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Are certifications like AWS or Azure worth it for developers?

Team FAQ: this question comes up often, so we've answered it below. Add your own experience, or a different view, in the comments.

Cloud and vendor certifications are everywhere. Do they actually help you get hired?

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devlk Team·

They can help, but they don't replace experience.

When certifications help:

  • Cloud, DevOps and data roles, where employers want proof you know a platform.
  • Service and consulting companies, which sometimes need certified staff for partner programmes and client requirements.
  • Career changers, where a certification shows structured learning in a new area.
  • Getting past keyword filters for roles that list them.

When they matter less:

  • For general software engineering roles, interviews test what you can build and explain, not certificates.
  • A certification without hands-on experience is easy to spot in technical interviews.

How to get the most value:

  1. Choose one that matches the jobs you're targeting.
  2. Build a real project while studying: deploy something on that cloud, with infrastructure as code if possible.
  3. Put the project on your CV next to the certification. The combination is much stronger than either alone.

Check whether your employer pays for exams. Many companies have learning budgets, and it's a good thing to ask about when negotiating an offer.

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