Updated May 3, 2023
Introduction to Careers in Linux
If you are planning to pursue a course in Careers in Linux but are unsure if it’s the right decision, then you have landed on the right post. We will help you solve your apprehensions and questions related to choosing careers in Linux of this technology. The demand for Linux professionals is never-ending, especially if you have a certification in Linux. Now a day, companies do not ask for a TechOps resource who is experienced in working with Linux technology. Still, they are more interested in hiring a full-stack developer capable of managing servers, cron jobs, scheduling batches, applying load balances, and basically can do everything that should be done using a shell script. You do not need to worry about the jargon used in the last line. You will learn them as you start to work on Linux.
Education to Careers in Linux
No particular prerequisite is needed to learn Linux, and choosing a career in Linux in this domain is simple. It would be best if you were a graduate in any computer-related discipline, preferably. Yes, you should be familiar with search engines and using the internet because most of the free information related to Linux is available online.
Career Path in Linux
Let me show you the path you can opt for if you are new to this technology and look ahead in choosing careers in Linux.
- Install Linux: It is undoubtedly the first step, as you would not want to have just a theoretical knowledge of the subject.
- Take LFS101x: This course will help you immensely in creating your Linux backbone. You can explore various tools and techniques often used by Linux administrators and end to end-users. This course will help you by providing both graphical and command-line knowledge.
- Go for LFS201: After you have completed LFS101x, taking this course is recommended to learn advanced techniques and complicated tasks. This course will help you get hands-on working experience by providing detailed and valuable knowledge.
- Practice: There is no such thing that can beat this. The more you practice, the easier it becomes for you.
- Get a Certification: Getting a certification is essential as it makes you visible in front of recruiters and helps them understand your threshold level of knowledge.
- Get Involved: Consider joining a local User’s Group(LUG) if one is in your area. These kinds of groups will help you collaborate with the right set of people.
Let us also have a look at the career options you have once you choose this technology.
- Systems Administrator: The professional manage critical services like HTTP, FTP, Cron jobs, DNS, creating backups, and other server-related tasks. He is also the one who looks after the security and firewall-related settings in the organization. The server-oriented distributions upon which the work is generally done include Red Hat Enterprises, Debian, CentOS, and Ubuntu.
- Application and Web Programmer: A significant part of web content-related publishing business is run on Linux, PHP, Apache, and MySQL, and therefore programmers who can write code in multiple languages or can design different databases and applications are preferred over the conventional ones.
- Technician Job: The professional is responsible for handling workstations and desktops. The crucial areas include understanding partitioning, installation, providing services, troubleshooting networks, managing users, basic scripting, and operating system-related problems. Getting practical exposure in this domain is also relatively easy, as schools, colleges, and organizations often have requirements for candidates possessing this skill set. Getting experience here will open a pathway to becoming an efficient Linux administrator.
- Support: You can also be among those organizations looking to extend support to all the professionals globally working on Linux. With the extensive growth of Linux in enterprise and corporate areas, firms choose Linux over licensed Windows.
- Teaching and Writing: This is another domain where you can be employed. The aspirants mentioned above need tutors to learn this course, and you can be one of them. You can do this privately or in any school, college, or other institution. Writing can be related to providing documentation for large companies and ones about technical papers. You can also choose to work as a freelancer in teaching or writing.
Job Positions
We have listed the top 15 jobs you can expect after you come out with Linux expertise.
- DevOps Engineer
- Java Developer
- Software Engineer
- Systems Administrator
- Systems Engineer
- Senior Software Engineer
- Python Developer
- Network Engineer
- Software Developer
- Linux Engineering Admin
- Software Developer
- Linux Engineer
- TechOps Engineer
- Senior Java Developer
- Build release management Engineer
Even though only a few have the word Linux written against them, it doesn’t mean the opportunity is just for those positions. You can get any designation per your skill set according to the organization and project need.
Salary
After looking at the kind of job profiles, let us also look at the salaries a Linux professional can expect to draw. Though this figure is relative because of varied roles and responsibilities in diversified domains, an average of $90,000 is still likely. This can range from as low as $60,000 to as high as $150,000, depending on your experience, expertise, geographical location, and the organization you will work for.
You will find plenty of niche skills where Linux techniques can make a difference. With the increase in opportunities in the field of Linux and with the advent of cloud technology, market capture only seems to increase. Go ahead, acquire the right attitude, skill, and expertise, and I am sure you will come out with flying colors. I hope this post helped you in resolving your queries. Feel free to write to us in case of any further queries; we would be happy to help. Stay tuned to our blog for more articles.
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