You’ve seen the commercials that say “America Runs on Dunkin”? It’s clever marketing, but possibly an overstatement given the number of people who either don’t eat donuts, or prefer Krispy Kreme. On the other hand, if I were to say, “American companies run on Salesforce,” I’d be on firm ground. For that matter, if I said, “Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme both run on Salesforce” I’d be 100% correct – go ahead, fact check me! Among the Fortune 500, 80% of companies use Salesforce for customer relationship management software (CRM.) At the same time, 45,000 small businesses and 37,000 medium-sized businesses use Salesforce. The point is, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a business that uses Salesforce. This presents a huge and growing opportunity to find a well-paid career without a college degree.
The reason we LOVE Salesforce so much is because of their business model to “land and expand” inside their customers. Once companies implement this software, they’re hooked. It’s no exaggeration – companies change their customer engagement strategies and business processes to leverage the power of this software and the business results keep them addicted. As businesses become increasingly reliant on Salesforce, they expand into new features and modules to stay efficient and competitive. As companies continue to invest in new Salesforce capabilities, they need skilled people who can implement, manage, and customize the software. Another reason we LOVE this career? Do yourself a favor and google “Agentic AI.” Long story short, we believe it will be the #1 MOST disruptive technology this decade, and Salesforce is positioned to be THE leader.
Benefits of a Salesforce Administrator Career
High Demand for Salesforce Skills
In today’s digital age, businesses of all sizes are adopting Salesforce to streamline their sales, marketing, and customer service processes. This has created a tremendous demand for skilled Salesforce professionals who can effectively manage and optimize the platform. As of the latest writing of this article, Linkedin alone has 656 job listings matching “salesforce administrator.”
Lucrative Salary Potential
One of the most appealing aspects of a Salesforce Administrator career is the potential for a lucrative salary. According to industry reports, Salesforce Administrators earn competitive salaries, with the average annual income ranging from $70,000 to $120,000.
Opportunities for Career Growth and Advancement
As a Salesforce Administrator, you become a critical part of your employer’s technology team. This opens up doors for career growth and advancement, with possibilities to specialize in areas such as Salesforce development, architecture, or consultancy. Another thing that we LOVE about Salesforce is their vast “ecosystem.” This is essentially a large network of THOUSANDS of technology companies with software applications that integrate with Salesforce to provide complementary functionality. As you master Salesforce, over time, you open yourself to new career options within the large and growing Salesforce ecosystem. The point is, this isn’t just an opportunity to make great money administering Salesforce – these THOUSANDS of software companies are hungry for talent.
Steps to Become a Qualified Salesforce Administrator
Becoming a qualified Salesforce Administrator can be done without a college degree. In a survey done on Linkedin in 2023, 70% of respondents valued certifications over college degrees for Salesforce roles. Today, less than 60% of these roles require a degree and by the year 2027, that number will be less than 50%. Consider this: of the 656 jobs posted on Linkedin, roughly 263 of these roles do NOT require a degree today. Let’s look at the key steps you can take to gain the necessary qualifications and skills.
Salesforce Certifications
Salesforce offers a range of certifications that validate your skills and expertise as a Salesforce Administrator. The best and only place to start is the Salesforce Certified Administrator certification, which demonstrates your proficiency in configuring, customizing, and managing the Salesforce platform.
Self-study and Online Resources
Utilize the abundance of online resources available to learn the fundamentals of Salesforce. Platforms like Trailhead offer free, self-paced modules and trails that cover various aspects of Salesforce administration.
Online Education Options for Salesforce Certification
There are several reputable online platforms that offer comprehensive courseware for Salesforce certification, tailored to cater to both beginners as well as experienced professionals.
- Options
- Coursera: Coursera offers a ‘Salesforce Administrator Certification Practice Tests and Course’ that prepares you for the certification exam with mock tests and in-depth course material.
- Simplilearn: Their ‘Salesforce Administrator & App Builder Certification Training’ aims at imparting practical skills through projects and simulation tests.
- Edureka: Edureka’s ‘Salesforce Certification Training: Admin 201 and App Builder’ course includes interactive learning with assignments and quizzes, ensuring a thorough understanding of the platform.
- Udemy: While these are all good options, Udemy offers the highest-rated salesforce admin trainings available. Created by Mike Wheeler and others, The Complete Salesforce Certified Administrator Course + AI is acclaimed for being the most in-depth and current training available. With a 4.5 star rating from over 36K ratings and over 164K students, this training is the gold standard.
Gaining Practical Experience
While studying and obtaining certifications are important, gaining practical experience is equally crucial. Look for volunteer opportunities, projects, or internships where you can apply your knowledge and work with real-world Salesforce implementations.
Let’s do this
Becoming a Salesforce Administrator can be a rewarding career choice for non-degree professionals. The high demand for Salesforce skills, lucrative salary potential, and opportunities for growth make this one of our favorite no-degree careers. By taking advantage of online resources, gaining practical experience, and obtaining Salesforce certifications, you can set yourself on a path to success in this growing space.
Start Now: The Complete Salesforce Certified Administrator Course + AI