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What Is a Salesforce Developer? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.
Salesforce developers tailor the Salesforce customer relationship management (CRM) platform to meet the needs of businesses or clients. Here’s what to know about a Salesforce developer’s salary, needed skills and how to become one.
What Is a Salesforce Developer?
Salesforce developers work with companies to address specific pain points through customized solutions of the popular customer relationship management platform, Salesforce.
What Do Salesforce Developers Do?
Salesforce developers adapt the Salesforce platform to each client or business, applying low-code tools and UI frameworks.
Salesforce Developer Responsibilities
- Learn about the software and tech needs of businesses and clients.
- Create customized Salesforce solutions and test software.
- Craft diagrams, flowcharts, models and other visual instructions for maintaining and improving Salesforce software.
- Determine areas where businesses can apply upgrades to their software.
- Collaborate with software developers, software engineers and other personnel to implement Salesforce solutions.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities of Salesforce Developers
- Meet with clients to understand their needs and discuss solutions.
- Design user interfaces, apps and software with Visualforce and Lightning Component Framework.
- Write code with Apex, JavaScript, Python and other languages.
- Test software and address any issues with software patches or fixes.
- Meet with software developers and other personnel to plan Salesforce solutions and share any visual instructions for completing processes.
Salesforce Developers Within a Company
When designing Salesforce solutions, Salesforce developers work with software engineers, software developers, UI designers and any other software and UI personnel. They also need to share their insights and suggestions with department leaders like engineering managers and software development managers. Sometimes Salesforce developers report to the c-suite, learning about business needs from the chief technology officer (CTO).
Importance of Salesforce Developers
Salesforce developers wield their expertise in Salesforce to tailor the CRM platform and its low-code tools to the needs of various companies and clients. This specialized knowledge is crucial to the 150,000 companies that rely on Salesforce, which is known as the top CRM platform. Without Salesforce developers, thousands of businesses would lack the ability to improve their software, apps and systems with Salesforce-based solutions.
What Skills Are Needed to Be a Salesforce Developer?
Qualifications to Be a Salesforce Developer
- Expertise working with the Salesforce platform and its various tools.
- Background in programming, software development and UI and UX design.
- Proven success in a programming and software development role.
- Experience working in a customer-facing position is a plus.
- Ability to explain technical processes to a range of audiences.
Salesforce Developer Prerequisites
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or a related field.
- At least one to two years of work experience in a programming-heavy role.
- Relevant certifications (not necessary, but helpful for career advancement).
Salesforce Developer Hard Skills
- Willingness to learn about each clients’ unique needs and pain points.
- Familiar with programming languages like JavaScript and Python.
- Expertise in main Salesforce components — Apex, Visualforce and Lightning Component Framework.
- Knowledge of UX and UI design best practices like design thinking and user-centered design.
- Skilled in testing software and making adjustments when needed.
Salesforce Developer Soft Skills
- Communication skills for working with members of software development, UI and UX design and the c-suite.
- Analytical mindset for assessing software and locating areas of improvement.
- Creative thinking for adapting the Salesforce platform to a range of client needs.
- Ability to translate niche technical concepts into understandable formats, such as models and flowcharts.
- Attention to detail for performing rigorous software testing and diagnosing issues.
Tools and Programs Salesforce Developers Use
- Programming languages like JavaScript, Java and Python.
- Salesforce elements like Apex, Visualforce and Lightning Component Framework.
- Prototyping tools like Adobe XD, Mockplus and Origami Studio.
- Automated code-testing tools like Selenium, Assure Click and QTP.
- UX design modeling tools like Whimsical, Sketch and Figma.
How to Become a Salesforce Developer
Salesforce Developer Education and Experience
Salesforce developers must earn a bachelor’s in software engineering, computer science or a related discipline. While some Salesforce developer roles are entry-level, many Salesforce developers gain at least one to two years of prior experience in roles like software engineer and software developer.
Salesforce Developer Certificates and Courses
- Coding bootcamps to enhance programming knowledge.
- Programming tutorials to better grasp certain languages.
- UX design courses and UI design courses for improving design skills.
- Design thinking courses to learn about user-friendly products.
- Leadership training programs to accelerate career advancement.
- Salesforce certifications for individual languages like JavaScript.
- Salesforce specialized certifications in areas like marketing.
Salesforce Developer Career Path
Entry-level Salesforce developers often work with a more experienced developer who provides guidance. Those who excel in this position for two years can then become mid-level Salesforce developers, who no longer require mentorship. After serving in this position for three years and demonstrating leadership abilities, these developers can then move up to the senior Salesforce developer level.
Salesforce Developer Salary and Job Outlook
Salesforce developers can expect to remain in high demand since the number of jobs for software developers and similar roles is set to increase by 25 percent between 2021 and 2031.
The full compensation package for a Salesforce developer depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average Salesforce developer salary.