The interview prep was spot on!" - Michael R.

Quick Wins

Resume Power Words

  • Automated
  • Scaled
  • Architected
  • Optimized
  • Implemented
  • Migrated

Portfolio Projects That Impress

  1. Kubernetes Operator: Shows deep k8s knowledge
  2. CI/CD Pipeline: Demonstrates automation skills
  3. Monitoring Stack: Proves observability understanding
  4. IaC Modules: Highlights reusability thinking

Interview One-Liners

  • "I reduced deployment time by 80% through automation"
  • "I implemented SLOs that improved reliability to 99.9%"
  • "I built a platform that enabled 50+ developers"
  • "I saved $100k/year through cost optimization"

Common Questions

Q: Do I need cloud certifications?

A: Helpful but not required. Experience trumps certs.

Q: Which companies pay the most?

A: FAANG, unicorns, and fintech typically lead.

Q: How long is the interview process?

A: 2-6 weeks typically, longer for senior roles.

Q: Should I learn multiple clouds?

A: Master one deeply, know others conceptually.

Your Action Plan

Today

  • Update your resume
  • Clean up your GitHub
  • Set up job alerts

This Week

  • Complete one portfolio project
  • Practice elevator pitch
  • Connect with 5 people on LinkedIn

This Month

  • Apply to 50+ positions
  • Complete mock interviews
  • Attend virtual meetups
  • Get resume reviewed

Ready to start your job search? Begin with Job Search Strategy →