Love What You Do! Explore the World of a Salesforce Consultant
At Salesforce, we believe in transforming everyday tasks into work that is both challenging and meaningful. That’s why we recently hosted our first-ever Salesforce UK Partner Ecosystem Career Day to give our partners and friends resources to catapult themselves into the next phase of their careers.
Missed the UK Partner Career Day? Watch the recording here.
In EMEA alone, our partners have grown by about 12,000 Salesforce certifications — and we need exponentially more certified consultants for the brightest future. Luckily, there are several resources consultant candidates can turn to for training and career advancement.
Career Advancement Resources for Salesforce Consultants
“Salesforce Ben” McCarthy of salesforceben.com spoke at the event to share his story of becoming a Salesforce admin and advice for those looking to start their journey. Knowing the importance of passion in searching for the right career, Ben shared ways newcomers cannot only discover their path but get the education and experience they need to move forward. He also recommended the audience to develop their talent on Trailhead, an easy, accessible, and free way for anyone to start exploring new career fields and hone their skills before they make a move. Already, Trailblazers have earned an unbelievable 13 million badges.
After his presentation, Ben also led a panel of experts that included:
- Stephanie Herrera, VP of Computer Futures, Founder of Salesforce Saturdays, and Co-Founder of PepUp Tech
- Gemma Emmett, Founder of Ladies Be Architects
- Alastair Murray, CEO of Cloudshift
- Heather Black, Managing Director of Economic Change CIC
Panelists shared their experiences and journey with Salesforce, noting the importance of certifications in advancing one’s career, as well as the key groups and programs they’ve been a part of to help them get there. Stephanie Herrera spoke on the effect that certifications could have on career advancement and salary, sharing that securing 10 Salesforce certifications has the power to increase salaries by about £40,900. Yet, many are afraid to take that first step for fear of not being qualified.
“Don’t feel like you have to know every aspect of the job,” she said. “It’s constantly changing. Have a growth mindset, and you can grow into the job.”
In the face of career setbacks, however, it can be difficult to know how to rebound, which is why Heather Black advocates for getting feedback (whether positive or negative) from mentors, managers, and clients to be able to sell yourself better. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses in areas like certifications, skillset, or experience will allow you to rise above any career challenges.
But life’s challenges aren’t always in the work realm. Gemma Emmett shared her story of being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29, which ultimately taught her that time is too precious to waste. Today, she’s far more productive in her career, using her time to ask questions, understand objectives, and get right to the point rather than pretending to understand everything at the outset.
Yet, taking a career leap also means being willing to step outside your comfort zone. Alastair Murray assures that jumping in often isn’t as scary as it may seem at first.
“There are many different ways to get involved in the Salesforce ecosystem, and you don’t necessarily have to be a developer or a ‘techie,’” said Murray. “There are many different aspects of our business…and lots of good opportunities to cross over into consulting.”
Create Your Certification Plan
The future is bright for those that choose the consultancy path. Salesforce Consultants enjoy an average salary of £77,000 across nine key business areas, including sales, service, marketing, non-profit, education, and more. And with 27% of consultant roles beginning at the entry-level, it’s easy to break in from an unrelated career path.
There are many different resources for people to get started and certified in the Salesforce ecosystem. But the key to being successful is starting with a plan. To prepare for certification:
- Understand the different available certifications.
- Determine what prerequisites you need to be eligible.
- Review training resources and certification timeframes.
- Set deadlines for yourself to ensure follow-through and quicker achievement.
- Prepare for the exam!
To keep you moving, Salesforce UK has organised follow-on certification days and virtual exam preparation sessions for both Sales Cloud consultants and Service Cloud consultants. Take the next step in your career by registering for an exam on our upcoming Certification Day on Wednesday, 06 November 2019!
