5 Career Tips to Get Started With Salesforce

The elusive job hunt — we all know it well. The process can be daunting to start with and overwhelming to get through. But the potential benefits of a new professional opportunity outweigh the upfront legwork. And for those looking for their first or next role within the Salesforce ecosystem, the decision to get the ball rolling might ultimately be life-changing. Let’s get started on your Salesforce career.

Get started on your Salesforce journey

Two years ago, I had no tech experience and was making less than I needed to survive with infant twins. I knew I had to make a change. For me, that change came through an opportunity to join Climb Hire, an accelerated workforce development training program in San Francisco. Climb Hire helps people develop the technical and soft skills they need to get started in their Salesforce career.

Through the program, I not only learned about Salesforce and earned my first Salesforce certification but also built a network that ultimately helped me secure a role as a Salesforce Admin.

While my experience may not look the same as yours, I’ve learned things along the way that I wish I’d known earlier. Here are my top five tips for starting your Salesforce journey.

1. Do your research

We all need to start somewhere, and it’s important to do some initial investigating. To kick things off, do some digging into the different opportunities that exist in the ecosystem—there are more than you might think. The Trailhead career path page is the perfect place to begin exploring the right path for you.

Additionally, there are a number of workforce development programs designed to help anyone succeed in the Salesforce ecosystem. Led by diverse Salesforce partner organizations, these programs are dedicated to training and hiring Trailblazers for jobs in tech.

For me, personally, Climb Hire is what got my foot in the door. It’s just a matter of finding what works, or what makes the most sense, for you.

2. Have a growth mindset

It’s easy to look at others in their Salesforce careers and make comparisons. Don’t let yourself go down that rabbit hole. There will always be people ahead of you, and behind you, in their Salesforce journey.

The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday.

Make sure you prioritize your learning and growth on your own timeline. Keep setting new goals for yourself; hold yourself accountable by completing a few trails each week on Trailhead—Salesforce’s free online learning platform.

Trailhead helps break down the barriers to learning—anyone can skill up with Trailhead! Whatever your background or interest, there’s learning content for you. Using gamification, Trailhead rewards you with points and badges. So, while you learn relevant skills and credentials, you’ll be climbing the Trailblazer Ranks—showcasing that you have the Salesforce skills needed for success.

When you’re ready to begin your job search, turn on the Hire Me button within your Trailblazer.me Profile to show hiring managers you’re open to new opportunities and allow them to contact you about relevant jobs.

3. Lean into the community

If you’re like me, you might not have a Salesforce network when starting out. With the Trailblazer Community, you can tap into all the help the Salesforce ecosystem has to offer. The Trailblazer Community gives you access to talented individuals from all over the world who can share their expertise and offer career guidance.

Trailblazer Community Groups across the globe give you the opportunity to meet and collaborate with Trailblazers in person or virtually based on your location, desired role, and interests. And just like you, your fellow Trailblazers will be at various points in their Salesforce journey. What better way to get the ball rolling than side-by-side with those who can relate to your experience?

4. Embrace failure

Career journeys are hard, and setbacks can happen. Whether you answer incorrectly on a Trailhead badge quiz, fail your certification exam, or get stuck on a superbadge, it’s all part of the process. Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back! Reframe failures as opportunities for learning and use them as momentum forward instead of letting them be a stopping point.

If one path isn’t working for you, revisit tips 1-3 above and explore another one. Joining the Salesforce ecosystem doesn’t exclusively mean becoming a Salesforce Admin. There are many other career paths you can pursue, whether it be architect, developer, marketer, consultant, or another role. Take a look and explore the path that suits you and your natural skills best!

5. Don’t give in to imposter syndrome

As you learn and grow, don’t let the fear that you don’t know enough stop you from sharing what you do know with others. Imposter syndrome can be a challenge to tackle, but keep in mind that it doesn’t matter where you came from, just where you’re going.

As you build your network and look to others as a resource, acknowledge that you also have something to offer. Being a Trailblazer means sharing your knowledge and helping others as you climb. From answering unsolved questions in the Trailblazer Community to becoming a mentor, there are many ways to give back to the community.

Easy ways to get started on your Salesforce career

Starting a new career journey is hard, and feeling afraid, unsure, or both is normal. The best advice I’d give someone making career moves or looking for a new role is to feel all the uncertainty and fear that comes with pursuing something new and do it anyway. It might just change your life!

For now, remember these easy ways to get started.

• Hit the trails with Trailhead
• Join the Trailblazer Community
• Browse the Trailblazer Workforce Partner Directory
• Discover Climb Hire