Be in demand, efficient, and awesome. Be a Salesforce Administrator.
By helping people work smarter and faster, Salesforce Administrators play a crucial role in streamlining complex processes so organizations can focus on building. Discover how Scott Luikart’s career adventure took him from water park manager to #AwesomeAdmin.
Creative champions of productivity and problem solvers extraordinaire, Salesforce Administrators keep their company’s instances of Salesforce running smoothly by automating business processes, creating reports & dashboards, and training users.
In short, Admins use their knowledge of business operations to empower their teams to be efficient and effective.
Sounds a lot like Scott Luikart, Sr. Salesforce Admin for Whole Foods HQ in Austin, Texas.
As an Admin, Scott has streamlined processes by enthusiastically investigating issues, asking targeted questions, and digging deep into business challenges to find the best solutions.
“You really have to want to solve challenges and you have to want to make somebody else’s day better.”
He explains, “So really being able to push past, ‘Do this thing’, and ask, ‘But what is it we’re trying to achieve? Why are we trying to achieve that and how are we going to achieve it? Who are we going to work with?’ And once you know, basically those four questions, you can start looking at what tools are being offered to you.”
Have Skills, Will Travel
It’s precisely this curiosity and tenacious approach to problem-solving that helps Salesforce Admins such as Scott streamline and simplify business processes and eliminate inefficiencies.
And these Admin skills, of course, have a big impact on the bottom line, which is why they — and Salesforce-specific skills, in general — are so in demand.
It’s reported that by 2022, 3.3M jobs will be created in the Salesforce ecosystem, with 300K jobs being created this year alone.
With an average salary of $95,000 and an annual growth rate of 37%, the Admin role is so in demand that it’s allowed Scott to take his skills cross country and work as an Admin in several different locations.
“I have not been unemployed since I started in the Salesforce ecosystem and for that I’m very grateful.”
He shares, “I have the ability to move to some really cool places like Philadelphia, Chicago, Austin… but also, if I want, to stay in Austin. I’ve now worked at three different companies in the same town doing Salesforce. And so there is a lot of possibility.”
Connecting and Communicating
Although Salesforce Administrator is a role that requires technical skills in data management, system administration, system and network configuration, and data validation, communication skills are key.
Admins often have to connect with users at all levels of the organization — from working with leadership to align Salesforce with business goals, to sharing user successes with stakeholders, to gathering feedback from and passing along business process changes to on-the-ground users.
Scott agrees his soft skills — namely his ability to listen empathetically and then clearly communicate recommendations — have served him well.
“People will frequently have a lot of passion when they tell you about the problem that they’re facing because it’s probably been annoying them for 6 months and you’re just now finding out about it, or it’s just now becoming so burdensome that they can’t continue doing their job,” Scott explains.
That’s where an Admin’s capacity to listen and understand comes into play to provide a big payoff.
“It’s typically like you’re lifting some weight off their shoulders and helping make their experience better.”
Tapping into the Trailblazer Community
So, how does Scott stay motivated and on top of his game? With a little help from the Trailblazer Community, of course!
Scott explains, “We have these really awesome user groups where you can go in and have in-person sessions and learn about different products… different ways to roll things out.”
“I think the community is the best way to stay involved.”
And, as always, Trailhead serves as an excellent resource, with role-dedicated trailmixes covering beginner, intermediate, and advanced Admin skills and content that digs into the nitty-gritty of Salesforce releases.
But perhaps most valuable is the hands-on practice aspiring Admins can get in the Trailhead Playground.
Scott reveals, “It gives you the full platform… So I can set up, email-to-case, set up leads, convert leads, and see what that all looks like in the system.”
“Trailhead is a free platform for anybody to start learning, and it has taught me so much more than I ever thought was possible.”
And being an Admin is fun, as Scott explains. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Also, it’s the most exciting thing I get to do everyday because everyday is different… Some days we’ll be talking about things that are a couple of years away and we have to figure out how to get to them.”
Ready to Start Your #AwesomeAdmin Career?
Learn more about Scott and his Admin journey by listening to his episode on the Trailblazing Guide to Careers podcast.
Follow the well-trodden path to success with this dedicated Build Your Admin Career on Salesforce trailmix. Plus, discover the Salesforce Administrator credentials you can earn to stand out from the pack and attract the eyes of hiring managers and recruiters.
Explore more of the amazing career paths you can unlock with Salesforce, check out The Trailblazer’s Guide to Careers blog.
