Ask any Kiwi entrepreneur what to do when it comes to scaling applications, optimizing cloud costs, and smooth deployments, and their first guess would be ‘bring in the Kubernetes experts’. It’s a smart move if you ask us. These technology engineers can manage containers like conductors leading an orchestra. They can transform infrastructure chaos into a well-tuned symphony. All while improving scalability, security, and efficacy.
But hey, finding the right Kubernetes talent isn’t as straightforward as you think. Given there are thousands of vendors claiming to offer ELITE expertise, how can you distinguish cloud-native pros from the rest? We bet you don’t want to make any wrong choice here as it could lead to expensive downtime, security vulnerabilities, and wasted resources.
Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! In this blog, API Connects will share essential strategies that will confidently let you hire Kubernetes experts for your enterprise.
Let’s start!
How to Hire Kubernetes Experts?
We recommend considering these tips and ideas to onboard Kubernetes talent that can optimize, secure, and scale your deployments dexterously:
Define your Kubernetes needs clearly
It is really important to ask yourself before you hire: What is your biggest Kubernetes challenge? Are you working on switching over old applications, expanding your microservices, or controlling a wild cluster? A Kubernetes architect ensures the system is well-built. A DevOps engineer, on the other hand, automates the process of getting software updates on servers.
Security specialist, however, will ensure that everything is safe. If you don’t know what you need, you might end up getting a YAML wizard instead of a cloud-native strategist. Start with a precise job description. For example, whether you need Kubernetes experts for cost optimization, setting up CI/CD pipelines, or handling multi-cloud operations.
If your scope is clear, you will find a professional who addresses your issues, not just a fluent speaking kubectl candidate.
Look for certified Kubernetes specialists
Having a CKA, CKAD, or CKS certification means your expert has indeed triumphed on Kubernetes’ journey! For those who don’t know, CKA certificate holders can easily solve cluster issues while being able to deploy apps rapidly is what CKAD is about. Need security? Hire someone with a CKS cert.
They are authorized to harden security on specific clusters. Does your selected candidate have no certificate? Well, that’s a problem. Remember, Kubernetes is a powerhouse and self-taught heroes sometimes overlook critical best practices. Having certificates separates those who claim, “Oh, I once ran a single Pod,” from genuine cluster administrators.
Assess hands-on experience
You can’t learn Kubernetes by reading about it. You learn it by solving real issues. Don’t hesitate to ask your selected Kubernetes developers questions like:
- Have they seen clusters perform under extreme bursts of traffic?
- Did they move stateful applications without having to take them offline?
See, real-life lasting scars do matter when it comes to hiring the right Kubernetes experts. Check GitHub Helm charts and reports on chaos engineering from the selected organization. A person who’s dealt with kubelet problems or debugged etcd failures is more valuable than ten people who have only used demo applications.
Whenever you can, ask for feedback on how they survived the NodeOOM crisis or how they made decisions around infrastructure resources. If they have worked only with Minikube on a laptop, keep hunting!
Test problem-solving skills
Can you buy a laptop without verifying performance, ensuring compatibility with your needs, and evaluating its price? Of course, not! Similarly, you should test the problem-solving skills of your selected candidates who call themselves Kubernetes experts. Leading developers do more than reading directions. They defeat confusion.
You can offer them a broken cluster and see if it’s easy for them to recognize that there’s a CrashLoopBackOff going on in seconds. Ask how they address poorly set ingress defaults to recover the lost latency. Access platforms like Killer.sh for scenarios that have been used in serious projects.
Pose realistic disasters like:
- How do you sort out a Pod that keeps being pending?
- Why does our system end up killing containers because of OOM?
Pay attention to their responses. Because that’s where you can figure out if they actually are debuggers or only mindlessly repeating what’s written in the documents. The best engineers think like detectives. They can turn red alerts into resolved tickets promptly.
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Check cloud provider expertise
If you think Kubernetes lives in a vacuum, you’re wrong. It works its best within the Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, or GCP ecosystems. Someone who is an expert in EKS but isn’t good at setting up AKS networking policies could derail your stack.
Check if your selected Kubernetes experts have practical experience. For example, you can ask them if they can optimize Google Cloud’s autopilot mode. How can they make it work better? How do they deal with failures in the AWS CNI plugin?
Each cloud whispers its own quirks. If you run your workloads on Azure Arc, get an expert who is conversant in its vocabulary. A real cloud-smart engineer doesn’t merely deploy Kubernetes clusters. They shape cloud tools to Kubernetes’s will, turning vendor-specific hurdles into launchpads.
Prioritize security knowledge
Remember that your Kubernetes tool, if left unguarded, can easily become a honeypot for hackers. Make sure you find experts who treat RBAC as a vault code, network policies as fortress walls around your system, and secrets management as following CIA protocols.
If you hold a blindfold over their face, can they plug CVE-2023-2728? Can they set up PodSecurity admission controls before the regulators demand it? Remember, top Kubernetes pros use Kubescape to audit clusters and often whisper least privilege in their sleep.
Never hire an engineer who says, “Oh, default settings are fine.” Your future self and your CISO will appreciate it. Clusters don’t just need security; they depend on it like oxygen.
Evaluate automation and DevOps skills
One of the biggest tips to consider when hiring the best Kubernetes experts for your business. If manual tasks don’t bother your expert, run. Kubernetes blossoms on Helm charts templating chaos, ArgoCD for updating tons of microservices together, and Terraform for launching lots of clusters the way you’d make cookies.
Ask your selected candidate what would happen if a deployment went wrong and needed to be rolled back. Tell them to show how they use Prometheus alerts for Pods that act like zombies. The finest engineers treat infrastructure as code like software. Idempotent, versioned, and self-healing!
If all the deployments are still made manually, they are not fit for your business needs.
Assess communication and collaboration
It’s dangerous to have someone who sets up Kubernetes from YAML files and talks in YAML jargon. Can they change HPA threshold breaches into terms that CFOs easily understand? Can they manage the gap between developers and operations without divisive incidents? If their READMEs read like IKEA manuals and are full of steps, problems are on the horizon. In simple words, avoid!
The magic actually lies in psychological safety. Your hired Kubernetes experts and your own team should reach out to each other without stress. Make sure to look for people who can teach as well as fix problems. After all, a great cluster won’t matter if an enterprise can’t understand how to use it.
Consider vendor reputation and reviews
A beautifully delivered pitch does not matter if your hired engineers become ghosts once you’re set up with their services. Head to platforms like Trustpilot, Glassdoor, and Clutch.co to find real feedback on your selected candidate’s services (both good and bad) from clients. Ask for case studies and use cases.
Do some LinkedIn digging. It will help you discover their turnover rates. You should also ask for contact with past clients. Demand reference calls. Ask if they would trust and rehire these Kubernetes experts again if a difficult cluster situation arises at 3 am.
Avoid vendors whose case studies look great but have zero named clients. Remember, it is war stories, not cool buzzwords, that show the true worth of the best!
Hire Kubernetes Experts at API Connects
There, we have shared some useful tips for hiring top-tier Kubernetes experts in New Zealand. We understand that the process is daunting. Sifting through different vendors, vetting skills, checking if they are a long-term fit – all these can feel like navigating a jungle without a map. But hey, what if we tell you that heavy lifting is already done?
API Connects has spent 10+ years mastering Kubernetes so that you don’t have to scramble. Our experts architect, secure, and optimize cloud-native infrastructures for enterprises. Turning complexity into competitive lead!
Why gamble with unproven vendors in New Zealand when you can deploy confidence from day one with us? Call us on 0220496532 so you can start scaling. Work with our Kubernetes experts to build something resilient… together.
Check out our other popular services as well:
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