Ready to blaze your trail?

I suggest that all newcomers start by choosing the direction they are most interested in (Salesforce CRM, CDP, Marketing Cloud, Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, development-oriented courses or business consulting ones…). It does not matter which one it is at the beginning, but narrowing down your favorite field is essential. Otherwise, the broad Salesforce ecosystem might be intimidating and demotivating. However, once you have decided on your domain, there are no big unknowns. You know what to learn to get to the next step, and you can plan your professional path.

Nino Stojanović, Solution Consultant – Marketing Cloud

My advice for anyone starting off with Salesforce certification is to be curious. You need to figure out how to use all available time to learn as much as possible. When I started learning about Salesforce, I researched every new term I came across. I looked at the exam outline, researched the fields listed there, and listened to many tutorials and podcasts whenever I had time, usually while commuting or driving to business meetings. All more in terms of learning than just preparing for the certification. But each next certification was easier to accomplish because I have more background on different projects. I learned much more from real cases than just from theory.

Simon Repar, Technical Architect

As a beginner, there’s always something new to learn, and you need to be open to feedback and learning new things. Hands on experience and broader knowledge can make a huge difference in choosing an optimal solution on real business cases that sometimes require out of the box thinking. For beginners, it is crucial to have a few months of actual project experience before you take an exam to have a foundation for all the information you learn while studying.

Nejka Bolčič Gajšek, Engineer

Salesforce has such an expanded portfolio of products and services that it would be challenging to say you are an expert in all of them. However, focusing on one area will allow you to grow and improve rapidly. There is a lot of content out there and many opportunities to learn and improve. Set some small milestones to see how you progress along the way. You need to choose a focus or specific feature to start with. Otherwise, the scope can be too much to handle.

Nino Stojanović, Solution Consultant – Marketing Cloud

I learned the most during the actual projects by researching everything I encountered along the way. My ultimate goal at the time was to get this Certified Technical Architect badge, and all other certifications and challenges were just smaller steps toward that goal. Although the certificate itself is “just a badge,” it really contributes to your confidence when facing demanding clients on demanding projects. Certifications are a form of confirmation; no matter what happens in real business cases, it can’t throw you off track.

Simon Repar, Technical Architect

I have compiled a list of steps to follow when preparing for a certification, and I am certain that you will get your certificate by following them.

1. Schedule your certification so that you have a bit of hustle. You know how the saying goes … If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind.

2. Go through the trailheads related to your certification. It will not cover everything being looked for in the exam, but it gives you some general scope of what to expect.

3. Find some boot camp videos for the certificate online. These videos detail the technical aspects of the exam, and the instructors tell you which parts of knowledge are more significant.

4. Give yourself a task while working on some case or replicate something you saw along the way, so you’ll have hands-on experience.

5. Read the documentation. Reading from start to finish might be dull, but it can be beneficial when you’re stuck on a problem.

Nino Stojanović, Solution Consultant – Marketing Cloud

The Trailhead platform provides an excellent foundation and broad overview of Salesforce, with exciting case studies. However, documentation is more helpful for getting in-depth knowledge when preparing for certification or trying to overcome some obstacles on a project. I also recommend using focusonforce.com to check your knowledge before the exam.

Nejka Bolčič Gajšek, Engineer

Advanced architects’ certifications go into great detail on certain topics, so it’s remarkable that you not only get a certificate but also gain new knowledge that you didn’t even know you were missing.

You’ll also be able to find solutions on real business cases faster when your understanding is more comprehensive.

Nejka Bolčič Gajšek, Engineer

I believe that small improvements over time can have exceptional outcomes.

We have to take opportunities to learn something new. The concept is simple, and I am sure you all know how it goes. You can choose to do nothing and stay in the same place a year from now. Or you can get 1% better each day. In the end, the difference is tremendous!

Simon Repar, Technical Architect

Every journey (in your career or learning) has to start with an end goal in mind.

So first, decide on a particular direction you want to head in. It can change down the road, no problem. But, as the famous saying goes, getting there is easier if you know where you’re going.

Nino Stojanović, Solution Consultant – Marketing Cloud

Don’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty. It’s an excellent foundation to understand the theoretical knowledge

you’ll encounter on your learning path. I believe “learning by doing” is the most efficient way to acquire new knowledge and grow.

Nejka Bolčič Gajšek, Engineer