Salesforce Recruitment: What's trending?

In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, customer relationship management (CRM) software has become an indispensable tool for businesses.  

Salesforce has become the world’s leading CRM platform, due to its comprehensive features, powerful capabilities, and industry-specific innovations. With the increased adoption of Salesforce, demand for Salesforce expertise has soared. If you want to attract, and keep hold of, quality Salesforce talent, you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to recruiting trends and strategies. 

Have no fear, we’re here to help. 

Let’s explore the current trends in Salesforce recruitment, and examine the approaches organisations are adopting to acquire skilled Salesforce professionals, and build high-performing teams... 

1. Growing demand for Salesforce talent

As mentioned above, the demand for Salesforce professionals has skyrocketed in recent years.  

With Salesforce reporting YoY total revenue growth of 18% for 2023, and an estimated 9.3 million new Salesforce jobs by 2026, it’s hard to ignore the evidence – you’re going to have competition if you want to hire the best candidates. 

It’s important to recognise and accept that when hiring Salesforce talent, you might need to get a little creative. This trend of rising demand for talent won’t disappear any time soon. 

Focus on Salesforce are 100% dedicated to Salesforce recruitment. We can help consult on your hiring strategies, and solve any problems that arise from recruitment challenges in the current landscape. 

2. Certifications and experience

There is currently an onus on certifications and experience within the talent pool.  

As the Salesforce ecosystem expands, certifications have become a crucial factor in the recruitment process. It’s also of note to say that this is not just a challenge for the employer. As the Salesforce talent community increases in size, certifications become more saturated, so candidates are having to work harder to achieve further qualifications. This is not always easily achievable, and takes time and financial support. 

With companies placing greater importance on candidates holding Salesforce certifications, it makes those with sought after qualifications harder to attract.  

Employers are also placing emphasis on practical experience with Salesforce implementations. They are actively seeking candidates with hands-on experience in implementing and customising Salesforce solutions.  

To be able to attain Salesforce talent in a candidate-short market, you might need to get creative. You could think about hiring non-certified candidates, or those with less experience with implementations, and offer them the training and development they desire. This would be an attractive offer for many, and would garner loyalty and employee satisfaction from your new hires. 

3. Focus on 'soft skills'

While technical proficiency is important, organisations are increasingly recognising the significance of ‘soft skills’ in the Salesforce domain. Effective communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and the ability to adapt to change are sought-after in Salesforce professionals. 

Given that Salesforce teams often work closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, these skills play a vital role in successful project implementation and overall team dynamics. 

It’s important to factor this into your hiring process – don’t put all your eggs in the ‘technical’ basket. Someone with less technical proficiency, but more of the skills mentioned above, could end up being a better hire than someone who ticks all your technical skills boxes, but doesn’t have the ‘soft skills’ to meld with the team you’re building. 

4. Leveraging Salesforce communities and networks

Another trend we’re seeing within Salesforce recruitment is the use of communities and networks. Organisations are actively using these to tap into the Salesforce talent pool. 

Makes sense, right? 

You’ve got a hub of Salesforce professionals ready and waiting. Online platforms such as the Salesforce Trailblazer community (there’s even a list of available Trailblazers for hire), LinkedIn groups, and user groups provide opportunities for employers to connect with skilled professionals, share knowledge, and announce job openings.  

By engaging with these communities, companies can establish their brand presence, showcase their work culture, and attract top Salesforce talent. 

5. Retention and upskilling strategies

Attraction is only the first hurdle – employee retention is paramount to the success of your Salesforce journey.  

Organisations are implementing strategies to foster employee growth and development within the Salesforce ecosystem. This includes providing ongoing training opportunities, encouraging participation in Salesforce events and conferences, and offering opportunities to work on challenging and innovative projects. 

Furthermore, organisations are investing in internal Salesforce centres of excellence (CoEs), where experienced professionals act as mentors and provide guidance to junior team members. This would be an attractive lure for Salesforce talent, but also help you retain those key members of the team you’ve worked so hard to build. You can read more about how to get started as a CoE here. 

As the demand for Salesforce talent continues to rise, companies must stay informed about current Salesforce recruiting trends to attract and retain skilled professionals. The ecosystem is constantly evolving, so staying proactive and adaptable in your recruitment practices is vital if you want to build a skilled and thriving workforce. 

Want to stay on top of recruitment trends in the Salesforce ecosystem? Start a conversation with one of our Salesforce Recruitment Specialists today. They’re up-to-date market knowledge will give you expert insight into everything you need to know about building your Salesforce team, and leveraging the best of the Salesforce platform.