Getting your first Salesforce job

Getting Your First Salesforce Job

As you get your start in the Salesforce ecosystem, it can be difficult to plan your path. I’ve been asked for some tips on getting your first Salesforce job. I’ve discussed this with several peers, and here are the most common recommendations.

Training

As you begin, you need to gain knowledge and experience. Luckily, Salesforce provides Trailhead, which is a fantastic free training tool. Gaining knowledge is combined with hands-on practice in your own developer org. This experience prepares you for a Salesforce position, but is not enough to secure a job.

Once you have spent time getting badges, and practiced individual principles, I recommend getting a few Superbadges. A Superbadge requires a much larger time commitment, but I believe are the most valuable. The benefit to a Superbadge is that it requires thought and solution design in order to complete. This is the closest thing I have found to real-world client projects.

Certifications

An important part of securing a Salesforce job is having certifications. Salesforce certifications give potential employers confidence in your capabilities. I have written certification study guides for a variety of certifications. Having a few certifications on your resume helps you stand out from the crowd.

These are also a great way to assess your readiness to hold a Salesforce position. Exams like Sales Cloud Consultant require you to know a large portion of the platform, as well as best practices.

Experience

From my interactions in the ecosystem, I have found that the single most important item for potential employers is experience. A portfolio of work carries the most weight in hiring decisions. But how do you get that experience? Positions require experience, creating a vicious cycle.

My recommendation is to volunteer your time to non-profit organizations. Many non-profits have access to Salesforce through the 1:1:1 initiative. Through Salesforce.org, non-profit organizations can get up to 10 free licenses. And while organizations have free or discounted access to Salesforce licenses, they often need help with configuration and customization. If you’re willing to volunteer your time, you can gain valuable experience, while also providing value to a worthy cause.

Here are three great places to look for opportunities:

The Salesforce Ohana

My final tip is to get connected to the Salesforce community. Salesforce user groups are a great place to connect with fellow professionals. These groups are tight-knit communities that enjoy helping each other. When positions open at companies, user group members will often refer friends from the community. It is a great place to get advice, find volunteer opportunities, and make friends. You can volunteer to speak or help with other group needs. The more time you spend connected to your fellow Salesforce users, the more likely you are to find a position.

Following these tips has helped many people secure that coveted first Salesforce job. Have you found anything that has helped you get your start in Salesforce? Feel free to add suggestions or share your story in the comments below.

I am a 24x Salesforce certified consultant. I am passionate about Salesforce, and I enjoy the friendly ecosystem that is filled with talented, intelligent professionals.
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