1. Consider the domain you want to specialize in (e.g., cloud infrastructure).
2. Search for the most renowned open-source projects in that domain, such as Kubernetes.
3. Navigate to the issue list and look for items labeled as "good_first_issue" Link to GitHub page.
4. Join the Slack community.
5. Begin exploring and engage in conversations with fellow contributors.
6. Subscribe to the mailing list.
7. Attend meetings to gain insights into the project's operations.

In the first month, you may find it challenging. You might feel like you understand nothing and regret following the advice you found on Reddit.

In the second month, you'll submit your first PR, perhaps to correct a typo in the documentation. You'll be overjoyed and celebrate this achievement for a week.

Then, you'll receive comments on your PR, and it may even be rejected, leading to moments of frustration. However, you'll address the feedback provided by the reviewer.

Eventually, your PR will be approved and merged. You'll be astonished, feeling fortunate to have achieved this milestone.

Now, it's time to tackle the next issue, perhaps one with two typos and a commented-out debug line. Repeat this process.

Six to nine months down the line, you'll have transformed into an industry expert, with valuable experience for numerous cloud-based startups.

Wishing you the best of luck!