Freelancing, Specialization & Securing Your Future in the Salesforce Ecosystem

Many of us are aware of the proven success of companies that offer tailored products to specific industries, such as Vlocity & nCino. But I wanted to dig deeper and find out what top talent & talent management across the global Salesforce ecosystem thinks. Specifically their thoughts on industry specialization.

And after speaking with the best in the business, here are some points to help you build your career. Or even adapt your hiring strategy.

The common questions below came out in conversation with both candidates and HR professionals...

As a candidate, should I specialise? And if so, how do I know which industry I should specialize in?

As a candidate working in the Salesforce ecosystem, you have likely seen some people in your network who specialize in a given technology. Perhaps fewer who have been able to specialize in an industry over the span of their career.

With Salesforce continuously moving towards industry-focused solutions - it is smart to consider your career choices and work out your niche. Continuing to diversify your technical skills. Given how quickly tech trends can change, you should ensure your skills are well-rounded. Whether that's as an "architect/developer/consultant"  (ex. demand of different cloud platforms or ISV products rapidly changing).

What develops at a slightly slower pace are the business challenges and processes of an entire industry. And over the years, you want to be there to experience the build-up of changes in that vertical. Looking at the market you would like to work in, and identifying which industries are in the most demand can help you decide where to specialize. This will help you to set yourself up for the best projects over the longest period of time (Ex. Living in Toronto, Canada you may want to consider FS, in most of Germany auto or manufacturing, London, UK potentially telco, etc).

As a hiring manager, how can I find talent that understands the tech, but also the unique business problems faced by my industry?

Depending on how mature the technology is in your market, you may be able to find that person with 10+ years of experience in your industry. Equally matched by that level of technical experience you want. However, if you are looking to implement a newer technology like Salesforce it could be tough to find someone with enough tech skills alone. Putting aside the industry and potentially language skills required for the job.

With all the potential the world has finally realized in remote working, it opens up the option for you to take advantage of the world's best. Working from home means you can focus on finding talent exactly in the areas you want. Over time, the candidates will catch up with the demand and there will be specialists in industry and technology... and maybe further tech specialists within a given industry. (Marketing cloud specialized candidates specializing further in a given industry). But by then, what will the next technology be that you will be trying to implement? And could the cycle start over with your local talent pool?

By leveraging your global network (or finding a partner whose global network you can leverage)... you should be able to position yourself to find the best talent. For the tech you want to bring in, and in the industry you are playing in.

Ok, let's say I find this remote rock-star in another country we do not typically operate in, how can I get them onboard?

No matter where you are in the world and no matter where the candidate may be, there is always a way to get them to provide their services to you as a freelancer. And as much as you may save on hiring permanent staff the best in the business tend to value freelancers.

As an agent, of course, financially it makes more sense for us to place freelancers. However, better for us, better financial gain for the candidate and more value provided to you sounds like an all-around win-win-win to me.

Should I become a freelancer?

A freelance career making a nice day rate that can double your salary, being your own boss, and choosing the projects you want to work on sounds like a dream, yes.

However, over time, the ability for a more generalist freelancer to charge a premium rate will decrease. This is true in a world where remote work is less common and has become exponentially more true in the remote world we live in today.

- Identifying what you would like your specialization to be.

- Making a plan to achieve this earlier in your career.

- Building a network to increase your visibility in the community you will work in.

Will all contribute to the foundation of you making a comfortable transition to the freelancing world.

As a specialist technology staffing partner, MA provide staffing solutions and career opportunities to people across Europe. Learn more about our work in Salesforce or speak with our team, our consultants are ready to help.