Essential Salesforce Developer Skills to Look for When Hiring

Are you looking to hire a Salesforce developer for your company? Due to increasing demands of Salesforce professionals, it is a challenging process to find the most eligible candidate. The skill set of a Salesforce developer is one of the most important considerations while hiring one. A good Salesforce developer can indeed be the best or worst thing for the success of your business on the Salesforce platform. In this blog, we shall discuss the most important skills to look for in a Salesforce developer to avoid recruiting the wrong fit.

Essential Salesforce Developer Skills

1. Apex Programming

The Salesforce developer must be an expert in Apex programming competency when recruited. A key programming language in Salesforce is Apex, and a good developer must be fluent in this.

It is expected that an expert Apex developer must write code that is effective, addresses the business needs and adheres to standards. It includes Apex class, Apex trigger and Apex controller. Additionally, Apex test class for proper code coverage. They must be Apex experienced with both REST and SOAP for interfacing with external systems. It is also important to comprehend governor limits and how to code the program so that it operates within those limits.

Seek for experienced developers adept in Salesforce API and who know how object-oriented programming works. Troubleshooting and debugging Apex code is also a necessary skill to ensure smooth operations.

2. Visualforce

Hence, the hiring of a Salesforce developer should be based on his or her capability to employ Visualforce. This is an equally powerful framework that enables developers to develop customer-specific user interfaces on a sales force that makes user interaction easier. The VisualForce developer should have good knowledge of the framework to be able to create visually appealing and easy to use interfaces.

They must know how to make Visualforce pages, components, and controllers, and also make use of both standard and custom Visualforce tags. They should also have hands-on experience of incorporating Visualforce with other components such as Apex and SOQL. Moreover, it is necessary to have a familiarity with HTML, CSS and JavaScript in order to make interactive Visualforce pages.

When assessing candidates, focus on individuals who show their competency in developing captivating and intuitive Visualforce interfaces. They should also be able to pick the right design that will go alongside your company’s branding and ensure good user experience.

With an experienced Visualforce developer in place in your team, your Salesforce platform will not only be operative but also visually presentable and easy to use for improved user experience and adoption in your organization.

3. Lightning Components

For those seeking a Salesforce developer, it’s essential to look for someone conversant with Lightning Components. This framework is crucial in the creation of dynamic and interactive user interfaces on Salesforce. An experienced Lightning Components Developer should know how to use the Aura framework along with all the principles and aspects of component based development.

This way, they can create flexible and reusable components that work with the Lightning design system. The other requirements are that they should have experience with combining Lightning Components with Apex as well as Visualforce tools in Salesforce.

Ensure that the chosen candidates are capable of creating intriguing and visually attractive Lightning Components when evaluated. Besides, they should have a good vision with respect to design as well as user experience.

This is why getting a Lightning Component developer is important because it helps you to create a good user interface which will improve user engagement and productivity in your Salesforce platform.

4. Data Modeling

An expert Salesforce developer must have in their possession, data modeling. It entails organizing the architecture of your Salesforce data in a way that is relevant to your company’s requirements and operations. An experienced developer must grasp the data model of Salesforce completely and have the capability of designing robust and scalable data structures.

They must have a good handle on creating custom objects, fields and relationship types and the different field types available in Salesforce. Therefore, they need to be conversant with data validation rules, and workflow in addition to process builder for accuracy and automation.

The other skill possessed by a good data modeler is the ability to create indexes in order to optimize data access and retrieve data. Additionally, data model designs can affect the performance and therefore the data modeler should understand the implications.

Consider candidates who have the talent to produce a neat and effective data framework during selection. Data modeling also includes data migration and data integration, and, therefore, they should have knowledge of these issues.

Ensure your Salesforce platform is capable of storing, managing and using the data from your organization by having a developer with very strong data modeling skills.

5. SOQL and SOSL

Therefore, while looking for a Salesforce developer, a person should consider someone knowledgeable of SOQL and SOSL. Query languages are important to retrieve and maneuver data in the Salesforce platform. An experienced developer must know how to write queries in SOQL and SOSL efficiently and optimally.

They should be able to retrieve records from multiple objects through relationship queries, and filter, sort or limit the data they receive. In addition, it should be the case that they have a working knowledge of aggregate functions like COUNT or SUM for analyzing data.

Moreover, an expert should learn to use SOSL to conduct a full text search across all the objects, for the user to easily locate the required information.

Consider the candidates’ ability to write SOQL and SOSL queries in a more complicated manner when evaluating them. They should also be able to know how to improve queries for a given statement and reduce in number of queries executed.

A good SOQL/SOSL developer will help your Salesforce platform retrieve and present data well enough for your organization to make correct business decisions.

6. Salesforce Lightning Framework

Lightning framework by Salesforce is a real breakthrough for developers. This is a great tool that is employed to make user friendly interfaces for Salesforce. Lightning allows developers to create contemporary applications with improved user interaction, making them relevant to everyday activities.

Lightning framework and particularly Aura framework are skills of a good Salesforce developer. This means that they should have a great knowledge on component-based development and create customized, responsive, modular, and reusable Lightning Components. The utilization of Lighting Components allows developers to streamline user experience and faster work.

It is imperative to ensure that those being hired in a Salesforce developer position can show examples of developing interesting yet visually appealing Lightning Components. Designers need to possess an excellent creative eye and an in-depth knowledge of UX principles. Your Salesforce platform will only get better if you have someone with Salesforce Lightning expertise. This will provide your users with an up-to-date and user friendly platform.

7. Integration Skills

Successful sales force developers must possess integration skills. Maximizing the potential of Salesforce as a strong platform depends on the extent of integration with outside systems. Seek potential Salesforce developers possessing proficiency in diverse integration approaches like REST and SOAP web services.

The best developer should easily integrate Salesforce with other systems, creating an effortless transfer of data or sharing information. They must be well versed in integration models and procedures, and have hands on with middleware and ETL tools.

Secondly, you need to consider developers with experience in integrating Salesforce with such applications as Microsoft Outlook, Google Suite and social media networks. This way, you can get all the potential offered by Salesforce with simplified workflows and increased efficiency.

A developer with great integration capabilities can help automate processes, manage data, and enhance productivity across your business.

8. Salesforce DX

The Salesforce DX (developer experience) refers to a package of tools developed to help improve the development process within the Salesforce platform. It offers a modern and contemporary way in which developers can build, test, and deploy their applications.

An experienced Salesforce developer must possess knowledge in Salesforce DX with the aim of enhancing the development flow. They should master Salesforce CLI to perform operations like automating activities, configuring metadata as well and deployment of changes. Furthermore, they must understand version control such as Git and the ability to work properly in a team of programmers.

Moreover, an experienced Salesforce DX developer should know about Scratch Org, as it is a lightweight and disposable environment for development and testing. It is important for them to understand what Scratch Orgs are created and configured to resemble production environments before pushing out the necessary modifications.

A developer who has knowledge of Salesforce DX will ensure that your organization enjoys an easier and more agile process. This enhances teamwork, expedites implementations, and increases code quality resulting in a successful Salesforce rollout in your firm.

9. Testing and Debugging

A Salesforce developer should have basic skills in testing and debugging. However, even the best software is not free from bugs which can always show up. They are expected to identify and correct the bugs quickly, making the system work properly.

Ensure that when choosing the candidates, you go for those with sufficient knowledge of writing and implementing comprehensive test cases. Unit testing and integration testing should be done in that case by using tools such as Salesforce’s own Apex Test Framework.

In addition, a qualified developer should be well equipped with good debugging skills. They must be good at debugging and using tools like Salesforce developer console or Lightning inspector to identify problems and provide appropriate solutions.

Effective testing and debugging are based on a well defined attention to detail, as well as problem solving orientation. Search for developers that can show you how they have overcome large issues and designed strong solutions for them.

Hiring a Salesforce developer with great testing and debugging skills will guarantee the stability, integrity, and overall satisfaction of users through their engagement with the Salesforce system.

10. Salesforce Certifications

Salesforce certification is an official title Salesforce awards to those who know some aspects of Salesforce’s ecosystem. These certifications are critical evidence for an employer when recruiting salesforce.

Salesforce has many certifications that focus on different areas like development, administration, implementation and specialized solutions. Some common Salesforce certifications include:

1. Salesforce Certified Administrator: It is the validation of the capability to configure as well as administrate the Salesforce settings.
2. Salesforce Certified Platform Developer: This shows the ability to develop custom apps on the Salesforce platform such as Apex and Visualforce.
3. Salesforce Certified Sales Cloud Consultant: Shows the ability to put into use as well as improve Sales Cloud solutions for business.
4. Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant: Enthusiastic about the knowledge of using and operating upon Service Cloud components and parameters.
5. Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Email Specialist: Demonstrates competency in email marketing under the Marketing Cloud suite.
6. Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator: The advanced certification indicates an understanding of advanced Salesforce management concepts in detail.

Certification helps a developer prove that he strives for self-improvement, and understands what is happening in the Salesforce world. Organizations hiring professionals need lookout for the certifications that meet their demands as well as the developer position. These certifications play a significant role when determining whether the developer is competent enough and prepared to work on a Salesforce project.

Soft Skills Essential for a Successful Salesforce Developer

A successful Salesforce developer needs soft skills, which are non-technical attributes. The teamwork skills equip one to work as part of the team, solving problems, and communicate with external stakeholders. Here are some soft skills essential for a Salesforce developer:

1. Communication: Communication should be clear and effective while one gathers requirements, explains technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, and works within one team.
2. Problem-Solving: As sales force developers tend to face sophisticated issues, which involve innovative problem solving as well as troubleshooting skills.
3. Adaptability: As technology changes fast in the tech industry, one should be ready to change and learn new technologies.
4. Attention to Detail: Careless errors in code, and configuration result in severe outcomes.
5. Teamwork: Developers often cooperate with administrators and business analysts. That’s why one needs to be a good worker for project success.
6. Time Management: Time management and meeting deadlines while handling more than one task effectively are necessary in a fast-paced environment.
7. Customer Focus: For customer satisfaction, it is paramount to understand the demands of the end-users and offer solutions towards the same.
8. Critical Thinking: For instance, salesforce developers have to analyse complicated issues and come up with a solution based on a data driven approach.
9. Conflict Resolution: The ability to resolve conflicts constructively is very important in collaborating environments.
10. Leadership: However, it is not always an essential one because taking the initiative and guiding a project or a team might also be useful.

Soft skills go hand in hand with technical skill, ensuring that the sales force become efficient and holistic. These are the key elements that enable the execution of projects successfully, satisfying clients and maintaining good team spirit.

Conclusion

One thing is crucial to successful Salesforce implementations – hiring of Salesforce developers. The technical proficiency of these developers should be able to cater for Apex programming, Lightning components and data modeling. They also need soft skills like good communication and problem-solving skills.

Salesforce certifications assure you that the developer is proficient and prepared enough to contribute to its Salesforce projects. Companies are advised to prioritize skills and qualifications while hiring Salesforce developers so that they can form a winning team that is capable of customizing as well as optimizing their Salesforce environment.

Frеquеntly Askеd Quеstions

1. What are Salesforce’s technical skills?

Technical competence in Salesforce is the capacity to do things with Salesforce, a CRM. These skills include knowledge of apex programming, visual force, lightning components, data modeling, and integration. Customization and development of solutions on the platform that fulfill particular business requirements is dependent on salesforce technical skills.

2. What makes a good Salesforce developer?

An excellent Salesforce developer has technical expertise in areas such as Apex, Visualforce, and Lightning components. They also understand data modeling and integration. Soft skills such as communication, problem solving, and adaptation are also essential. Lastly, certification of salesforce and updated with the changes gives developers a picture of a rounded and competent one.

3. Is Salesforce an IT skill?

Yes, salesforce can be viewed as an IT competency. Working with customer relationship management platforms commonly known as salesforce, which professionals with salesforce skills apply to customise, develop and manage several information technology problems and apps.