Main image of article How to Become a Microsoft Azure Developer

Anyone working in cloud is familiar with the big platforms: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Azure is a big part of Microsoft’s push into the cloud, and has consistently built out its storage and compute features over the past several years, allowing it to serve more specialized use-cases to more businesses. If you’re interested in working in business cloud, you might be wondering how to become a Microsoft Azure developer.

What does a Microsoft Azure developer do?

In simplest terms, Microsoft Azure developers use the platform to build and maintain cloud-based apps and services. On a day-to-day basis, they might carry out a number of tasks:

  • Building cloud applications
  • Testing and iterating on existing applications
  • Monitoring the Azure deployment
  • Optimizing internal cloud workflows and app performance
  • Compliance and cybersecurity

Outside of a familiarity with the Azure platform, Azure developers must also master a selection of core cloud concepts such as containers and virtualization, SQL, JavaScript, and much more. As they gain experience, Azure developers also need to rely on “soft skills” such as empathy and communication in order to effectively communicate with team members and other stakeholders on a variety of issues.

Why should you become a Microsoft Azure developer?

Although AWS still controls a sizable portion of the cloud market, Microsoft Azure has made significant gains in the past few years. Many organizations are “Microsoft shops,” with a software stack dominated by Microsoft’s products, including Azure; if you want to work for one of those organizations, you’ll either need to master Azure or learn it relatively quickly.

Over the past while, a substantial number of companies have also opted for a mix of cloud services from different vendors. Knowledge of Azure can help you find your bearings in a fragmented environment that relies on a handful of cloud providers for different teams and functions.

What skills do Microsoft Azure developers need to learn?

The short answer is: a lot. Just like rival platforms such as AWS and Google Cloud, Azure has rapidly expanded its offerings over the past several years. If you’re just starting out, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the options—but never fear, Microsoft offers a number of learning paths in the intricacies of Azure as part of its own branded training, including:

You can also supplement your learning with key training modules:

As you scan the list of learning options, one thing should jump out at you immediately: Microsoft is betting very heavily on artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning. Microsoft has made a massive investment in OpenAI, which is generating increasingly sophisticated generative A.I. models, and is very intent on weaving A.I. into much of Azure. If some of Microsoft’s planned innovations bear fruit, such as a tool that will translate natural language into code, it could greatly expand the pool of people capable of productively using Azure. For tech pros, staying aware of Azure’s A.I. features is absolutely key to long-term career longevity.

If you want to learn via a source other than Microsoft, there are lots of learning options available online; check out Coursera’s breakdown of options, for example.

Do I need to earn certifications to become a Microsoft Azure developer?

Although many companies will list certifications as a “requirement” in job postings, the rising demand for cloud specialists means that many recruiters and hiring managers are willing to overlook a lack of certifications if a candidate has sufficient skills and experience.

Nonetheless, some candidates may want to earn Azure certifications to prove they have what it takes for the job. To that end, Microsoft offers numerous Azure certifications, including:

That’s quite a list. If you’re planning on specializing in a particular aspect of Azure, your certification route is a bit more straightforward—for example, if you’re a cybersecurity specialist, you’ll want to consider the Azure Security Engineer Associate, Security Operations Analyst Associate, Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals, and Cybersecurity Architect Expert certificates.

At the very least, earning an associate-level certification in Azure administration or data fundamentals can assure a recruiter or hiring manager that you have what it takes to succeed in any Azure-related role. While you don’t need certifications to land a job, they do help you stand out in a crowded field of applicants, especially as more tech pros aspire to join the burgeoning cloud industry.

How do I interview for a Microsoft Azure developer job?

Every company has different needs when it comes to Azure, and they’ll ask different questions as a result. For example, they might ask you about your experience with hybrid cloud deployments, especially if part of their infrastructure is still on-premises and in mid-migration.

You may also field some standard-issue questions about your Azure background and experience, including your work with staging and production environments, instance types, and IaaS. That could flow into a series of technical questions about various Azure features; if you need a solid rundown of what you might be asked, you can consult sites such as Leetcode, or question-specific breakdowns on sites such as Edureka.

How much do Microsoft Azure jobs pay?

According to the most recent Dice Tech Salary Report, the average salary for a cloud architect/engineer stands at $145,416, up 3.4 percent year-over-year. While that salary can fluctuate greatly with an employee’s skills and experience, that should give you a good idea of what a cloud expert—including one who specializes in Azure—can potentially earn.