Working in the Salesforce environment is not solely based on knowledge of the system.
Many beginner Administrators have never dealt with this system before. Maybe they’ve heard of it but never had any experience with it; many of them will have studied cultural studies, sociology, computer science, or agriculture. Is this an obstacle to starting work as an Admin? No. What matters are willingness and knowledge of SF (or a great desire to get to know it), and it’s good to have analytical, problem-solving, communication, and project management skills (e.g., agile skills).
However, it’s worth noting that many companies offer internships for Administrators and various academies that prepare future Administrators. Quite recently, Salesforce launched a program for women who want to return to work after a break related to motherhood, illness, or other personal reasons, and their goal is the SF environment. The program is called “Bring Women Back to Work,” and as the name suggests, it is exclusively for women. After a 12-month training cycle, SF helps these women enter the job market by sending their resumes to program partners.
Do you need to have all these skills to be a good Admin? I think they are not must-haves, but rather nice to have, because with them and the right knowledge, you can achieve the title of Certified SF Admin. There’s more on this in the next section.
Salesforce certification exams – what can you expect?
To be certified or not to be certified? That is the question! I often receive this query from Salesforce newcomers seeking advice on establishing a career in Salesforce. The straightforward response is, “Yes, certainly, you should obtain Salesforce certifications.” The more considered answer is, “It depends.” You’ll frequently come across a common description on many LinkedIn profiles of Salesforce experts – “2x Salesforce Certified,” “5x Salesforce Certified,” “21x Salesforce Certified” – showcasing their number of Salesforce certifications. Should you follow the same path? Yes, you can. Is this the only path? No, it is not. Allow me to elucidate this using an analogy my jiu-jitsu trainer shared with me during my first tournament, when I found myself facing a rather intimidating individual covered in many tattoos, who happened to be my next opponent. My trainer’s words were, “Tattoos do not fight.” This statement holds true universally and can be applied to the Salesforce realm as well. Essentially, having a multitude of certifications doesn’t always equate to genuine proficiency in Salesforce.
Throughout my IT career, I’ve encountered numerous Salesforce professionals possessing “just” one or two certifications who were exceptionally skilled in Salesforce. To put it simply, practical experience always outweighs certifications – always. However, this doesn’t negate the value or importance of holding Salesforce certificates. Allow me to outline some pros and cons concerning obtaining Salesforce certifications.