Guide to Salesforce Certifications

Salesforce is one of the most in-demand CRM platforms and there is a growing demand for people with knowledge of the platform. As such, there are plenty of career opportunities available for people with a background in Salesforce, especially for those who have shown to have more advanced Salesforce expertise and have the specific Salesforce credentials an organization is looking for. 

As a Salesforce professional, having a Salesforce certification helps you stand out to companies. In addition, a Salesforce certification also opens the door to further growth and prospects.

Presently, there are a myriad Salesforce certifications available that can easily get one lost and confused. Let this guide help you learn the different Salesforce certifications and help you determine the right certification for your career goals.

Associate

If you are new to the Salesforce ecosystem (with 0-6 months experience) or are still figuring out if Salesforce is the right career path for you, the Associates track is the certification to vie for. This will earn you a Salesforce Associate certification which gets your foot in the door of entry-level Salesforce career opportunities.

Administrator

Once you have gained at least 6 months experience in the Salesforce environment, it is imperative that you take on a Salesforce Administrator certification as it not only solidifies your expertise in the platform with a globally-recognized certification but also opens the door to further career opportunities, especially in system administration and configuration. There are specific administrator certifications available, depending on the specific Salesforce knowledge and experience built in the past 6 months.

• Administrator – 1-2 years’ experience

• Slack Administrator – 6 months’ experience

• Platform App Builder - 1-2 years’ experience

Once you’ve reached Administrator certification, you can vie for an Advanced Administrator certification, which only requires 1-2 years’ experience as well.

Specialized Certifications

Salesforce professionals can further their Salesforce by building their expertise in specific career tracks.  There are six different tracks that are available, with differing certifications designed for one’s level of expertise:

No.	Salesforce Tracks	Levels	Salesforce Certifications
1	Developer	Mid-level certifications	Platform Developer I Platform Developer II Javascript Developer I Industries CPO Developer Omnistudio Developer
		Senior-level certifications	Mulesoft Developer II Hyperautomation Specialist
2	Designer	Mid-level certifications	User Experience (UX) Designer Strategy Designer
3	Architect	Senior-level certifications	Identity and Access Management Architect Sharing and Visibility Architect Development Lifecycle and Deployment Architect B2C Solution Architect Application Architect Integration Architect Data Architect System Architect Technical Architect Mulesoft Integration Architect I Heroku Architect Catalyst Specialist
4	Marketer	Entry-level certifications	Marketing Cloud Administrator Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Specialist
		Mid-level certifications	Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Consultant
		Senior-level certifications	Marketing Cloud Developer Marketing Cloud Consultant
5	Consultants	Mid-level certifications	CPO Specialist Tableau CRM and Einstein Discovery Consultant Data Cloud Consultant Service Cloud Consultant Sales Cloud Consultant Field Service Consultant Experience Cloud Consultant Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Education Cloud Consultant Business Analyst Slack Consultant CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant
		Senior-level certification	Omnistudio Consultant
6	Artificial Intelligence	Entry-level certification	AI Associate
		Mid-level certification	AI Specialist

Growth Direction 

A Salesforce certification not only firmly establishes your expertise in Salesforce but also opens doors to higher-paying opportunities. Whether an admin, developer, consultant, or architect, having the right certification helps establish the right career path where a Salesforce professional can achieve their desired professional development and growth. 

For the budding Salesforce professional, start with an entry-level cert and gradually advance to specialized or architect-level credentials to maximize your earning potential and job prospects. Take advantage as well of the job roles available to further your Salesforce career development. 3GC/Pandoblox offers numerous Salesforce jobs that can fulfill your career goals in Salesforce, whether you’re new or with considerable experience.