While the booming Salesforce job market has cooled a bit in the last year, if you are a rockstar (current or aspiring), there is definitely a place for you in the ecosystem!
A question I hear all the time is: I’m interested in getting a job in Salesforce, but where do I start?
It all starts with learning.
I’m going to tell you right now, if you don’t like learning, then you can just skip the rest of this post (as well as any opportunity for a Salesforce career).
But if you do like learning, there is so much you can learn about Salesforce (and it doesn’t stop once you get a job!). There are a few great places to start.
Trailhead
Trailhead is a place where you can learn almost everything about Salesforce. The modules are broken down into “merit-badge” style chunks, and they are all free. The more modules you complete, the more badges you get and move onto different tiers.
When you sign up for Trailhead, you can get your own Trailhead “playground”, which is essentially your own free copy of Salesforce where you can play around with things. Some of the Trailhead modules will teach you how to configure Salesforce, then have a test you can perform in your playground and verify. This is super cool and great for getting hands on experience.
To get an idea of the types of Salesforce Careers and Certifications that go with them, you can go to this page.
You can click to see the different kind of roles, and the certifications required for each role. When you click on a certification, it will typically have a Trailhead “Trailmix” associated to it: a list of modules you can take on Trailhead that includes everything you’ll need to know to pass the exam. It also includes an estimate of how much time it will take to complete the Trailmix that is updated as you complete each module.
The certification exams typically cost $200 USD to take and can be taken remotely. All of the study materials are free on Trailhead.
Which Salesforce certification should I start with?
If you’re not sure where to start, a new, easy to get, and valuable certification is the Salesforce Associate certificate.
This certification is the tip of the iceberg, and will give you a general sense of Salesforce knowledge. I haven’t completed this certification, but I wish I could have years ago when I was starting down this career path.
Salesforce Admin Podcast
This is an awesome podcast where you can hear people working in Salesforce talk about their jobs and paths to get there I’ve been using Salesforce for 8 years, and I still get great takeaways from every episode.
Here are a few great episodes:
Starting a Career in Salesforce
Transition to a Salesforce Career
Thinking about making a career move with Salesforce?
Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below.
Seth Partridge 
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