Occasionally, I speak with Salesforce Admins and they feel they’re not growing in their current position based on the mundane tasks they’re having to do. Therefore,  I wanted to share a few thoughts to help ensure you’re staying ahead of the talent curve.

I believe history often repeats itself when it comes to technology and associated skill-sets, so when the job market balances out, so will the pay scale.

• Being a Salesforce Admin when the role is scarce is exactly where you want to be, but when scarcity goes away, you’re going to need to bring something more to employers to be one step ahead of the supply curve. Being distinct, unique, and having a point of view with the analytical ability to provide valuable insight to solve interesting problems before they occur using Salesforce as the platform will be what employers will always seek out.
• As more new Salesforce Admins come into the job market since it’s considered one of the initial entry points to start, company’s may begin to turn to Admins that are at a lower salary point to do the job that you’re currently doing. Particularly, if the work being done is not industry specific, is simplistic in nature, and the training timeline to get someone up to speed is relatively short.
• The access you have to Trailheads and certifications are the same access other Admins have, so pick ones that scare you the most, are considered leading edge, might be the hardest to learn, or can potentially help you become more of an industry niche. If your current employer is not interested in innovation, work on this in your off time while thinking about a transition plan.
• As you progress in your career, begin (or continue) to build an external reputation where your expertise will be known and company’s are willing to pay “extra” for the additional skills you bring. Salesforce events, blogging and social media gives you plenty of opportunities to increase your brand awareness and to be relevant in the ecosystem.
• Each day think about: am I learning anything new, increasing my skills, or what is something genius I can bring to the table.  Thoughts like this is the value add that only you can offer, NOT just asking “what are my simplistic tasks for the day” and crossing them off one by one and calling it a day’s work.
• If you’re currently not getting the opportunities to advance, improve, learn, and skill-up, I believe you’re doing yourself a disservice for career growth, which may eventually lead to being replaced or your salary to stagnate. If your current employer is just looking for someone who is dependable and to get simple things done, that’s not all you have to offer.

Stay ahead of the curve…