Here’s how to prepare for your Salesforce Field Service Certification and pass
The way we conduct business is evolving. From increasing customer expectations to digital transformation and the growth of mobile workforces, it’s important to keep a pulse on what’s next and prepare as organizations — and professionals — to evolve with it.
Platforms like Salesforce have managed to connect the dots between companies and customers for years, continually looking for innovative ways to improve the role technology plays in those connections. But to be truly useful, good software requires talented people at the helm.
This means that there is an increasing need for a highly-trained, tech-capable workforce proficient in Salesforce technology, especially in rapidly growing areas like field service management.
As a Salesforce Service Cloud partner focused on Field Service, our team at Empodio has had its share of experience preparing for, passing, and applying the Salesforce Field Service (SFS) Certification in a professional context. And we hope to do what we can to support the growth of the Salesforce ecosystem. Which is why on October 22nd, a group of Empodio team members at various stages in their Salesforce learning roadmap, sat down virtually with a number of Pi-TaP.com participants to share some helpful tips and tricks how-tos as they prepare for the SFS exam.
Here’s why joining the Salesforce Ohana could be the right move for you and a few how-tos to help you ace your SFS Certification.
A thriving ecosystem with unlimited potential
The Salesforce ecosystem is thriving. As the world’s reigning #1 customer relationship management (CRM) solution, capturing nearly 20% of the CRM market, Salesforce-related careers are in high demand.
In only a matter of a few years, CRM tech jobs secured their spots in competitive job market. In 2019, Indeed listed Salesforce Developer as #10 on its list of “The Best Jobs in the U.S. for 2019”, while two of the top 10 jobs on LinkedIn state Salesforce as a top skill: #3. Enterprise Account Executive and #6. Customer Success Manager on its “Most Promising Jobs of 2019.”
With great demand, comes even greater earning potential. On average, a Salesforce Administrator Salary begins at $66,000 per year, with salaries for a Salesforce Consultant or a Salesforce Developer beginning around $83,000 annually. Not bad.
So here are some tidbits from our team to help you pass your SFS Certification and increase your career potential.
Start with Trailhead
Whether you have previous Salesforce Field Service experience or not, Trailhead provides pathways and other resources to get you started or to level-up your skills. If you’re already preparing for your SFS exam, then you are no stranger to Trailhead. But in case you need a refresher, Trailhead is a learning experience platform—a library of educational content that permits you to learn new Salesforce skills at your own pace.
From the official Trailmix by Salesforce, to free webinars and custom Trailmixes like this one by Raja Kondreddy, Trailhead is an essential piece of the SFS puzzle.
Technical guides for a deeper understanding
Technical guides are far from recreational reading, but they can help you form a deeper understanding of the toolset.
Take the SFS Implementation Guide. It’s 350 pages of in-depth technical material, but the limitations and tips sections will most definitely come up on your exam. Try printing the guide out in small sections to make the material easier to digest. Business Analyst Alex Bitar, recommends opening Trailhead to the playground environment while reading your guide to put it into practice for a more hands-on learning approach. Alex says this will create a stronger connection between the instructions and the practical application.
And if you want a greater understanding of how data flows throughout the application, check out the Field Service Developer Guide.
Don’t be afraid of failure
If at first you don’t succeed, treat the failed exam as a practice test. There isn’t an official practice exam, so when Abdul Ibrahim, Business Analyst, didn’t pass his Service Cloud Certification on his first go-round, he used the experience to guide his study practices for his next try. By taking a look at what went well, what didn’t, and thinking about how he can improve, Abdul revisited his materials with a fresh approach. And he succeeded.
Luckily, if you’re preparing for your SFS Certification, that means you’ve already successfully achieved your Service Cloud Certification. So take a deep breath because you’ve jumped a major hurdle. The Salesforce Field Service exam is a small bump in comparison.
Find your groove
As with any test, you need to find the study habits that work best for you. Maybe you’re a crammer or prefer to digest small bits of information at a time. Perhaps silence helps you focus. Or would you prefer to turn on some tunes?
Whatever it is, find dedicated time to commit to studying. Recently certified, Thirth Patel recommends scheduling your study time on your calendar. Being aware of your ideal cadence and environment can ensure you schedule your exam accordingly, giving yourself the right amount of time to prepare.
Learn from your community
If you haven’t noticed already, the Salesforce ecosystem is extremely supportive. From the Partner Community to Office Hours to LinkedIn Groups and everything in between, lean on the community for help. You won’t be disappointed.
There are also organizations like PiTap.com (Positively Impacting Teens and Parents) that strive to be a catalyst for positive change by helping their participants launch careers in the technology industry. By offering professional development for in-demand workforce skills, young people, regardless of their existing experience level, can successfully pass the certification test to become a Salesforce Administrator and not only qualify for a job in tech, but ultimately achieve their potential.
We too have created pathways for green talent to develop the necessary skills to be assets to our company and our clients. Naturally, sharing these pathways with organizations like Pi-TaP.com seems like a natural way for us to support the growth of the next generation of Salesforce Field Service professionals.
So that’s what we did.
Interested in other helpful resources our team uses to prepare? Connect with us.