When Should Infrastructure Engineers Change Jobs? A Timing Guide by Experience Level

“Should I change jobs now, or wait?” Many infrastructure engineers grapple with this question. Poor timing creates two risks: moving too early means insufficient experience for proper evaluation, while staying too long leads to skill obsolescence and declining market value. With cloud technology rapidly transforming the industry, choosing the right moment for a career shift has never been more critical.

This article explains how to determine the best time for infrastructure engineers to change jobs, backed by market research and industry data.

1. Three Key Criteria for Determining the Best Time for Infrastructure Engineers to Change Jobs

When infrastructure engineers consider changing jobs, the decision extends beyond simple timing. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2025,” overseas platform operators now dominate cloud infrastructure, data centers, and have expanded into physical infrastructure including submarine cables.

Determining optimal timing requires evaluation across three key criteria.

Reference: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2025 (Summary)”

Criterion 1: Years of Experience and Market Value

The job market evaluates candidates differently based on experience levels. Too little experience means you can’t demonstrate value as an immediate contributor. Too much time in the same environment increases skill obsolescence risk.

For infrastructure engineers, staying confined to on-premise environments creates significant disadvantages in a cloud-dominated market.

Criterion 2: Skill Set Alignment with Market Demands

Ministry data from Q4 2023 shows AWS commands 31% of the cloud infrastructure market, Azure holds 24%, and GCP accounts for 11%. These three providers control two-thirds of the market.

Your ability to work with platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP increasingly determines job change success.

Reference: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2024” Cloud Services

Criterion 3: Career Vision Alignment

Your career direction matters. Are you pursuing technical specialization, transitioning to management, or pivoting to fields like cloud engineering or SRE? Each path suggests different optimal timing.

When your current position cannot support your career goals, you’ve reached the point for serious job change consideration.

■Related Reading

Recognizing the right moment for career transition requires understanding signs of stagnation and opportunity. Learn how to identify when your current environment limits growth and when market conditions favor strategic moves.

2. Best Time for Infrastructure Engineers to Change Jobs by Experience Level

Years of practical experience significantly influence market value. The best time for infrastructure engineers to change jobs occurs when company requirements align with your career stage.

Years 1-2: Foundation-Building Period

Infrastructure engineers with 1-2 years should approach job changes carefully. Mynavi’s “Mid-Career Hiring Survey 2025” reveals that 77.6% of hiring managers express concern about job change frequency. When candidates in their 20s have three or more job changes, 66.4% of companies hesitate to hire them.

Reference: Mynavi “Mid-Career Hiring Survey 2025 Edition (2024 Results)”

Why This Period Presents Challenges

Companies struggle to evaluate your skills adequately. Foundational skills typically require 2-3 years to solidify. With only one year, employers often conclude you have “insufficient basic skills.”

Early departure also raises concerns. Companies worry “they’ll leave soon after joining us too.” This becomes a significant negative factor during hiring.

When Early Job Changes Make Sense

Certain situations justify early moves:

Growth Opportunity Issues:

• No technical growth opportunities
• Work completely routinized
• No exposure to new technologies

Serious Workplace Problems:

• Normalized excessive overtime
• Harassment present
• Health risks exist

If you can clearly explain these circumstances during interviews, companies generally show understanding.

Years 3-5: The Golden Time for Career Moves

The 3-5 year range represents the most advantageous period for job changes. Your foundational skills have solidified, positioning you as a highly valued immediate contributor.

Why This Period Proves Optimal

You can clearly demonstrate technical capabilities developed through practice. Having completed the full cycle from design through operations, you can discuss concrete achievements and problem-solving examples.

This timeframe also represents the ideal age for cloud skill acquisition. With on-premise fundamentals established, transitioning to AWS, Azure, and GCP significantly increases market value. The Ministry’s White Paper emphasizes that overseas platformers dominate digital infrastructure, making cloud skills essential.

Reference: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2025 (Summary)”

This window offers strong salary increase potential. Companies evaluating you as an immediate contributor typically offer appropriate compensation.

Strategic Preparations During This Phase

Priority Cloud Certifications:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate)
• Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
• Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect

Experience Development Focus:

• Design phase participation
• Requirement definition involvement
• Architecture examination contributions

Year 6 and Beyond: Specialization and Direction Clarity

Engineers with six or more years reach a critical crossroads. This period demands clear direction: deepening technical specialization or transitioning toward management.

Primary Risk: Skill Obsolescence

Engineers in primarily on-premise environments may find their market value declining without cloud transition. Ministry data confirms overseas platformers dominate the infrastructure market, making reliance solely on legacy technology a significant career risk.

Warning Signs Suggesting Job Change

Technical Perspective:

• Handling only legacy technology
• Skills deviating from market needs
• Zero cloud technology experience

Career Perspective:

• Management aspirations but purely technical roles
• Limited specialization environment
• Narrowing career options

Job changes during this period require demonstrating clear direction. As experience accumulates, companies more strictly question “why now?” Your ability to articulate a convincing career vision becomes crucial.

■Maximize Your Career Timing Strategy

Determining optimal job change timing requires expert market analysis and personalized career planning. BLOOMTECH Career for Global helps infrastructure engineers evaluate their market value, identify skill gaps, and time career moves to maximize compensation and growth opportunities.

▼Contact BLOOMTECH Career for Global here

3. Evaluating the Best Time for Infrastructure Engineers to Change Jobs: Key Indicators

Determining timing requires objective evaluation. The more indicators that apply, the stronger the signal to consider changing jobs.

Immediate Job Change Signals

When multiple warnings appear, you’ve likely reached the point to begin job hunting.

Learning Stagnation

No opportunity to learn new technology for over a year signals problems. Infrastructure technology evolves rapidly, particularly with cloud proliferation. Market value based solely on traditional on-premise skills continues declining.

Compensation Issues

Salary noticeably below industry averages with no raise prospects justifies seeking appropriate evaluation. When significant gaps exist compared to market rates for equivalent experience, substantial room exists for improvement.

Cloud Technology Access

The Ministry’s White Paper confirms overseas platformers dominate cloud infrastructure. Lacking experience with AWS, Azure, and GCP significantly reduces market value.

Reference: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2025 (Summary)”

Work-Life Balance Impact

Normalized excessive hours preventing self-improvement time substantially hinders career growth in this rapidly evolving industry.

Company Management Concerns

Performance decline or restructuring indicators warrant attention. Moving early enables transitions under favorable conditions before crisis becomes apparent.

When Additional Preparation Serves Better

Certain circumstances suggest gaining more experience or better organizing preparation before moving.

Remaining Learning Opportunities

With under two years experience, patience proves wise. Mynavi data shows three or more job changes in one’s 20s causes 66.4% of companies to hesitate hiring.

Recommended Approach:

• Gain at least 2-3 years to solidify basic skills
• Maximize current learning opportunities
• Proceed with planned skill acquisition

Reference: Mynavi “Mid-Career Hiring Survey 2025 Edition (2024 Results)”

Market Value Preparation Needs

Job markets highly value certifications proving skills objectively. Beginning after obtaining AWS and Azure certifications enables better conditions.

Essential Preparations:

• Cloud certification acquisition
• Practical work deliverable organization
• Technical blog or GitHub publishing

Purpose Clarity Requirements

Moving based solely on dissatisfaction risks encountering identical problems at your next employer.

Clarify Before Moving:

• Why change jobs?
• What to achieve at destination?
• How to leverage current experience?

■Related Reading

Understanding infrastructure engineering career progression helps you make informed timing decisions. Explore detailed career paths, salary benchmarks, and skill development strategies from entry-level through senior specialist positions.

4. How Market Value Relates to the Best Time for Infrastructure Engineers to Change Jobs

Job change timing directly connects to market value through strategic decisions. Infrastructure engineering experiences rapid technology shifts, making appropriately timed moves significantly influential on future value.

Cloud Technology’s Impact on Timing Decisions

The Ministry’s “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2025” reveals Japanese companies maintain low digital field market share while overseas platformers expand influence beyond cloud to physical infrastructure. This transformation directly affects engineer market value.

Reference: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2025 (Summary)”

On-Premise Skills Face Value Decline

As corporate systems migrate cloudward, public cloud knowledge has become essential. Ministry data from Q4 2023 shows AWS, Azure, and GCP controlling two-thirds of the market.

Reference: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2024” Cloud Services

Spending five or ten years with only on-premise experience represents major opportunity loss. Conversely, transitioning at appropriate timing to cloud-enabling environments becomes vital for maintaining market value.

Optimal Age for Cloud Acquisition

The ideal period arrives during years 3-5, when on-premise fundamentals have reasonably solidified. Accumulating practical cloud experience during this timeframe substantially expands subsequent career options.

Salary Increases and Optimal Timing

The 3-5 year period offers highest probability for salary increases. Companies more readily evaluate you as an immediate contributor, frequently presenting compensation exceeding your current level.

Requirements for Salary Increase

Possessing market-demanded skills serves as prerequisite. Among professionals with equivalent experience, having cloud technology and automation tool experience dramatically affects offered salaries.

Costs of Missing Timing

Job changes after skill obsolescence may render not only increases but even status maintenance difficult. Postponing with “I’m busy now” risks increasing distance from market-demanded skills.

Salary increases result from strategic action: possessing demanded skills and moving at appropriate timing. The 3-5 year period after acquiring high-demand skills represents the strongest success pattern.

■Understand Your True Market Value

Accurate market value assessment is critical for strategic career timing. Our advisors provide comprehensive skill evaluations, competitive salary benchmarking, and identify high-demand capabilities that maximize your negotiating position during infrastructure engineering transitions.

▼Contact BLOOMTECH Career for Global here

5. Essential Preparations for Successful Infrastructure Engineer Job Changes

Thorough preparation proves essential for success. Beginning unprepared fails to secure desired conditions and increases post-transition mismatch risks.

Critical Pre-Transition Preparations

Organizing three key preparations before starting activities creates your path to success.

Skill Inventory and Market Value Confirmation

Objectively catalog possessed skills:

Key Areas to Document:

• Server construction experience and target OS (Linux, Windows Server)
• Network equipment configuration (Cisco, Juniper)
• Cloud platform knowledge and experience
• Automation tools (Ansible, Terraform)
• Security-related experience

Examine job postings to understand current market demands. Clarifying gaps reveals necessary reinforcement areas.

Cloud Certification Acquisition

Certification effectively enhances market value. Ministry data confirms AWS, Azure, and GCP hold majority market share, making proficiency strongly demanded.

Reference: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2024” Cloud Services

Priority Certifications:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate)
• Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
• Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect

Certification increases interview persuasiveness while raising cloud work assignment probability.

Career Vision Clarification

Define what you want to achieve and your desired position 3-5 years forward. Determine whether you want technical specialization deepening, management pursuit, or transitions to fields like cloud engineering or SRE.

Clear vision prevents selection axis wavering and enables articulating convincing motivations.

Common Failure Patterns to Avoid

Understanding prevalent patterns helps prevent mistakes.

Pattern 1: Impulsive Job Changes

Moving motivated exclusively by complaints like supervisor conflicts or excessive overtime tends toward “escape” thinking. When dissatisfaction escape becomes primary purpose, selection grows lax, creating high risks of encountering similar problems.

Avoid These Thought Patterns:

• “Wanting to quit” takes precedence
• No specific destination vision
• Lacking careful problem analysis

Calmly analyze challenges, discerning whether they stem from company issues or skill deficiencies.

Pattern 2: Unprepared Transitions

Beginning without market value enhancement increases rejections and interview failures.

Typical Insufficient Preparation:

• Lacking cloud technology experience
• Missing skill-proving certifications
• Unable to explain achievements quantitatively

Prior preparation proves essential for gaining evaluation from companies seeking immediate contributors.

Pattern 3: Visionless Job Changes

Moving without clear purpose causes same concerns at transition destinations. Mynavi survey shows 77.6% of managers express concern about job change frequency, with three or more changes in one’s twenties causing 66.4% of companies to hesitate.

Reference: Mynavi “Mid-Career Hiring Survey 2025 Edition (2024 Results)”

Job changes represent important career direction decisions. Planned preparation becomes key to success.

■Related Reading

Strategic preparation separates successful career transitions from lateral moves. Master the complete job change process with proven methodologies covering preparation, execution, and negotiation for infrastructure engineers.

6. Job Hunting Process: Steps and Timeline

Job hunting requires planned progression from preparation through joining, typically spanning 3-6 months.

Standard Activity Flow (3-6 Months)

Dividing activities into four phases enables planned, efficient progression.

Phase 1: Preparation Period (1-2 Months)

This phase encompasses skill inventory, document creation, and agent registration.

Key Actions:

• Demonstrate achievements numerically (“Improved availability to 99.9%”)
• Consult multiple job change agents
• Pursue cloud certifications if lacking

Phase 2: Application and Document Screening (1-2 Months)

Begin job opening applications. Simultaneous applications facilitate schedule adjustment.

Screening Reality:

• Pass rates generally 20-30%
• Ten applications typically yield 2-3 interviews
• Specifically demonstrate skills and achievements

Quantitative Information to Include:

• Server numbers handled
• Network scale managed
• Cloud services introduced
• Operational efficiency improved

Phase 3: Interviews and Offers (1-2 Months)

Interviews typically occur 2-3 times per company.

Interview Structure:

• First: Technical skills and experience
• Second: Motivation and career vision
• Technical: Troubleshooting cases and design thinking

Preparation Essentials:

• Specific episodes
• Troubleshooting cases with resolution processes
• Clarified technical judgment criteria

After receiving offers, negotiate conditions. Agent utilization enables mediated negotiations, facilitating communication of difficult-to-state conditions.

Phase 4: Resignation Negotiation and Handover

Following offer acceptance, communicate resignation intention to your supervisor.

Timing Considerations:

• Legal: Two weeks’ notice
• Practical: 1-2 months advance communication
• Secure adequate handover period

Infrastructure Engineer Handover Priorities:

• Document person-dependent operations knowledge
• Provide careful successor explanations
• Prepare troubleshooting procedure manuals

Amicable departure remains important for future career considerations.

■Related Reading

Selecting specialized recruitment agencies accelerates job search success for infrastructure engineers. Compare Japan’s leading IT recruitment services with detailed evaluations of their expertise, networks, and support quality.

Managing Job Search While Employed

Proceeding while employed requires efficient activity without interfering with current duties.

Schedule Management

Interviews often occur during weekday daytime, requiring paid leave or half-day utilization.

Key Considerations:

• Frequent absences may trigger suspicions
• Use paid leave strategically
• Leverage online interviews (early morning/after-hours)

Inform companies and agents about employment status, requesting schedule adjustment cooperation.

Paid Leave Utilization

Balance considerations require planning for pre-resignation digestion while avoiding excessive usage. Conduct non-interview preparation during holidays or outside work hours.

Job Change Agent Leverage

Agents powerfully support employed searches.

Agent Support Services:

• Job introductions
• Interview schedule adjustments
• Condition negotiation intermediation
• Selection feedback sharing

Utilization Strategy:

• Register with multiple agents
• Access non-public openings
• Leverage each agent’s strengths

Job hunting while employed demands planning and efficiency. Early preparation and margin-allowing schedules serve as success keys.

■Related Reading

Compensation maximization is a critical component of strategic career timing. Learn market benchmarking techniques and proven salary negotiation strategies specifically designed for infrastructure engineering professionals in Japan’s competitive market.

7. Determining the Best Time for Infrastructure Engineers to Change Jobs

The best time for infrastructure engineers to change jobs depends on three criteria: years of experience, skill-market alignment, and career vision clarity. The 3-5 year period represents “golden time” receiving highest market evaluation.

Acquiring high-demand skills like cloud technology during this timeframe significantly enhances value. Before moving, conduct self-diagnosis, organize skill inventory, obtain cloud certifications, and clarify career vision. Start by consulting job change agents to objectively confirm your market value and make informed timing decisions.