Salesforce coding lessons for the 99%Finally, Apex tutorials for point-and-click admins! Written by a self-taught Google engineer.
Salesforce coding lessons for the 99%
THANK YOU for spending your weekend to talk Salesforce with me – I wish success to you all!
We covered 229 questions over 3.5 hours and three bottles of Guinness… whew!
Here’s the full transcript plus links to each specific question. Hope you enjoy!
0:00:00 – Am I live?
0:02:57 – Where is Salesforce DevOps heading?
0:03:51 – Do US companies hire remote positions from outside the US?
0:04:55 – How to make a good impression on recruiting teams?
0:06:29 – How to get visa sponsorship with Salesforce?
0:07:16 – 44 years old and out of the workforce – how to get a job as a Salesforce admin?
0:09:02 – Which programming languages should I learn as a Salesforce developer?
0:09:49 – What are some Salesforce developer practice projects?
0:10:42 – What is the most impressive project you’ve seen from somebody?
0:11:35 – How do you get experience before getting your first job?
0:12:00 – SUPERCHAT: How should someone outside the US get a remote position in the US?
0:14:40 – SUPERCHAT: What made you fall in love with Salesforce? Did you find the tech impressive?
0:16:43 – SUPERCHAT: What do you think about the Slack acquisition?
0:18:32 – SUPERCHAT: How should a developer transition into UX design?
0:20:00 – What are common mistakes on resumes?
0:20:55 – Will admin / dev hybrids still be relevant in 5 years time?
0:22:00 – Are flows blurring the lines between admins and devs?
0:23:10 – Admin manager path vs dev path?
0:24:08 – How easy is it to change from a Salesforce specific to a non-Salesforce specific role at FAANG companies?
0:24:45 – SUPERCHAT: Is LWC / Einstein better than admin / dev hybrid?
0:26:07 – SUPERCHAT: As a developer, should you pursue consultant certs?
0:27:52 – SUPERCHAT: Thank you for your help over the years!
0:28:20 – How often do you use Trailhead?
0:30:01 – I’m struggling to learn development. Should I stick to being an admin?
0:31:20 – What are your hobbies (non-tech)?
0:32:00 – What is the minimum amount of time you should stay at a company?
0:33:25 – How important are Trailhead badges?
0:34:00 – Who’s better Hobbs or Shaw?
0:34:23 – How’s the long term career of a Salesforce QA person?
0:36:00 – How much of a pay increase should you ask for after getting PD1?
0:37:24 – Can a 40 year old jump into the Salesforce industry?
0:37:53 – Is a release manager a good role in the Salesforce industry?
0:38:46 – SUPERCHAT: What makes a good remote developer?
0:41:06 – What do companies look for professionals from other countries?
0:42:17 – Apex vs flows? When to avoid flows?
0:43:10 – Are Salesforce developer jobs in demand in the US?
0:44:05 – Will you ever open up your own consultancy?
0:45:01 – How did you become a Salesforce MVP?
0:46:18 – Thoughts on the new Trailblazer community design?
0:47:25 – Thank you for being so honest!
0:48:53 – What are your thoughts on Vlocity as a career?
0:50:07 – I’m a 27 year old SQL developer. Should I become a Salesforce developer?
0:51:27 – SUPERCHAT: Should devs identify with a managed package (CPQ, Vlocity, etc)?
0:52:25 – Mac or PC?
0:53:30 – Can you get a good Salesforce job without a degree?
0:55:20 – Should I get PD1 or the Javascript certification next?
0:56:42 – What can I do better to not get rejected by recruiters?
0:58:20 – How to get your resume to stand out without experience?
0:59:13 – What is the future of devs as Salesforce moves towards low / no code?
1:00:55 – How do you balance work and family?
1:01:25 – Should I go for the CTA cert?
1:02:10 – Should I go for the Australian market or US / Canada?
1:03:20 – Do more certs add value to your resume?
1:03:50 – Has your YouTube video caused problems on your job?
1:04:25 – SUPERCHAT: Why don’t you recommend Salesforce for younger people?
1:06:14 – Captain Sinbad
1:05:25 – Do you manage devs and architects?
1:06:31 – Is learning Python useful for Salesforce?
1:06:40 – SUPERCHAT: How do you pivot from Salesforce to product management at FAANG?
1:08:51 – SUPERCHAT: I appreciate you David thank you!
1:09:54 – How is the Salesforce industry in Singapore?
1:11:04 – I’m sick of being a consultant and want to take a pay cut for a non-consultant job
1:12:10 – I’m a product manager in tech. How can I join the Salesforce industry?
1:13:05 – How to build a resume after being a stay at home parent?
1:14:51 – Should I take a paycut from the revops industry?
1:15:35 – SUPERCHAT: You are the Asian Tony Robbins
1:16:12 – How should I pass the admin exam next Friday?
1:16:57 – SUPERCHAT: How do I get better work/life balance as an offshore developer?
1:18:43 – SUPERCHAT: null
1:18:59 – Thank you for your resume help!
1:19:20 – What’s the one feature you want to see in Apex?
1:20:34 – Would you ever quit to do YouTube full-time?
1:21:33 – Should I get Salesforce certs even if don’t have a job in the industry?
1:22:02 – I’m 21 with a Salesforce dev job. Should I switch?
1:22:40 – Do you stream video games on Twitch?
1:22:53 – SUPERCHAT: Do Salesforce developers get paid as much as web developers?
1:23:54 – Should I switch to Salesforce dev for better work life balance (as a current dev)?
1:24:32 – What’s the hardest part about being a Salesforce admin?
1:25:31 – If you had to start over, what would you do in Salesforce?
1:26:59 – Is the Salesforce industry oversaturated?
1:28:06 – SUPERCHAT: What’s the future of Marketing Cloud?
1:29:25 – How do you feel about larger vs smaller consulting firms?
1:30:08 – What’s the work / life balance for Salesforce developers?
1:31:30 – When is it too late to get started in Salesforce? I’m 44.
1:32:24 – I’m a new grad with a CS minor. I’m scared about recruiting. Advice?
1:33:48 – I’m a former Java programmer. Should I learn Salesforce development?
1:34:20 – Should I learn Slack / Tableau / Mulesoft?
1:35:55 – How do I get your free coding courses?
1:36:39 – What cert should I go for if I can’t afford to fail once?
1:37:22 – Are Salesforce admin jobs strong in India?
1:37:37 – What are your plans to help with resumes / interviews?
1:39:06 – I’m about to graduate with a data science degree. Should I get into Salesforce?
1:39:57 – How’s the architect work life balance compared with devs?
1:40:49 – What certifications do you recommend for QA/BAs?
1:42:07 – What else should you learn other than LWC / integrations as a dev?
1:43:08 – SUPERCHAT: I keep failing my Javascript classes. Help!
1:46:24 – What are common interview mistakes?
1:48:50 – Is it hard to get into Salesforce at 40 years old?
1:49:56 – How can I get better at getting requirements? What do you think of paid programs for getting Salesforce jobs?
1:51:49 – What kind of company should you work at to get good experience?
1:53:06 – How do different cultures work together?
1:54:00 – I joined a bootcamp that guarantees a job. Is it legit?
1:54:46 – Do project managers have a career in Salesforce?
1:55:24 – How much algorithm knowledge do you need for Salesforce dev jobs in FAANG?
1:55:58 – Just got a job as a Salesforce developer. What have I gotten myself into?
1:56:44 – Will my SharePoint experience help me get a Salesforce job?
1:57:15 – Why does FAANG like to hire from the Big 4 consultants?
1:57:38 – What resources should I point newbies to?
1:58:14 – Are cloud certs helpful in the Salesforce world?
1:58:35 – Are the Einstein Analytics jobs at Google?
1:59:10 – Can you learn LWC without Aura?
1:59:20 – What interview questions will I get at Google?
1:59:54 – How do you get over impostor syndrome?
2:00:46 – How do I get integration experience if we use Mulesoft / Informatica
2:01:42 – Is the admin cert important to start off with?
2:02:17 – How’d you get into Google?
2:02:34 – How would you interview a Salesforce developer with two years of experience?
2:03:15 – What are the biggest competitors of Salesforce?
2:04:47 – What cert should you go for to start a Salesforce career?
2:05:16 – Have you used Avonni app?
2:05:55 – Are certs outside of Trailhead worth it?
2:06:21 – What can I do to pay bills while learning Salesforce?
2:07:05 – Why don’t you have a lot of Trailhead badges?
2:07:43 – How can we get the Apex Academy for free?
2:08:06 – Can you suggest real world challenges after the Apex Academy?
2:08:35 – What are the best ways to get Salesforce skills as a new employee?
2:09:23 – Is a Superbadge equivalent to a certification?
2:09:36 – What would be the perfect team in your opinion?
2:10:50 – Are there any entry level remote jobs in Salesforce?
2:11:24 – What are the best clouds to learn other than Sales and Service clouds?
2:11:45 – Are there ways to start as a Salesforce freelancer without payment?
2:12:12 – What are your plans for your YouTube channel?
2:12:56 – What’s the future of Salesforce analytics (Tableau CRM)?
2:13:12 – What’s the route to get the most money in the Salesforce ecosystem?
2:14:09 – What is a skill you wish most developers would improve?
2:14:48 – I’m a consultant. Should I learn to code?
2:15:18 – SUPERCHAT: Thank you David!
2:15:36 – What’s the cost of living in California?
2:16:50 – What’s the best way to manage an org with lots of code?
2:17:24 – How much is rent for a 2BR in Silicon Valley?
2:18:00 – Would you ever live somewhere else other than California?
2:18:50 – Do you ever find it difficult to detach from work?
2:19:38 – Why do middle management jobs exist?
2:20:31 – What is the future of Marketing Cloud?
2:21:06 – What are property prices around Google HQ?
2:21:43 – How much money do you make?
2:22:16 – How’s your third beer feel?
2:22:25 – What are your other hobbies?
2:22:49 – Is Salesforce QA a good career long-term?
2:23:17 – Is it true a lot of Google employees live in trailers in the parking lots?
2:24:09 – What doesn’t Google make its own CRM?
2:24:47 – Is being an ISV a good career? Is it a good side hustle?
2:25:20 – What do you think of the UX Designer cert?
2:26:00 – How long does it take to get PD1?
2:26:55 – Why doesn’t Salesforce crack down on dumps?
2:27:51 – Would Google ever buy Salesforce?
2:28:02 – SUPERCHAT: Hi David!
2:28:57 – How to learn to code while working a 50 hour per week job?
2:30:25 – (Nice words for David)
2:31:27 – Does working only 40 hours a week make you more susceptible to being replaced?
2:32:47 – SUPERCHAT: Do you think a CS grad will have a good career in Salesforce?
2:34:30 – SUPERCHAT: Hi from Australia!
2:35:16 – What is your opinion about H1B visas?
2:35:55 – What product gaps are there in Salesforce that would make for good AppExchange products?
2:36:56 – SUPERCHAT: Have you had other livestreams recorded? How frequently do you have them?
2:38:04 – What is your advice for someone with 8-10 years of Salesforce development experience moving to be an architect?
2:39:31 – How have you worked with managers less technical than you?
2:41:12 – How do you re-invent yourself as the Salesforce ecosystem evolves?
2:42:12 – SUPERCHAT: Should experienced Salesforce developers learn non-Salesforce technologies?
2:43:37 – What’s your advice to new devs transitioning from admin?
2:44:40 – I’m only 2 months into a job at Infosys. What do you recommend?
2:45:38 – Is Salesforce here to stay?
2:46:02 – SUPERCHAT: How do you make an impact as a new employee?
2:47:20 – Are you friends with your coworkers?
2:48:47 – Do you help people find jobs?
2:49:05 – What’s the best piece of negotiation advice you’ve received?
2:50:44 – How can I get into FAANG companies as a Salesforce developer?
2:52:37 – When is an org too large to use flows?
2:53:29 – What’s the hardest part of being a manager?
2:55:10 – What’s a normal day on your job look like?
2:56:12 – What’s the best way of getting experience after getting certified?
2:56:46 – How does your regular day work look like?
2:57:56 – Do you ever get bored working in the same technology?
2:59:18 – What kind of longboard do you use to get to work?
2:59:40 – How long does the CTA exam take?
3:00:00 – Are you married?
3:00:12 – What technology do you recommend aside from Salesforce?
3:00:35 – What are your screen time rules for your kids?
3:00:59 – Best way to get promoted working 60 hours a week?
3:02:24 – SUPERCHAT: How much did your pay increase when you became a manager?
3:03:24 – SUPERCHAT: Do you recommend product companies or consulting companies for new devs?
3:04:55 – Can a manager stop you from transferring teams?
3:06:04 – What plant is in the background?
3:06:30 – Why are there less jobs for AI now?
3:07:07 – What kind of lighting do you use?
3:07:48 – What’s your work life balance?
3:08:49 – Does Google really value diversity and women in tech?
3:09:28 – Do you have strategies for navigating politics at work?
3:11:00 – How do you navigate politics in the Salesforce ecosystem?
3:11:52 – SUPERCHAT: What’s your advice with imposter syndrome? Especially for getting into a Salesforce role?
3:12:45 – What’s your favorite place for vacation?
3:13:03 – I have two years left in my university degree and I’m dreading it. What should I do?
3:14:15 – SUPERCHAT: Was Google a deliberate choice to join among FAANG companies?
3:15:40 – Are there any Salesforce admins at Google?
3:15:52 – Do you think Google will create its own version of Trailhead?
3:16:21 – Why isn’t Microsoft included in FAANG?
3:17:09 – How can I shine with recruiters?
3:18:50 – I don’t have coding skills. Can I still do Salesforce?
3:19:47 – Salesforce or general cloud technologies? (AWS, Google Cloud, etc)
3:20:05 – Why is Salesforce coming out with so many certs?
3:20:46 – Would you ever work for Salesforce?
3:21:13 – SUPERCHAT: How can technically strong team members go the extra mile?
3:22:56 – Would it be difficult for someone with just the admin cert to get a job?
3:23:24 – Is AI/ML experience useful for Einstein?
3:24:05 – Have you run into Sundar Pichai?
3:24:49 – What do you think of social media?
3:25:38 – What is a staff software developer vs normal developers?
3:26:15 – How do you build your personal brand?
3:26:50 – What are the habits of the top performers at Google?
3:27:32 – I’m overwhelmed in Salesforce, help!
3:28:23 – Where do you think the best jobs are in Salesforce outside of North America?
3:29:45 – What are great qualities you look for beyond tech?
3:30:48 – What are your predictions for Dreamforce?
3:31:24 – Do you like motorcycles?
3:31:28 – How do you start learning Salesforce development?
3:31:55 – What’s the best way to learn LWC?
3:32:11 – Should one consider moving out of the Salesforce industry?
3:33:05 – SUPERCHAT: Thank you!
3:33:15 – What time do you sleep?
Special thanks to everyone who sent a Super Chat!
Extra special thanks to my wife for watching over the kids while we nerded out!
David
My very thorough analysis of some controversial Salesforce questions of today:
Also – JOIN MY LIVESTREAM THIS WEEKEND!
Salesforce industry / careers “Ask Me Anything” (set a reminder here)
Saturday, August 14 2021 @ 7PM PT
Grab a beer and bring your tough questions for me! Nothing is off the table.
Hope to see you there!
David
I hate to say it, but Salesforce is gonna die sometime during your career. Certainly if you’re under 45.
No matter how great things are going now, or how much money you’re making, you need to plan for the inevitable. It’s something I’m paranoid about and I’ve very consciously made recent strategic career moves because of it.
In this video I walk you through the best and most likely long-term career options for admins, developers, and technical architects.
Stick around and I’ll tell you what I’ve been up to too. =)
David
David’s note: This is what I live for buddy. Congrats!
In 2016 I turned 50, lost my house, job, business, and marriage. I earned $17,000 that year and was homeless for the next 18 months, couch hopping for most of that time. A friend told me about Vetforce, and after Vetforce I found SFDC99.com and David Liu.
Today, I’m one test away from being a double architect, and I have multiplied my 2016 salary by 12. I now have a consulting business and a main gig as a Principal System Analyst at a pharmaceutical company.
At one point, David comped my access to his class series. His guidance on certifications was the blueprint for the 14 certs I’ve rolled up in the last four plus years. Without David’s encouragement, his blueprint, and ALL OF THE ADJUSTMENTS to that blueprint as the admin/BA/architect space has changed in the last five years, I do not know where I might be today: thoroughly debt free, new business, great career, and each and every day I get to help cure cancer with a CRM system. No wasted days.
Can’t thank you enough.
Anonymous
Inspired by this story?
Read more success stories from other SFDC99 students!
Want to tell the world your story too?
Email it to sfdc99.mailbag@gmail.com and your story could be heard around the world!
David’s note: You did it bro! And you proved the dream is still alive and kicking! It brings me joy that I could play a small role in your family dreams. I also love when someone dreams about writing a success story, then one day accomplishes it. Cheers!
Hi David!
Ever since we first met, I’ve been dreaming of writing my own success story to you. With a degree in CS but landing in a Salesforce developer role, it took some growing to appreciate the power of the platform and its low-code aspects.
Early on, you gave me words of encouragement and were always a motivating force in the back of my mind. I was lucky enough to meet you again at a Dreamforce and you continued to reinforce that encouragement and support. Not in record pace but I have attained Trailhead Ranger and 3 certs in my few years on the platform. But the biggest success came recently when I landed what feels like a unicorn opportunity.
It is a hybrid salesforce developer with general software engineering on their internal tech stack. This marriage of both of my backgrounds is the perfect role for me. Not only that but my total compensation has doubled since I started in working in Salesforce three years ago. Best of all, it’s a fully remote opportunity so my family and I can relocate back to our hometown and with the goal of buying a house close to extended family.
I just wanted to say thanks again for being so generous with your time and encouraging to me and so many others. Keep up the great work! You’re a wonderful person and a shining example of the Salesforce Ohana.
Best,
Michael
Twitter: https://twitter.com/macappuccio
Trailhead: https://trailblazer.me/id/michaelcappuccio
Inspired by this story?
Read more success stories from other SFDC99 students!
Want to tell the world your story too?
Email it to sfdc99.mailbag@gmail.com and your story could be heard around the world!
I work on one of the most interesting Salesforce implementations on the planet, at one of the best companies on the planet to work for. I really believe it – I’m a lucky guy.
Well, you could be lucky too because we’re hiring four Salesforce architects to join the team!
God have mercy on you because these positions will work closely with me. See the video for details.
Apply directly to any of the roles below. There are four positions open across all three roles:
Good luck!
David
Yes folks my entire Apex Academy is FREE all April 2021!
What else could you possibly do this month that would change the trajectory of your career more than taking my FREE coding course?! Not even four certifications could beat this!
Step 1: Register here
Step 2: Fill out the form (no credit card required)
Step 3: Access all my Apex Academy courses for free this entire month of April.
Want extra projects and homework? Check out my supplementary guide (also free).
Need more inspiration? Read the success stories from men and women of all backgrounds!
Enjoy!
David
P.S. this is not an April fool’s joke!
This was a good webinar.
If you’re wondering what’s going on in the Salesforce job market these days you should watch it.
00:00 – Introduction by Computer Futures
02:00 – Panelist Bio: Angela Mahoney
02:36 – Panelist Bio: Sheldon Simmons
03:06 – Panelist Bio: David Liu
03:37 – Panelist Bio: Stephanie Herrera
05:28 – How would you summarize the state of the Salesforce job market right now?
06:41 – How will Salesforce job opportunities evolve over the next few years?
10:22 – How can you use non-Salesforce experience to stand out in your job search?
12:18 – What advice do you have for people trying to get into the Salesforce job ecosystem?
17:16 – How relevant are Salesforce certifications in the job search?
20:26 – Is there a good age to start a Salesforce career?
21:20 – What’s the best advice you received early in your career?
25:00 – Which Salesforce career path is best for you?
30:15 – Should you work with a Salesforce recruiter?
39:30 – Q&A: What soft skills do you recommend for people to build a role in management?
42:20 – Q&A: How are leadership skills different in the post COVID world?
45:17 – Q&A: How much of what you learned in the military is valuable in your Salesforce career?
50:32 – Q&A: What’s the single most in demand Salesforce job right now?
52:32 – Final thoughts: what’s your best 15 second piece of advice?
Thank you to Computer Futures for hosting this webinar and inviting me as a panelist!
Love it or hate it, certifications are an inevitable part of your Salesforce career.
And for 2021, here’s my analysis of how many certs you need these days to stand out.
I’ll cover this topic for each experience category – entry, mid, and senior level professionals. I’ll also cover what order to take your certifications in for admin, developer, and architect job paths.
Enjoy!
Sponsored by Focus on Force, helping you prepare successfully for your certification exams for the cost of a lunch. For a limited time, get 25% off using code sfdc2021 when you purchase 2 or more exams or study guides.
David’s note: At a total loss for words. This is an incredible achievement. In just a single year you cemented your career legacy and essentially guaranteed success for the rest of your very long career. Brilliant, simply brilliant! Bravo!
Hello David!
I want to thank you for your site and all of the materials you have put out. I have a success story to share with you and want you to know that reading your site helped me to realize something like this was even possible. I enjoy your blog and YouTube channel, keep up the good work!
I went from 0 to 20 certs in 2020.
I started working in Salesforce in 2016 and quickly found your site. It amazed me reading the success stories and seeing the number of people getting so many certs. I would debate whether or not I should go for them, I like to learn and always want to get better at my job but wondered if getting certs was really the best use of my time. So I’d hit up Trailhead, do some studying for maybe a day or two and then not do it for a while and not really feel like I was making any progress. I wasn’t committed to it and sort of winged it, which got me nowhere. I knew that if I was going to do it I’d need to commit to it and that a good goal would probably be something like 12 in 12 months.
In February this year I changed jobs to work for a Salesforce consulting partner, who as you know loves for their employees to get certs. I soon realized that basically all of my coworkers had certs (I had none), many with 10+. I instantly felt like I needed to get at least a couple so I wouldn’t be the only one without any certs. I figured that I should at least get Administrator and Platform Developer I since after all I am a developer. I started studying like crazy and at the end of February I finally got my Administrator cert. It was a huge sigh of relief and I also realized that it wasn’t so bad. I scheduled Platform Developer I for the following week and passed that as well. My success was motivating me to keep going and by the end of March I had picked up four certs, adding Platform App Builder and Community Cloud Consultant.
It felt like it would be difficult to keep up that sort of pace so I decided that I at least needed to get 12 in 12 months and set that as my goal. By the end of August I had hit my goal and had 12 certs including Application Architect. Even though I had hit my goal I still wanted to go for Platform Developer II and System Architect, which I could probably get by the 12 month mark if I kept it up. I kept studying daily and ended up with System Architect by the end of November. At that point I was pretty much done but getting 20 in 2020 sounded nice, and even if it really doesn’t mean anything I wanted to try and hit it.
I had a voucher for Marketing Cloud Administrator so I decided to try for that one next. I failed it twice and wouldn’t be able to sign up again until the very end of December. Even if I was able to pass it then I didn’t know if there would be an open slot to schedule it. (Side note, Salesforce makes it really hard to get a demo org for Marketing Cloud which seems un-Salesforce like compared to all of their other offerings.) I was a little deflated despite everything I had done since I really wanted to hit 20. So I turned to the only cert I had a realistic chance of getting before the year was up, JavaScript Developer I. I spent all of my available free time (including some PTO) studying and doing the super badge and managed to get it just in time.
In case you post this here would be advice I have for others:
Thank you!
-Edwin Zacharski
Inspired by this story?
Read more success stories from other SFDC99 students!
Want to tell the world your story too?
Email it to sfdc99.mailbag@gmail.com and your story could be heard around the world!