Research shows that there are over 11,000 DevOps engineers in the US today—and that number is increasing rapidly. A DevOps engineer is the perfect bridge between operations teams and development.
If you’re in the market to add a new DevOps engineer to your team, here are some helpful tips for hiring the perfect fit.
Know What a DevOps Engineer Is
If you’re not totally clear on what a DevOps engineer does, there’s no shame. Despite the growing need for their expertise, many business owners still don’t quite grasp all DevOps engineers can offer.
Here’s the simple gist.
DevOps engineers will improve new applications and get them on the market faster. They help you create a more efficient infrastructure and find ways to improve your workflow.
Understand Needed Qualifications
When hiring engineers, DevOps recruiters can be an asset. They should have a firm grasp on what qualifications and skills are necessary for the best DevOps for your specific project.
Still, it’s wise to be informed yourself. Some basic tasks your new hires should be capable of include:
- Developing more efficient workflows
- Installing new software and any fixes quickly
- Making sure any essential systems are always available
- Troubleshooting software issues
- Creation of scripts to automate KPI reporting and visualization
Personal Skills
Engineer recruiting also entails looking for some essential traits that are valuable in any employ. Find an engineer who is a great self-starter and will be proactive about finding solutions and troubleshooting independently.
Your DevOps engineer will also need to communicate clearly with various teams. If they can’t explain what they are doing in layman’s terms, it will be tricky for your other team members to adopt new software or fixes.
Adaptability is one of the most valuable traits to look for during DevOps recruiting.
They have to be able to not only adapt to new teams, problems, and innovations, but they must be the ones to implement these vital changes.
If you hire a rigid engineer or an ineffective communicator, you may encounter some serious delays and frustration.
Necessary Technical Skills
Don’t hire a DevOps engineer without these essential technical skills:
- Automation tools such as Ansible, Octopus, Chef, Puppet, etc.
- Language scripting, including Bash, Python, PowerShell, and other common forms
- An understanding of networking concepts
- Knowledge of the SDLC lifecycle
- Knowledge of NoSQL databases
- A solid grasp of software security basics
- Experience working with cloud-based platforms like Google Cloud and AWS
This list could go on, and depending on what your DevOps engineer will be doing for you, it will vary. Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery tools will be yet another important item you want to ensure they have experience with.
Hiring Right
Hiring the right DevOps engineer doesn’t have to be stressful—even if you’re not “techy” at all. Recruiting options exist, and hiring DevOps recruits can save you time and the headache if you feel you need guidance.
For more helpful insights into managing your business and successful recruiting, browse our Business section.
