Salesforce is the #1 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform worldwide, with Salesforce products found across multiple industries, including automotive, retail, healthcare, finance, etc. This ever-growing popularity only means one thing – strong demand for Salesforce developers with Salesforce Developer Certification.

Professionals with the appropriate Salesforce skills and knowledge are in huge demand, especially if you have some experience to boot. If you’re passionate about web development and excited by Salesforce, you could hop on the bandwagon and set yourself up for a beautiful career as a Salesforce developer.

Getting Started

First, you need to know what the Salesforce developer does. A Salesforce developer is a software developer who specializes on the Salesforce platform.

This means that a Salesforce developer must be passionate about software development in general and possess basic coding knowledge. If you’re not confident in your coding skills, it would be best to begin by familiarizing yourself with fundamental programming languages such as Java and C. This will give you the base you need to start learning Salesforce development.

Requirements

Let’s begin with the personal qualities required of a Salesforce developer. A Salesforce developer must be a strong communicator, problem-solver, and team player. You must also be creative and very organized.

Aside from personal attributes, anyone looking to earn a Salesforce Developer Certification would be forced to have certain educational qualifications. A degree in a related field, for instance, gives you an advantage in the learning process and can prove the difference when competing with other candidates for a job.

We especially recommend a bachelor’s degree in computer science or software engineering. These two are very popular with recruiters looking to fill a Salesforce developer position. Earning a Salesforce Platform Developer Certification would be a food bonus.

The following is what the requirements section of a Salesforce developer job description would look like;

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or software engineering
• 2+ years of experience with Salesforce in development or administration
• 2+ years of experience in OOP programming (Java, C#, Web Services, etc.)
• 2+ years of experience in Apex, JavaScript, and VisualForce
• SQL and SOQL Proficiency
• Salesforce Platform Developer Certification
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written
• Ability to work in a team
• Ability to identify problems, gather raw data, draw conclusions, and present information to customers, peers, and managers
• Ability to organize and prioritize responsibilities effectively and meet deadlines

On the Job – Working as a Salesforce Developer

Once you’re hired as a Salesforce developer armed with a Salesforce Developer Certification, the hard work begins. The developer position entails a lot of coding, though your primary responsibility will be to manage the Salesforce platform’s technical aspects.

The Salesforce developer also responds to user questions and issues within the company, troubleshoots platform-related technical issues, and provides training and guidance to fellow employees on new Salesforce features and functionalities.

A typical “duties and responsibilities” section for a Salesforce developer job positing would look as follows;

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage technical aspects of the Salesforce platform
• Monitor end-user and security data across all systems
• Recommend, schedule, and perform Salesforce improvements and upgrades
• Identify usage and data issues and create plans to resolve the issues
• Handle standard custom objects, workflows, triggers, user roles, templates, and related campaigns
• Support and train end-users on all Salesforce applications

Salesforce Developer Certification: Advancing Your Salesforce Development Career

Any Salesforce developer with less than a years’ worth of experience is considered a junior developer. Then, you rise to a mid-level developer and, once you hit the 5+ year experience mark, you’re a senior developer.

Senior Salesforce developers aren’t any special compared to their juniors. The main difference is your scope of responsibilities. A senior developer with a certified Salesforce Developer Certification takes on many more duties and responsibilities. They are responsible for mentoring their junior team members, have more interaction with clients, and collaborate more closely with the sales team. A senior Salesforce developer also interacts more often with project managers and architects.

Although experience is the primary consideration in promotions from junior to mid-level to senior developer roles, it’s just as important to develop yourself at the individual level to ensure that your output is commensurate with your position. Improving your management skills along with organizational and communication skills, is therefore very important.

Senior Salesforce developers are also expected to be very innovative. You must continually recommend alternative approaches to enhance performance and boost savings at your organization. Taking additional courses within and outside the Salesforce framework can help you get there and even authenticate the worth of your Salesforce Developer Certification.

Where Next After A Salesforce Developer Certification?

The options are endless. After attaining the senior developer position and earning yourself a Salesforce Developer Certification, you can choose to work upwards by seeking management positions in your organization. Many organizations currently want sales managers with a diverse skillset. Another option is to work for a bigger company where your skills would be better utilized.

Finally, you can also grow laterally by branching to Salesforce’s technical branches, specifically the technical architect role, then work your way up from there. Salesforce technical architects are some of the most respected professionals in the marketing world.

Need Help?

If you still have questions about the Salesforce developer career or how to go about the Salesforce Developer Certification, whether it’s how to get started, where to find the right courses, or questions about potential employers, sign up with Plumlogixu.com for further advice and training.