Cloud is the new buzzword in the domain of Information Technology (IT). It offers excellent career options to IT professionals. The B2B space requires cloud-certified professionals. Anyone in the field of CRM (customer relationship management) knows about the Salesforce Cloud. In the world of CRM and the cloud, Salesforce is regarded as the pioneer and this adds to the significance of gaining a Salesforce certification. However, most professionals working in CRM & with the cloud find qualifying the Salesforce certification a challenge.
Salesforce has different types of certifications, which require diverse skill sets and requirements of professionals working in this domain. It caters to a wide range of roles like in Salesforce Administration, Salesforce.com Development, Implementation and as an Architect. Employers hire Salesforce certified professionals as per their requirements. Let’s dig in deep about standards for acquiring a Salesforce certification:
What Is Salesforce?
First things first, let’s better understand what Salesforce is. It is a US-based cloud computing company which is famous its CRM product. The platform developed by Salesforce helps in managing customer and potential customer interactions for companies. The Salesforce certification is industry-specific & has recognized qualifications which help companies/businesses to prove their excellence within Salesforce. The Salesforce-certified professionals are trained professionals who are comfortable using Salesforce products for different activities like consulting, development and administration. These certifications can be attempted in an exam center or at home. You can do so at home only when you have a web camera and protected exam software.
Brief History of Salesforce
Salesforce was founded in 1999 by Benioff along with the three developers: Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez. From the very first day, he had the vision of developing software which is easy to use and affordable to buy. He wanted to give people a user-friendly software without adding any complications regarding installing and maintaining it.
In 2004, the company went public with the CRM symbol and managed to earn a whopping $110 million. Oracle was the first company to invest in it while backing Benioff by remaining his mentor. The company soon launched a couple of products including its primary product – CRM Software, which was quickly branded for diverse verticals including Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, Commerce Cloud, Service Cloud and Community Cloud. All these software products were offered on a subscription basis.
The company kept expanding in 2010 with different products and acquiring companies. In 2014, the company embarked with platform as a service (PaaS) and then developed different apps under the Customer Success Platform. In 2016, something big happened when the company acquired Quip, which brought the company into the workplace collaboration market. The same year witnessed the purchase of MetaMind which finally helped to launch Salesforce Einstein; it has a broad range of AI features.
2 Major Types of Salesforce Certifications
Although there are eight different types of Salesforce certifications, we will be focusing on two significant certifications: Certification for Administrators and Certification for Developers. These are further explained individually in the following paragraphs:
1. Certification for Administrators
The role of administrators is vital in any company. Seeking the Salesforce certification for Administrators proves the skills of professionals who are looking to validate their skills in Sales and Service Cloud applications. It helps in networking and working with clients, defines their requirements, customizes the platforms and help users to get the best of the Salesforce. To nail this certification exam, you should have a thorough understanding of the following conditions:
- You should have a fair knowledge of data, security and user management
- Customization and maintenance of Sales Cloud Apps and the Service Cloud applications
- Building reports, workflow, and dashboards
Furthermore, Salesforce offers professionals two levels of administrator credentials – Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator and Salesforce Certified Administrator. The certifications involve 60 multiple-choice questions which are supposed to be completed within 110 minutes. The passing score for the candidate is getting 65% right. In order to get this certification, the candidate has to pay a registration fee of $200. Preparing for this test and passing it will ensure proficiency in managing dashboards, automation processes and designing advanced reports.
2. Certification for Developers
Professionals with a Salesforce certification for developers often carry out complex customization for CRM procedures and apps. Thus, you need the right blend of coding skills to develop custom apps on Salesforce.com platforms for different clients. The certification for developers is offered in three different levels of certifications. This certification is designed to test the technical expertise and proficiency of the candidate in a real world experience.
Salesforce Certified Commerce Cloud Digital Developer – It hones your skills and knowledge about the Commerce Cloud Digital platform which develops competitive solutions. The registration fee for becoming certified as a Salesforce Certified Commerce Cloud Digital Developer is $200. It has 60 multiple-choice questions and to pass this test you have to score of at least 70% right.
Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I – This certification prepares the candidate to test their skills and knowledge regarding building custom declarative & programmatic apps on the Salesforce.com platform. The exam pattern is similar to the above test, which has 60 multiple-choice questions, which are to be completed in 105 minutes. To pass this test, you need a score of at least 68% correct. The registration cost for this platform is $200.
Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II – This certification tests the advanced knowledge of the candidate on subjects like data modeling along with checking whether they have Salesforce.com platform’s coding capabilities. It has 60 multiple-choice questions, and you need to solve it in 105 minutes. To pass this exam, you must score 63%; the registration fee for this test is higher than the other two – $400.
The Potential Salary You Could Earn After Taking These Certifications
As of late, the field of cloud computing has been ever-changing. The kind of scope this field offers to a candidate is huge. One can find ample opportunities as a Salesforce professional, allowing them to earn huge in the IT industry. This is a continually growing industry, and the future is bright for professionals entering this domain. As per the reports of Global Industry Analysts Inc, the cloud computing market earned $127 billion in 2017 alone.
The same studies suggest that a Salesforce expert without certification can earn around $70,000; a professional with the certification can earn about 87,000 USD. Generally speaking, Salesforce professionals with the certification can earn around 25% more as compared to non-certified professionals. The majority of Fortune 500 companies hire professionals with a Salesforce certification. With experience and expertise, and if you can maintain your credentials, your salaries and perks will increase every passing year.
What Steps Do You Need to Take to Maintain These Certifications?
Simply securing a Salesforce certification will not guarantee higher salaries and expertise with this domain. You are supposed to maintain your credentials as per the company updates that are released thrice a year. The company releases new system feature updates during the winter, spring and summer.
As per these updates, Salesforce-certified professionals are supposed to maintain their certification by doing a maintenance exam, or the module linked with Salesforce product release cycles. The modules you take on every year will depend upon your Salesforce credential. Each year, the time you choose to consider the module will be the same.
For instance, if you take the maintenance test in the spring then next year you will have to do so in the same season. You can check the schedule page on the certification website for further clarity. If you fail to do so by the given deadlines, your credentials will expire. You have a credential status request tool that can help to keep track of your maintenance requirements.
Submitting your request will keep you updated about the test via emails. You will be informed about the due date and the release date for the exam and so on. Also, you will get automated reminders from the website in your inbox to keep you updated about your maintenance requirements.
Salesforce Certification Format & Tips
Once you appear for a Salesforce certification, you will not get a breakdown for your pass or fail result. It merely gives you a pass or fail result. The tests have a multiple-choice answer format, which involves two starkly wrong answers, one partially right or wrong answer and one right answer. It is your responsibility to review the question properly and then tick the right answer.
To acquire the certification by thoroughly preparing for the test, try out the following helpful tips:
- Mark the answers for the questions which you feel confident about and then attempt the rest which you are confused about. This will give you a fair idea of the questions you need to contemplate.
- Review the study guide and then tick off all the sections once you have covered them.
- Make sure to join as many certification groups as you can and listen to tips from people who are taking the course.
Salesforce professionals are in high demand in the market, and their demand will rise with passing time. If you are certified Salesforce professional, you remain one of the most wanted professionals in the market. The top Fortune 500 companies will love to hire you. But as they say, no gain is without pain; you have to work hard to get this certification and maintain your credentials on a regular basis to always keep a sharp edge.
