According to the IDC, there will be 9.3 million new Salesforce jobs by 2026. A prior study evaluating job postings between 2013 and 2018 showed that nearly half a million job postings required at least one Salesforce skill. Salesforce is committed to supporting beginners to Salesforce as they establish themselves as Salesforce professionals. With the Salesforce Associate certification, you’ll validate your understanding of what Salesforce is and does. You’ll also learn the importance of CRM and the Customer 360 Platform.
Salesforce Associate Certification
An entry-level credential designed for Trailblazers who are new to Salesforce.
What is the Salesforce Salesforce Associate certification?
The Salesforce Associate certification is an entry-level credential designed for Trailblazers who are new to Salesforce (0-6 months of Salesforce experience) and who are invested in understanding and using the Salesforce Customer 360 Platform.
Salesforce Professional certifications, on the other hand, are designed for Trailblazers with a broad range of professional experience and knowledge, skills, and abilities in a specific Salesforce role.
The Salesforce Associate certification does not require maintenance. Instead, certified individuals continue on their learning journey to help them explore Salesforce job roles, career paths, and professional certification offerings.
This certification can help propel new Trailblazers to a career in the Salesforce ecosystem. It validates foundational Salesforce knowledge and helps individuals discover which Salesforce career path they want to follow.
How to become a Salesforce Certified Associate
A Certified Salesforce Associate has a fundamental understanding of how an integrated CRM platform solves the challenge of connecting departments and customer data. It’s also beneficial to have a working knowledge of reporting, user administration, sharing, customization, and data management at a foundational level. There is no technical expertise required.
The Salesforce Associate certification exam is for those with up to 6 months of Salesforce user experience and who want to demonstrate skills in the following areas:
- How the CRM platform solves the challenge of connecting departments and customer data
- How Salesforce Customer 360 can solve business challenges
- Key Salesforce Platform terms
- Fundamental functionality in the current version of Salesforce at a foundational level, such as requirements gathering, reporting, security, sharing, customization, and data management
Why this certification matters
If you’re new to Salesforce, it may be challenging to identify which career path is right for you. The Salesforce Associate certification provides an opportunity to build a Salesforce foundation and begin your certification journey, without committing to a particular career path right away.
While preparing for this certification, you’ll better understand how Salesforce functions and which career path interests you most. Prove your skills, build confidence, and kick-start your certification journey as a Salesforce Certified Associate.
Trailblazer and Salesforce MVP Lizz Hellinga shared her excitement for a certification designed for those who are just starting their Salesforce journey. She sees value in this credential for two main reasons.
“Firstly, having a high-level understanding of Salesforce is important for many jobs. Not everyone is going to become a Salesforce Administrator but everyone needs Salesforce skills. This fills a gap that was missing.”
“Secondly, this is a great stepping stone for those who are planning to sit for the Salesforce Administrator exam once they have more experience. I teach an ‘Intro to Salesforce’ course at City Colleges with Rebe de la Paz and this Associate exam will help keep our students engaged while they explore a career in Salesforce. They may even be able to get a job that includes the usage of Salesforce because of this cert.”
“The Salesforce Associate certification is a valuable first step for anyone looking to add Salesforce skills to their resume.” — Lizz Hellinga, Trailblazer and MVP
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Ready to kick-start your certification journey?
- Prepare for your Salesforce Associate certification exam with the exam guide
- Complete the Salesforce Associate certification preparation trailmix. Use this guided path to learn the key concepts you’ll need to demonstrate your skills and earn your certification.
- Join the Trailblazer Community, where you can collaborate with others and find support. Get help on the trail, join a study group, and connect with Trailblazers from around the globe with similar experiences as you.
- When you’re ready, schedule your exam at a test center or online. You’ve got this!
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