5 steps for Salesforce Professionals to get that dream job Written by Alice Karagyozyan

We are living in special times. Medical, economic, political and environmental climate are no doubt affected. And although the world has slowed down, it has not and cannot stop moving. As a specialist Salesforce consultant, here is my humble contribution to all of you Salesforce heroes, who are thinking about or already in process of taking the leap for a new job, a better future:

You are one step away from taking your career to the next level - a new Salesforce adventure. This could very well be you dream job! You may be thinking to yourself – I’ve done this long enough, I know what I can and cannot do, there is no need to prepare. I’ll just wing it… Right?

Wrong! Regardless of your experience, whether you are junior or senior in the field, have interviewed a few months or years ago - interviews are stressful situations. Think about it - we are forced to interact with (very likely) strangers and still present ourselves at our best. It’s almost like going to a blind date. It’s completely natural to feel nervous. It’s also equally natural that it could impact your performance – you get confused, forget things you wanted to mention, give too much detail or not enough.

Please don’t panic about it. Like anything in life, practice makes perfect! And I’m here to guide you through some simple steps that will allow you to reveal your skills and expertise, and most importantly your unique personality in a professional way that will impress your future employer.

1. Research the company

Browse their website. Check out their social media pages - LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, as well as their Glassdoor/kununu page. You want to be able to articulate what they do, what they stand for – their values, who they are as a business, and why you want to join them specifically. Do the same with the interviewers if you know who they will be. If you know people who already work there – reach out to them and ask them for advice, recommendations, and inside info.

It sounds obvious I know, but from my experience, candidates rarely pay enough attention to it and unfortunately on many occasions is the exact difference between getting the job and being rejected.  

Having this information is important for 2 main reasons; 1– you want to know what you will be getting into right? You will be spending an average of at least 8 hours with these people and you want to make sure they are a good bunch. 2– it shows them you spent time and effort to get to know them and that your interest and investment are genuine.

2. Storytelling

When talking about yourself, listing skills is just not good enough anymore. What you need to focus on is talking about the specific value you and your expertise bring to the business. Employers like people who know how their valuable experiences apply and can impact their organisation – both quantitatively and qualitatively. Sounds complicated? It isn’t. Again, it all boils down to preparing in advance. Many fail because they get lost in their own stories. Especially when you have a lot of examples to choose from, often it becomes hard to remember even one specific one. 

You always want to have 2-3 relevant key achievements ready to go. Keep it short and sweet. Describe the type of project, its scale (team size, geographies, etc.), the problem that needed to be solved, your role and responsibilities in it, what measures you undertook and the outcome. Try to keep it down to approximately 2 mins timeframe. Once you finish – ask the interviewers if they want you to go into more detail or not. This will help keep it more conversational and will allow to stay focused.

When in doubt – lean into the STAR method. It provides a simple structure that if followed correctly guarantees you a sharp, to the point answer.

3. Convey your energy and passion

Sounds cheesy, but it’s important and effective. Why? Excitement, just like laughter is contagious. Being able to enthusiastically express what you enjoy most in your work and why (especially how it aligns with the organisation’s vision), says a lot about what you bring to the table and can easily be what sets you apart from other candidates.

Given the opportunity, remember to mention what moves you outside of work as well. Especially when it comes to passions that are related to paying it forward or giving back to your community. This allows your future employer to get to know you a bit better and see how you’re making a difference - not only at the workplace but outside as well.

4. Ask questions. Show your curiosity. Challenge them

Be aware that the quality of your questions speaks loudly about you. You have already done the research, so it should be easy. One of the best ways to build a connection and show them you are serious about becoming part of their organisation is asking in-depth questions about their short- and long-term goals, and strategies to get there. Don’t be afraid to throw them some curve balls and identifying their pain points. Use the information to show them how you can help in fixing them.

5. Ohana attitude

We all know Salesforce communities are special, so feel free to reveal your willingness to share. Regardless of your specific role or position, you are still going to be part of a team, which means you will be interacting with colleagues and impacting them. Don’t be shy to show you are open to and enjoy collaboration, leading by example and learning from others. These qualities are universally appreciated highly in the Salesforce ecosystem, which only makes is another great reason to be part of it!

Most of the great Salesforce experts I am already working with and know me, would have probably already heard this from me, but hey! Practice makes perfect!

If you have any questions or doubts, feel free to reach out to me - Always happy to help the Salesforce community to reach their next potential.

Email me – a.karagyozyan@MontrealAssociates.com
Call me - +49 69 9675 8449