I usually tell career pivoters to avoid coding. But if you want to work in DevOps, I'm making an exception. Here's why.
Most of my content focuses on tech roles that don't require coding: Product Management, Technical Writing, or Solutions Architecture. That's my lane because I've seen too many career pivoters burn out trying to become software developers when they didn't need to.
But this? The Cloud Resume Challenge? If you're targeting DevOps, Cloud Engineering, or Site Reliability roles, this is the project that proves you belong.
I completed the Cloud Resume Challenge myself back in 2020. The tools have updated since then, but the core architectural principles remain the industry standard. Six years later, it's still the definitive test of knowledge for anyone serious about the cloud. It requires coding, real infrastructure work, and grit. That's exactly why hiring managers pay attention to it.
What Is the Cloud Resume Challenge?
Created by Forrest Brazeal, the challenge is a 16-step project where you build and deploy your resume as a live website using real cloud services.
This isn't a "copy-paste" tutorial. It's an actual project where you figure things out, break things, and learn by doing. You end up with something tangible: a live website, working code, and proof you can do the job.
The challenge is available for AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. Pick whichever platform aligns with where you want to work.
The Tech Stack You'll Master
| Phase | Key Tech | The Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend | HTML, CSS, JavaScript | Get your resume online as a real website. |
| Backend | Python, Lambda, DynamoDB | Create a functional visitor counter with an API. |
| Infrastructure | S3, CloudFront, Route 53 | Host and serve your site securely with a custom domain. |
| Automation | Terraform, GitHub Actions | Make it so you never have to click a button again. |
The 16 Steps (And Why Each One Matters)
1. The Foundation
Step 1: Get Certified. Start with AWS Cloud Practitioner, AZ-900, or GCP Cloud Digital Leader. You can't build in the cloud if you don't speak the language.
Steps 2-3: HTML/CSS. Write and style your resume. This isn't about becoming a frontend dev; it's about understanding how web content works.
2. The Infrastructure
Steps 4-6: Static Hosting & HTTPS. Deploy to cloud storage (S3/Blob) and serve it through a CDN with HTTPS. Point a custom domain to it.
The Struggle: This is where most people get stuck. DNS propagation, SSL certificates, bucket policies, and CloudFront configurations seem simple until they aren't. That struggle is the point.
Pro Tip: Set Billing Alerts. Before you do anything else, set up alarms for $5 and $20. Many beginners have horror stories about accidentally leaving a NAT Gateway running and waking up to a $500 bill. Don't be that person.
3. The Backend "Glue"
Steps 7-9: JavaScript, Database, and API. Build a visitor counter using a database (DynamoDB/CosmosDB) and an API (Lambda/API Gateway). This is real backend work. You're making services communicate.
Step 10: Python. Write your backend logic in Python using boto3, the official AWS SDK for Python.
Why Python? It's the "glue" of the cloud, used for automation, tooling, and data pipelines. Getting comfortable with boto3 now pays dividends later.
4. The "Engineering" Phase
Step 11: Tests. Write unit and integration tests for your Python code. In the real world, testing isn't optional.
Step 12: Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Define your entire backend in code using Terraform. No clicking around the console. This is where junior candidates often fall short; being able to codify infrastructure is a massive green flag for hiring managers.
Steps 13-15: CI/CD. Set up GitHub Actions so that every "push" automatically runs tests and deploys changes. This is DevOps in miniature.
5. The Closing
Step 16: Write About It. Publish a blog post describing what you learned: the struggles, the breakthroughs, and what surprised you. When you interview, you'll reference this to show communication skills and prove you did the work yourself.
Who Should Take This Challenge?
| Target Role | Fit Level | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| DevOps / Cloud Engineering | Essential | This is your daily bread; exact day-one skills. |
| SRE / Platform Engineering | Essential | Core competencies in automation and CI/CD. |
| Solutions Architecture | Strong Fit | Great for technical credibility in hands-on roles. |
| Product / Writing | Overkill | Better to focus on writing or strategy portfolios. |
Recommended Resources (Step-by-Step Help)
The challenge is designed to be a struggle, but you don't have to go in blind. If you need structured learning to clear the hurdles, these are the exact courses I recommend:
- For Step 1 (AWS Certification): Ultimate AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner by Stephane Maarek. The gold standard for passing on your first try.
- For Step 10 (Python & Boto3): Python Programming for AWS with Boto3 by Neal Davis. Bridges the gap between "knowing Python" and "automating AWS."
- For Step 12 (Infrastructure as Code): Learning DevOps with Terraform by Edward Viaene. Terraform is the industry standard for cloud-agnostic IaC.
- For Steps 13-15 (CI/CD): GitHub Actions - The Complete Guide by Academind. Automate your deployments so you never manually upload a file again.
Why Hiring Managers Care
It demonstrates problem-solving. Certifications prove you studied. The Cloud Resume Challenge proves you can figure things out when documentation is confusing and things don't work the first (or fifth) time.
It covers real responsibilities. Networking, serverless compute, databases, APIs, IaC, CI/CD. That's literally the job description.
It gives you interview "ammo." Instead of theoretical answers, you can say: "When I was setting up CloudFront, I ran into an S3 bucket policy issue, and here is how I solved it."
Real Success Stories
- Daniel was an industrial and residential plumber in Atlanta. He completed the challenge in 2020 with zero prior Python experience, documenting his journey in a blog post that went viral on DEV Community.
- Jerry spent 14 years as a respiratory therapist. One month after completing the challenge, he was working at AWS.
- Cha'Diamond Moody transitioned from HR to Software Engineer at Procter & Gamble in less than 4 months.
- Darius went from IT support to Cloud Engineer in about a month.
- Stacy moved from IT Service Desk Manager to Cloud Operations Engineer.
Notice a pattern? These aren't people with CS degrees. They are career pivoters who proved themselves through doing.
Final Thoughts
I built my career pivoting into tech without traditional coding roles, and I still believe that's the right path for most people. See our 4-Phase Career Pivot System for the approach that works for non-coding roles.
But if Cloud and DevOps is your destination, the Cloud Resume Challenge is the most efficient way to prove you're ready. It takes real effort. It requires real coding. And it produces real results. If you're a developer considering an exit from coding, our Software Engineer Exit Strategy covers that path—but for DevOps aspirants, the challenge is the move.
FAQ
The Cloud Resume Challenge is a 16-step project created by Forrest Brazeal where you build and deploy your resume as a live website using real cloud services like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. It covers HTML/CSS, Python, databases, APIs, Infrastructure as Code, and CI/CD.
Most people complete the Cloud Resume Challenge in 20-40 hours spread across a few weeks. If starting with no coding or cloud experience, expect 40-60 hours.
Basic coding is required. You will write HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. Many successful completers had no prior coding experience and learned as they went.
The challenge itself is free. Costs include: AWS Cloud Practitioner exam ($100), cloud services (under $5 if careful), and a domain name ($10-15). Total around $115-120.
Yes. The challenge covers the exact skills used in DevOps roles: cloud infrastructure, serverless, databases, APIs, Infrastructure as Code, and CI/CD. Many career pivoters have landed jobs at AWS, Microsoft, and Fortune 500 companies after completing it.