I Took the Cloud Resume Challenge and Got Hired by AWS: Here’s What You Should Know

A journey through real-world cloud skills that starts with your resume

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Three years ago, I joined AWS, but before I landed my dream job, I took on the Cloud Resume Challenge, and let me tell you — it made all the difference. Now, fast forward to today, I’m celebrating three years inside AWS.

My friends, coworkers, and mentees are always asking me how to land a role at AWS. My answer? I recommend the Cloud Resume Challenge to everyone looking to break into the cloud industry.

Honestly, one of the hardest parts is making the transition from being a developer to focusing on cloud roles. It can feel like a big leap, but this challenge bridges that gap perfectly.

Whether you’re just starting out or wanting to stand out in a sea of resumes, the Cloud Resume Challenge can be your secret weapon.

Trust me, it worked for me, and I’ve seen it work for so many others. So, let’s dive into why it’s worth it!

What is the Cloud Resume Challenge?

The Cloud Resume Challenge is a popular, hands-on project created by Forrest Brazeal, a cloud architect and advocate, to help aspiring cloud professionals gain real-world experience with cloud technologies. This challenge isn’t just another technical exercise — it’s designed to push you to combine your technical skills in a way that mirrors the actual responsibilities of a cloud engineer.

So, what’s the challenge all about? It starts off very easy. At first, you’re asked to do simple tasks like creating a static website (think of your online resume) and uploading it to AWS S3 for storage, then hosting it through CloudFront, AWS’s Content Delivery Network (CDN). Pretty simple, right?

But here’s the catch — once you get comfortable, things start to heat up. Suddenly, you’re asked to step outside your developer comfort zone and take on cloud tasks that are usually reserved for more infrastructure-focused roles. For example, you’ll need to purchase a custom domain and set it up, configure your CloudFront distribution to be secure and scalable, and even manage DNS settings through Route 53.

As you move forward, the challenge demands more cloud expertise. You’ll be working with AWS Lambda for serverless functions, securing your site with HTTPS, integrating a database (like DynamoDB), and writing automation scripts to deploy your resume using Infrastructure as Code (IaC). This part can feel overwhelming if you’re used to just writing code, but that’s the point. It’s designed to push you into real-world cloud operations, so you learn to handle things that aren’t just “developer stuff.”

My Journey: From Developer to Cloud Focus

Like so many others, my journey started in university, where I learned how to code — and not much else. I’d heard that things like servers existed, but that was the extent of it. Operating them? Maintaining them? Making them more resilient? That was all a mystery to me. The same went for networking. Sure, I knew what subnets were and that public and private IPs existed, but the deeper knowledge just wasn’t there.

This lack of understanding became painfully clear in my early career. Every day at work, I’d hear terms like VPC, subnets, domains, and other infrastructure lingo being thrown around. And honestly, I was terrified whenever I had to deal with anything even remotely related to those. I was a developer who wrote code — when it came to infrastructure, I felt way out of my depth.

Now, coming from a developer background, I wasn’t too intimidated by automation — writing scripts and automating workflows was part of the job. But let me tell you, there’s a world of difference when you’re asked to automate things that are already in production. There’s no room for error when real users and businesses rely on that infrastructure being rock-solid. That pressure? It’s a whole different story.

That’s exactly why the Cloud Resume Challenge is such a game-changer. While the challenge can be completed using serverless technologies, it still introduces important networking concepts along the way. If you really want to excel in cloud development, it’s crucial to understand key areas like DNS, serverless architectures, APIs, databases, and, of course, all the networking aspects that tie everything together.

Even though you don’t have to go too deep into networking to finish the challenge, knowing how these cloud services interact through VPCs, routing, and subnets will give you a huge advantage. The more you understand about networking, the easier it is to grasp how cloud infrastructure works as a whole. And mastering this will not only help you complete the Cloud Resume Challenge but also set you apart in your cloud career.

And we can’t forget about security — especially because at AWS, security is always the #1 priority. As you work through the challenge, you’ll encounter security requirements like setting up HTTPS, managing IAM roles, and ensuring that your CloudFront distribution is secure. It’s not just about getting things to work; it’s about doing it securely. Learning how to secure cloud environments is key to being successful in any cloud role. So, while the Cloud Resume Challenge might start off easy, it will push you to learn about security best practices.

By the end, not only will you have built something tangible, but you’ll also have gained hands-on experience in networking, security, and automation — skills that are critical to succeeding in the cloud.

Tips for Completing the Cloud Resume Challenge and Preparing for AWS Interviews

If you’re ready to tackle the Cloud Resume Challenge, here are some key tips for completing it successfully and preparing yourself for AWS (or any cloud-related) interviews:

1. Don’t Skip the Fundamentals: Make sure you understand the basics of networking and security. Having a solid grasp of these will make the entire process smoother, especially when setting up CloudFront distributions, DNS, and securing your infrastructure.
2. Leverage AWS Documentation: AWS has fantastic documentation, and you’ll need it! Don’t hesitate to dive deep into it, especially when working with Lambda, APIs, or configuring your IAM roles.
3. Document Everything: One of the most overlooked parts of this challenge is the documentation. Properly documenting your project is crucial — not only for your own understanding but also for interviews. Employers, especially at AWS, want to see that you can clearly explain your work. Good documentation shows that you truly understand what you’ve built and why.
4. Hands-On Experience Matters: During interviews, it’s obvious when someone has only heard about cloud concepts versus actually working with them. The Cloud Resume Challenge gives you real-world experience, so make sure you understand each component inside and out. When you’re asked about VPCs, IAM, or serverless functions in an interview, you’ll be able to speak from experience, not theory.
5. Automate Early: If you’re coming from a developer background, you might already be comfortable with automation. Use tools like CloudFormation or Terraform early on to set up your infrastructure. Automating deployments will not only save time but also give you confidence in handling production environments.
6. Focus on Security: Always think about security. Whether it’s setting up HTTPS for your resume or managing your IAM roles, make sure your cloud infrastructure follows AWS’s security best practices. At AWS, security is the #1 priority, so mastering this will make you stand out.
7. Be Persistent: The challenge is meant to push you. Don’t get discouraged if you hit roadblocks — embrace them as learning opportunities. The skills you develop here are exactly what employers, including AWS, are looking for.

It’s not just about learning concepts — it’s about applying them

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. I hope you found some value in this guide. As always, I am open to feedback and suggestions for future topics. :)