“After mastering the basics of Salesforce, focusing on the administrative part, it is worthwhile to think about specialization. Before you do, take a step back and consider your strengths and what you have potential for. For instance, if you are the life of the party and enjoy building relationships with others, you’re likely more suited to the consulting path than the developer path. Remember, each path has its unique requirements and offers various career opportunities.
“I recommend considering the Salesforce DevOps path. It’s somewhat unpopular and niche, but demand is on the rise. I have encountered numerous examples of individuals who were skeptical about pursuing a developer role but thrived in the DevOps pathway. The need for these skills is constant – even outside of project phases, there is always work involving deployment to production during maintenance stages.
“Theory and Trailheads are important, but practical experience is a different aspect altogether. I suggest taking part in CharITy Hackathons, where over three days, you can see a concise overview of software development from the ground up – from understanding requirements to preparing a proof of concept/demo. I strongly encourage you, either individually or in a team of 2-3 people, to find a small non-profit organization for which you could do an implementation. Salesforce offers 10 free lifetime licenses: with them, the organization benefits from your implementation, you gain experience in requirements gathering and client interaction, and you can implement your first commercial project. It is a win-win situation.
“If you are transitioning into a new career, your previous experience can be a great advantage. If you have worked in the automotive, telecom, or other sectors, your knowledge of business processes and the market is very important. This can make you an excellent consultant and partner in client development projects. Therefore, after mastering the basics, it is worth exploring niche Clouds in the Industries area. There is still a shortage of specialists in these areas, and this could be what sets you apart. Simply knowing Service Cloud or Sales Cloud will not be enough to differentiate you from the crowd and keep you competitive.”
This is how individuals who today possess vast knowledge in Salesforce areas started and use it to deliver the highest quality systems to their clients. As you can see, everyone started from lower positions. But hard work and determination bore fruit. As Stan Lee, the creator of many Marvel characters, said, “Life is not a life if it passes without challenges.” So, now it is your turn: take on the challenge.