There are currently 25 Salesforce certifications possible to achieve, from the initial Salesforce Administrator certification, right the way up to the coveted Certified Technical Architect credential. There are an array of cloud specialisations in between, spanning a defined and guided path by Salesforce, towards exciting career goals.
The many opportunities available within the Salesforce ecosystem are neatly laid out into 6 ‘roles’, which provides Salesforce professionals the unique opportunity to diversify without risk. You can try your hand at something new, knowing where that might take you, safe knowing that you can get back to your original path at any time. The analogy of guided hiking paths, navigated by ‘Trailblazers’ further assures this feeling, that a career within the Salesforce ecosystem is rewarding, inspiring, and constantly moving forward, free of glass ceilings, with the next career milestone always within sight. These milestones in a lot of ways, are Salesforce certifications. And you’re given the map.
Salesforce certification tracks and the 6 common role types
As specialist Salesforce recruiters, certifications are a topic which crop up frequently. We have our own experiences relating to the hiring aspect with regards Salesforce certifications across various industries, and we talk to candidates daily, both with an without certifications. We were interested to hear further insights by trusted, renowned and phenomenally successful figureheads in the Sydney Salesforce ecosystem at the recent Sydney Salesforce User Group meet, as they talked certifications. With Salesforce themselves also present, we were all eyes and ears.
Guest speakers were:
- Giordana Rock (From Receptionist to Sales Engineer)
- Steven Herod (How certifications can help your career and personal growth)
- Carmelo Andronaco (The importance of certification in services delivery, hiring and training)
- Jannis Bott (The value of certification to an independent contractor)
- Edwin Fernandez and Arnon Miniano (What you can do to get certified)
The panel
For a lot of the roles we recruit for at Talent Hub, Salesforce certification and experience go hand in hand.
This was validated by Carmelo Andronaco’s thoughts as a hiring manager. He explained that he looks for several points of alignment when assessing suitable candidates, some of which are Salesforce specific, others being broader.
- Culture/personality
- Knowledge/experience
- Industry
- Passion/drive
- Salesforce Certifications.
I couldn’t help but make the analogy, in layman’s terms, that if you were hiking in the wilderness, you’d ideally want to be paired with somebody, not only with a map (certification), but also somebody who’d been in the wilderness previously (experience).
Between them, the panel shared exclusive hints and tricks, and we wanted to share some of the insight with you, as it’s valuable wherever you are in the world, and whatever the stage of your Salesforce career.
Perhaps you’re asking yourself.
I have years of experience working with Salesforce. What is the benefit to me completing a Salesforce certification?
- Credibility with your peers
- Career opportunities come to you, your proven value is heightened
- Opportunities outside of your 9-5 such as public speaking, mentoring, involvement within the Salesforce community, the opportunity to travel
- They’re often linked to KPI’s and financial incentives
- Build your own confidence in your abilities
- Become marketable to a variety of projects. Certifications are a way to justify the capability of an organisation’s people and their teams, particularly within a consulting environment
- You become ever more indispensable in your career
- If becoming an independent contractor is appealing to you, then doors open when you have certifications to your name.
Tips prior to sitting a certification test:
- Read all of the study material that you can get your hands on.
- Make sure you’ve implemented prior to actually sitting the certification.
- Practice tests on web assessor.
- Create your own sample questions on Quizlet and share with your team.
- Ask others for advice.
- Don’t put pressure on yourself. If keeping your plans to yourself eases the pressure, then do it.
- Set up the environments and have a play. Practice makes perfect.
Salesforce Certifications FAQ
Can I complete my certification at a Testing Centre or online at Home?
You can do either. If you are going to complete your test at home, then it is proctored. This means that you will be filmed while you are doing your test, yourself, your keyboard and your computer screen.
It comes down to personal preference, where you’ll feel most at ease.
From those on the panel, some liked to complete theirs in the testing centre, others elected to complete from home.
Can I take in a pen and pencil?
If you’re completing it at home, then no, no materials. If you’re completing at a centre, you can use a pen and pencil, which are then taken from you when you leave.
Which blogs, podcasts or industry leaders should I follow for further hints and tips?
We noted that those mentioned included Keir Bowden and the Bob Buzzard blog, Steven Herod’s podcast, Salesforce Ben Steve Mo for community contributions, SFDC99, the DevForce forum, and of course, the Salesforce manual is valuable (particularly the Help sections). Give them a follow.
Can I complete a certification at Dreamforce?
Yes you can, and what’s more, if you do, you’re rewarded with an exclusive t-shirt!
Tips once you’ve achieved certification status:
- Make your certs public. They are a badge of honour.
- Ensure that your Salesforce certifications are in the same name as you use of your resume for employment verification purposes.
- Share your insights and knowledge to help others.
If you’d like to discuss certifications, or if you’ve recently secured a new certification and you’d like to have a confidential and transparent chat about what you career options look like, then get in touch with Talent Hub today.
Stay tuned for our next installment of Talent Hub TV, where we share inspiring stories from thought leaders and Salesforce experts from the global community. If you’d like to get involved, we’d simply love to hear from you!