Kubernetes

Term from Information Technology industry explained for recruiters

Kubernetes is a tool that helps companies manage their software applications in a modern way. Think of it like a smart traffic controller for computer programs - it makes sure applications run smoothly, handles sudden increases in user traffic, and automatically fixes problems. Companies use Kubernetes because it helps them run their applications reliably and scale them up or down based on need. Similar systems include Docker Swarm and OpenShift. When you see Kubernetes (sometimes shortened to K8s) on a resume, it means the person has experience with cloud computing and managing modern applications at scale.

Examples in Resumes

Managed large-scale cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes and K8s

Led migration of legacy applications to Kubernetes container platform

Improved application reliability by implementing Kubernetes automated scaling

Typical job title: "Kubernetes Engineers"

Also try searching for:

DevOps Engineer Cloud Engineer Site Reliability Engineer Platform Engineer Cloud Infrastructure Engineer Container Platform Engineer Systems Engineer

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you handle a major platform outage in a Kubernetes environment?

Expected Answer: A senior engineer should explain their incident response process, including monitoring systems, troubleshooting steps, failover procedures, and how they would communicate with stakeholders during the outage.

Q: How would you design a scalable Kubernetes infrastructure for a growing company?

Expected Answer: Should discuss capacity planning, high availability setup, security considerations, and how to structure the environment to allow for future growth and maintainability.

Mid Level Questions

Q: Explain how you would deploy an application in Kubernetes?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the basic deployment process, including containers, pods, services, and how to ensure the application runs reliably.

Q: How do you handle application scaling in Kubernetes?

Expected Answer: Should discuss automatic and manual scaling options, resource management, and how to ensure applications can handle increased load.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is a container and how does it relate to Kubernetes?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain that containers are packaged applications and Kubernetes helps manage these containers, making sure they run properly.

Q: What basic Kubernetes components are you familiar with?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of basic elements like pods, services, and deployments in simple terms.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic container concepts
  • Simple application deployments
  • Understanding of cloud platforms
  • Basic monitoring and troubleshooting

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Complex application deployments
  • Security implementation
  • Performance optimization
  • Automation and scripting

Senior (5+ years)

  • Platform architecture design
  • Disaster recovery planning
  • Multi-cluster management
  • Team leadership and mentoring

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No hands-on experience with cloud platforms
  • Lack of understanding about containers
  • No experience with automation tools
  • Poor grasp of security concepts
  • Unable to explain basic troubleshooting approaches