A (sales) FORCE to be reckoned with

A technology trailblazer and innovator. The pioneer of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software in the cloud – widely regarded as the best CRM platform in the world.

Yes folks, Salesforce is a tech titan. The US company’s recent financial performance (it is on target to become the first enterprise software company to hit $16bn in revenue by 2020) is further proof (if it were needed!) that its off-the-shelf applications – particularly in the CRM segment – are flying off the shelves!

That has in turn created a buoyant market for jobs and candidates, particularly for Salesforce developers who can help organisations with their global CRM adoptions across different areas of their businesses. Failure rates can be quite high though, and given that typical outlays can run into seven figures, there isn’t a lot of margin for error.  

As is the case with most desirable tech skills, they are usually in short supply. And that’s where the challenges lie for organisations, who are looking for reputable partners to provide the expertise to not only oversee these implementations but possess the know-how to develop the full potential and functionality of the CRM system’s capabilities. From initial scoping and planning to customisation and deployment, there are a lot of things to think about!

Certified success

The skills gap in the market has led to a real war for talent, as companies battle it out to attract the best developers – and having to pay premium rates for their services. Working as contractors on short to longer term projects, these individuals have become Salesforce specialists within their industry sector, acquiring certifications such as the popular Platform App Builder, along the way. But there are many different paths that you can take.  

Although it is a candidate-led market, with the best people often juggling several job offers, organisations are very selective when it comes to hiring Salesforce experts. Yes, experience and qualifications are a big advantage at interview but technical skills alone won’t cut it. I can’t emphasise enough how important communication skills are in a role where stakeholder management and engagement is absolutely critical to maximise the platform’s ROI.   

A white paper by IDC, the global intelligence firm, found that Salesforce’s ecosystem will create over 114,000 jobs and $66bn in revenue by 2022. Remarkably, these figures are just for the UK market. So, if you’re looking to boost your employability in 2019, you might just want to consider adding knowledge of Salesforce to your CV skills section.