This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Arbythecoder
If you’re one of those developers scrolling through DevSecOps job postings and feeling like you need to learn 47 different tools before your next coffee break, this one is for you…
The “Fallen Tooth” Reality Check
You know that feeling when your tooth is already shaking, and you’re just waiting for it to fall out? That’s exactly how most developers feel looking at DevSecOps job requirements. A fallen tooth doesn’t even differ from the one shaking already – both are going to cause you the same wahala if you don’t handle them properly.
I spent my entire weekend (yes, weekend – I know, I know) going through 47 DevSecOps job postings from companies ranging from Nigerian fintech startups to Silicon Valley giants. What I found will make you question everything you think you know about breaking into DevSecOps.
The Wahala Most People Don’t Tell You
Here’s the thing nobody wants to admit: Most DevSecOps job postings are written by HR people who copy-pasted from 10 other job postings. It’s like that WhatsApp chain message your aunty sends – by the time it gets to you, half the information is wrong, but everyone keeps forwarding it anyway.
The Real Numbers That Will Shock You
Before we dive deep, let me give you the REAL figures from Glassdoor and industry reports that made me question my career choices:
- DevSecOps Engineer Average: $177,005/year (Glassdoor 2025)
- Lead DevSecOps Engineer: $193,337/year (Glassdoor 2025)
- Senior DevSecOps Engineer: $214,527/year (Glassdoor 2025)
- DevSecOps (General): Up to $219,236/year (Glassdoor 2025)
And here I was thinking six figures was the ceiling…
What I Actually Found in Those 47 Job Postings
The “47 Tools” Scam Exposed
Every single job posting I analyzed had this pattern:
- Must know: Kubernetes, Docker, Jenkins, Terraform, Ansible, AWS, Azure, GCP, Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Vault, Consul, Istio, Helm, ArgoCD, Falco, Twistlock…
Who has time to master all these tools?
But here’s the reality check: I analyzed data from multiple salary surveys, GitHub discussions, and industry reports, and what I discovered made me want to completely rethink my career strategy.
What the Data Actually Revealed
Based on industry reports and developer surveys from Stack Overflow, GitHub, and various DevSecOps communities, here’s what companies are ACTUALLY prioritizing:
From a Senior Engineering Manager at a major fintech company (based on public interviews and industry discussions):
“Honestly, if someone comes in knowing Docker, basic AWS, and can explain how they’d secure a CI/CD pipeline without googling, they’re already ahead of most candidates. The advanced stuff we can teach.”
DevSecOps Lead at a unicorn startup (from various industry discussions):
“We’ve hired people who never touched Kubernetes before. What we can’t teach is security thinking. If you can look at our codebase and spot potential vulnerabilities, you’re hired.”
CTO perspectives from industry reports:
“Most of our DevSecOps implementations use Jenkins, Python scripts, and basic cloud services. All that advanced orchestration? We tried it for 6 months and went back to simpler solutions that actually work reliably.”
The Skills That Actually Pay (Based on Real Market Data)
According to salary correlation data from multiple sources including Glassdoor, PayScale, and industry surveys:
Tier 1: The Premium Skills ($40K+ salary differential)
- Security-First Thinking – Can you spot SQL injection in someone’s API?
- CI/CD Pipeline Security – Know how to add security checks without breaking builds
- Cloud Security Basics – AWS IAM, Security Groups, basic hardening
- Container Security – Docker image scanning, runtime protection
- Compliance Automation – Making auditors happy without manual work
Tier 2: The Solid Skills ($20K+ salary differential)
- Infrastructure as Code – Terraform with security scanning
- Secret Management – HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager
- Monitoring & Alerting – ELK Stack or Datadog for security events
- Scripting – Python/Bash for automation (not rocket science)
- Git Security – Hook implementations, security scanning in PRs
Tier 3: Nice to Have (But not deal breakers)
- Advanced Kubernetes – Service mesh, network policies, etc.
- Multiple cloud platforms – Most companies use one primary cloud
- Enterprise tools – Checkmarx, Veracode (expensive, most startups can’t afford)
Real Transition Success Patterns (Based on Industry Data)
According to Stack Overflow Developer Survey and various career transition reports:
Pattern 1: The Full-Stack Developer Transition
Typical Background: Full-stack developer, 2-4 years experience
Average Transition Time: 4-8 months
Salary Impact: $65k → $120k+ (based on market data)
What typically works:
- Learning OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities
- Building portfolios showing security integration in CI/CD
- AWS/Azure Security certifications
- Focusing on: “How can I make deployment more secure?”
What usually doesn’t accelerate the process:
- Learning every orchestration tool
- Collecting certifications without practical application
- Building theoretical knowledge without hands-on projects
Pattern 2: The Infrastructure Professional’s Path
Typical Background: System administrator/SRE, 3-6 years experience
Average Transition Time: 6-12 months
Salary Impact: $70k → $140k+ (market average)
Success factors: Automating security compliance in current roles, building measurable security improvements, demonstrating cost savings from security automation.
The Content Gap I’m About to Exploit (And You Should Too)
After analyzing what’s out there vs. what people actually need, here’s the massive opportunity:
What Everyone Else is Writing About:
- “Top 10 DevSecOps Tools” (yawn)
- “DevSecOps vs DevOps” (who cares about definitions?)
- “How to Learn DevSecOps” (generic roadmaps)
What Nobody is Writing About (The Goldmine):
- ROI Analysis: “This DevSecOps skill paid for my new car”
- Real Implementation: “I secured a ₦100M revenue API – here’s exactly what I did”
- Salary Intelligence: “DevSecOps salary negotiations for Nigerian developers”
- Remote Strategy: “How I got a $120k remote DevSecOps job from Lagos”
The Action Plan That Actually Works
Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-4)
- Security Fundamentals: OWASP Top 10, basic threat modeling
- Choose Your Stack: Pick ONE cloud (AWS/Azure), ONE CI/CD (Jenkins/GitLab)
- Start Small: Add basic security scanning to a personal project
Phase 2: Portfolio Building (Weeks 5-12)
- Build Real Projects: Not tutorials, actual solutions to security problems
- Document Everything: Blog about your learning process (content creation gold)
- Network Strategically: Join DevSecOps communities, contribute to discussions
Phase 3: Strategic Job Positioning (Weeks 13-16)
- Target Growth Companies: Mid-size companies (200-1000 employees) often offer better growth opportunities
- Remote-First Strategy: Global talent pool means global salary access
- Interview Preparation: Focus on explaining security concepts and problem-solving, not tool memorization
The Tools Reality Check (Save Your Sanity)
Actually Used in 90% of Companies:
- Git (obviously)
- Jenkins or GitLab CI
- Docker (not Kubernetes for most)
- AWS (or Azure, pick one)
- Python/Bash scripting
Hyped But Used by <30%:
- Kubernetes (complex, expensive)
- Service Mesh (Istio, etc.)
- Advanced SAST tools (Checkmarx, Veracode)
Focus Your Energy Wisely
Instead of trying to learn everything, master the security aspects of what companies actually use. A Python script that automatically scans for secrets in commits is worth more than knowing how to configure Istio security policies.
The Global Remote Work Reality
Based on 2025 remote work statistics and industry data:
Current Market Reality: According to recent research, over 60% of tech professionals now work remotely at least part-time, with DevSecOps roles being particularly remote-friendly due to their nature.
Geographic Salary Arbitrage: With fully remote roles (about 5% of all listings according to FlexJobs), professionals can access global salary ranges regardless of location.
Remote-First Companies Leading in DevSecOps:
- GitLab (100% remote, actively hiring DevSecOps)
- HashiCorp (remote-first culture)
- Datadog (hybrid-friendly with global teams)
- Auth0/Okta (established remote culture)
- Many fintech and security-focused startups worldwide
Key Insight: Companies hiring DevSecOps professionals remotely often pay premium salaries because they’re competing for a global talent pool.
What I’m Building Next
Based on this research, I’m planning content that serves the global developer community transitioning to DevSecOps:
- Salary Intelligence Newsletter: Real data on DevSecOps compensation
- Portfolio Review Sessions: Free reviews of DevSecOps portfolios
- Remote Job Strategy Course: Specific tactics for Nigerian developers
- Interview Prep Workshop: Practice sessions with real DevSecOps scenarios
The Bottom Line (No Vague Promises)
DevSecOps is not about memorizing 47 tools. It’s about understanding how to secure software development processes. The money is real, the opportunities are there, and the barrier to entry is lower than you think.
But here’s the catch: You need to approach it strategically, not randomly. Focus on security thinking over tool collection. Build real projects over completing tutorials. Network with purpose over posting generic content.
One final thing: If you’re reading this and thinking “This babe is just trying to sell something,” you’re wrong. I’m sharing this because I wish someone had told me these things when I was scrolling through DevSecOps job postings feeling overwhelmed.
The tooth is already shaking. Either you handle it properly, or it falls out and causes more wahala. Your choice.
What’s your biggest DevSecOps challenge right now? Drop a comment, and let’s solve it together. No generic advice – just practical solutions.
Follow me for more content that actually moves your career forward, not just adds to your bookmark collection.
P.S. – If this helped you, share it with that developer friend who’s been asking about DevSecOps but doesn’t know where to start. They’ll thank you later (probably with their favorite beverage).
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Arbythecoder