Switching from digital marketing to DevOps can be a great idea, but whether it's a good idea for you depends on a few personal and professional factors. Let's break it down:
✅ Why It Can Be a Good Idea
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High Demand & Salary
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DevOps engineers are in high demand across industries.
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Salaries are generally strong, with room for growth as you gain experience.
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Transferable Skills
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From digital marketing, you may already have:
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Experience with analytics and data-driven decisions
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Project management skills
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Basic scripting or automation (e.g., working with Google Tag Manager or APIs)
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Problem Solving & Automation
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If you enjoy efficiency, automation, and systems thinking, DevOps can be very satisfying.
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Clear Learning Path
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There’s a structured path to learning DevOps skills (Linux, scripting, CI/CD, cloud platforms, containers, etc.)
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Remote-Friendly Career
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Like digital marketing, DevOps work can often be done remotely.
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⚠️ Challenges to Consider
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Steep Learning Curve
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DevOps involves a lot of tech: Linux, networking, cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), CI/CD tools, monitoring systems, scripting (Python/Bash), etc.
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Hands-On Practice Required
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You’ll need to invest time building real-world projects or doing labs (e.g., on AWS or through platforms like Linux Academy, Udemy, or Coursera).
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Cultural Shift
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Going from a creative, customer-focused field to a backend engineering role can be a big shift in mindset and daily work.
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🚀 How to Test the Waters Before Committing
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Take an Intro to DevOps Course (YouTube, Udemy, or Coursera)
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Try Hands-On Projects like:
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Setting up a web server on Linux
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Writing a simple deployment pipeline using GitHub Actions
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Running a Docker container
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Join Communities (Reddit, Discord, DevOps Slack groups)
🧠 Final Thought
If you’re curious, like solving technical problems, and enjoy learning new tools, DevOps can be an excellent move. If you’re unsure, try a hybrid path first—maybe aim for roles like technical project manager, cloud support, or DevOps associate, where your marketing and soft skills give you an edge as you build your tech chops.