What Is a Salesforce Administrator? And How to Become One

What is Salesforce?

Salesforce is a company that designs cloud-based software to help businesses generate more leads, close more deals, drive sales, track and analyse data, and offer superior customer service. Salesforce provides a suite of products called Customer 360 that connects sales, service, marketing, IT, and commerce under one system so that everyone within an organisation can access customer information and use it to perform duties. 

Did you know?

According to Statista, Salesforce generated over $26 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2022, increasing by over $21 billion since 2015. Statista predicts that CRM software will generate over $120 billion in revenue by 2027 [1, ].

What is a Salesforce administrator?

A Salesforce administrator has passed a certifying exam and is qualified to serve as an advisor for getting the most out of the Salesforce CRM platform. Salesforce administrators typically work with company stakeholders to customise the platform, support users, and forge a connection between business and technology. 

What does a Salesforce administrator do?

A Salesforce administrator’s role is multifaceted. Below is a list of tasks you might be responsible for as a Salesforce admin: 

• Creating dashboards for individual users  

• Staying current on new Salesforce tools, capabilities, and updates

• Maintaining the platform

• Fixing bugs

• Training users

• Automating processes

• Setting up workflows  

• Integrating third-party apps 

Salesforce administrator jobs

The Salesforce platform has many uses, and Salesforce administrators can work in various industries, including healthcare, legal services, construction, insurance, human resources, non-profit organisations, and government.  

According to Payscale, as of May 2024, the UK's average base Salesforce administrator salary is £33,841. The salary range is around £24,000 to £48,000, depending upon experience. Bonuses can range from about £515 to £6,000, and profit sharing can be up to £450 [3].

Roles related to Salesforce administrator include: 

• Salesforce architect: Partners with businesses to translate their needs into a technical solution and design data models for integrating Salesforce 

• Salesforce developer: Writes software on the Salesforce platform and is responsible for building and modifying applications 

How to become a Salesforce administrator

If you’re ready to explore a career as a Salesforce administrator, follow the steps below to unlock more possibilities along your career path. 

1. Gain experience using Salesforce.

Gaining experience with this platform can enhance your skills and demonstrate your job readiness to employers. Gain Salesforce experience by: 

• Taking Salesforce courses, such as the Salesforce Sales Operations Professional Certificate

• Getting a Salesforce internship or entry-level job

• Joining an online Salesforce community, such as Trailhead, Salesforce’s learning platform, and connecting with other Salesforce professionals 

2. Pass the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam.

To be considered for most Salesforce administrator positions, you will need to pass the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam. This exam tests your skills in configuration and setup, using the object manager, lightning app builder, sales and marketing applications, and more. 

3. Apply for Salesforce administrator jobs.

As you gain experience and become a Salesforce certified administrator, the next step is looking for jobs and applying. To focus your efforts, you can start by identifying your career goals and the kind of lifestyle you want.

Then, scour job sites like Glassdoor and Indeed to discover job openings. Review each Salesforce administrator job description carefully to determine if the tasks, responsibilities, required qualifications, and salary align with your career goals. Make sure your CV is up-to-date with your experience, certifications, and skills. 

Get started with Coursera.

Taking online courses can be a great way to build skills related to Salesforce administration and explore career options. Explore the Salesforce Sales Operations Professional Certificate and learn the platform's functionality. 

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