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Do Cloud Certifications Still Matter in 2025?
How real-world recruiters are evaluating cloud talent today
Jason Price
July 01, 2025
In partnership with
Hello Cloud Learners,
The question comes up constantly in online forums, Discord groups, and even tech interviews:
“Do cloud certifications still matter in 2025?”
It’s a fair question. We live in a world where tools evolve monthly, AI is shifting job functions across the board, and titles like Cloud Engineer or DevOps now require more nuance than ever.
To answer it, we reached out to a range of professionals who are actively hiring in this space — from tech recruiters and engineering leads to directors of cloud operations. These individuals come from various industries including healthcare tech, federal consulting, SaaS startups, and large-scale systems integrators.
What follows isn’t theory. It’s what they’re seeing on résumés and saying in internal hiring conversations — right now.
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Yes, Cloud Certifications Still Matter — But They’ve Shifted in Meaning
“When I see a cert, I know someone took the initiative to learn the material. That’s meaningful to me, especially if they’re switching into tech. But it’s never the reason someone gets hired.”
Certifications still serve a purpose: they show drive, structure, and a willingness to tackle difficult technical material. Particularly for career-changers, certs are still one of the best ways to demonstrate.
“They matter more when someone doesn’t have formal work experience. In those cases, a cloud cert gives me something to build the conversation around — I’ll use it to gauge what level of understanding they actually retained.”
Recruiters still rely on certifications during screening — especially when dealing with high-volume applicant flows. ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) are programmed to flag keywords like “AWS Certified Solutions Architect” or “AZ-104,” and without them, you may not even make the shortlist.
“Certs are like a bachelor’s degree for the cloud: expected, but not differentiating anymore. You need them to get in the door, but then I’m going to look at your GitHub, your project history, and how well you explain tradeoffs.”
The consensus: certifications aren’t the edge they once were. In 2017, holding a cloud cert was a signal of being ahead of the curve. In 2025, it’s often viewed as the starting line, not the differentiator.
Where Certifications Fall Short: The Hiring Manager Red Flags
“We’ve seen candidates with multiple associate- and even pro-level certs, but when we give them a basic design prompt — like connecting two VNets — they completely stall. It’s clear they’ve only studied the material, not applied it.”
The concept of the “paper-certified” candidate came up in nearly every conversation. Having a badge without context or practical experience tends to raise more questions than it answers.
“Too many certifications without experience is actually a red flag for me. I’d rather see one cert and a personal project than 10 certs and nothing tangible to back it up.”
One hiring manager went so far as to say that when a résumé shows an overabundance of certifications, it signals someone who might be “hiding in study mode” — avoiding the complexity of real environments in favor of easily gamified learning.
“We rarely make decisions based on certs alone anymore. Everyone takes the same practice tests. So we rely more on live interviews and take-home labs to assess how people think in real scenarios.”
Many companies now use practical evaluations, including live architectural discussions, take-home labs, or simulated cloud deployments to validate candidate skills. Certifications are the entry point — real-world reasoning is what seals the offer.
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So, Do Cloud Certs Still Matter in 2025?
Yes — but they serve a different function than they did a few years ago.
Certifications are still:
Useful for ATS filtering. If you’re applying cold, they help you get noticed.
Valuable for career switchers. They provide a framework for structured learning.
Helpful conversation starters. Especially when backed by personal experience.
But they are not:
Guarantees of hireability
Substitutes for project work
Proof of deep expertise
The professionals we spoke to made it clear: cloud certifications still belong on your résumé — but how you support them makes all the difference.
How to Make Your Certifications Actually Work For You
If you’re new to cloud or making a career switch:
Start with a foundational certification (AZ-900, AWS SAA, etc.) to ground your learning
Immediately apply concepts in small, personal projects
Write about what you build — blogs, LinkedIn posts, even short videos
If you’re already certified:
Focus on explaining what you know with clarity and confidence
Build a portfolio that includes architecture diagrams, IaC (infrastructure-as-code) templates, or recorded demos
Sharpen your interview skills with friends or community groups by walking through sample scenarios
Use the Right Tools to Accelerate Your Learning
Our Learn Azure and Learn AWS apps are built to help you prepare faster, smarter, and with real retention in mind:
Full-length practice exams with question-by-question breakdowns
Smart quizzes by domain and difficulty
Lab links for real-world understanding
Progress tracking so you know when you’re actually ready
If you’re planning to pursue a certification this month — or refresh one you’ve let go stale — we’ve got you covered.
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Final Thought
In 2025, certifications still matter — but not because they dazzle.
They matter because they’re expected. They’re part of the bigger picture — a credential that proves you put in the work to understand the landscape.
But what employers really want to see is application. They want to know you can think critically, explain clearly, and contribute immediately.
So if you’re asking yourself whether getting certified is worth it this year — the answer is yes. Just don’t stop there.
The certification is your baseline. What you do with it is what defines you.
Until next week, keep learning and building!
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