Top 10 Salesforce Consultant Certifications

Certifications are important for a Salesforce consultant in the job market because they demonstrate to potential employers that the consultant is knowledgeable and experienced in their field. Certifications provide evidence of a consultant’s expertise and offer assurance to employers that the consultant has the necessary skills and qualifications to successfully complete projects. They also demonstrate a commitment to staying up-to-date with Salesforce technology, which is essential for success in this ever-changing industry. Certified consultants are more attractive to employers because they have proven their knowledge and skills through passing an exam, which is often required for higher positions. Ultimately, certifications provide a competitive advantage over non-certified consultants, making them a valuable asset in the job market.

This article reviews some of the top certifications for Salesforce Consultants and explains how they can help to advance a consultant's career.

What are Salesforce Consultant Certifications?

Salesforce consultant certification is a professional certification program offered by Salesforce, the world's leading cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform. This certification demonstrates an individual's expertise in designing, developing, and deploying Salesforce solutions to meet customer needs. It also helps to validate their knowledge of the platform and its features.

The Salesforce consultant certification provides individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to become successful consultants. It covers topics such as user interface design, business processes, data modeling and integration, security architecture, application development, testing and deployment processes. It also covers how to use Salesforce tools such as VisualForce and APEX programming languages.

This certification can help individuals who want to work as a Salesforce consultant by giving them the credentials they need to be taken seriously in their field. Having this certification can demonstrate that they have the skills needed to be successful in this role. Additionally, it can open up new opportunities for employment or advancement within companies that use Salesforce solutions.

In summary, Salesforce consultant certification is an important credential for anyone looking to enter or advance in the field of Salesforce consulting. It provides individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to become successful consultants while helping them gain recognition for their expertise in working with Salesforce solutions.

Pro tip: To become a Salesforce consultant, it is important to have a broad understanding of the Salesforce platform and its associated technologies. Additionally, it is beneficial to have a certification in one or more areas of the Salesforce platform, such as development, administration, or sales. Having a certification will demonstrate your knowledge and expertise to potential employers.

Related: What does a Salesforce Consultant do?

Top 10 Salesforce Consultant Certifications

Here’s our list of the best certifications available to Salesforce Consultants today.

1. Salesforce Certified Administrator

Salesforce Certified Administrator is an industry-recognized credential that validates a Salesforce professional’s knowledge and skills in administering the Salesforce platform. It is designed to demonstrate proficiency in the areas of configuration, data management, user setup, security, process automation, and reporting.

The certification exam typically takes two hours to complete and consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. To become certified, an individual must pass the exam with a score of 65% or higher.

To get Salesforce Certified Administrator certification, individuals must first register for the exam on the Salesforce website. The cost of the exam is $200 USD. Once registered, candidates can take advantage of various study materials such as online courses or practice exams to prepare for the exam. After passing the exam, individuals will receive their official certification from Salesforce.

2. Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder

Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder is a certification that validates an individual's knowledge and skills in developing custom applications on the Salesforce platform. This certification is designed for professionals who have experience building custom applications using the declarative customization capabilities of the Salesforce platform.

It typically takes about 8-10 hours to complete the exam preparation, depending on your prior experience with Salesforce. The exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions and must be completed within 90 minutes. The cost of the exam is $200 USD.

To get certified, you must first register for the exam through Webassessor, which requires a valid email address and credit card information. Once registered, you will receive an email from Webassessor with instructions on how to access your exam voucher code. You can then use this voucher code to schedule your exam at any Pearson VUE testing center or online through their website. After completing the exam, you will receive an email notification with your results within 24 hours. If you pass, you will receive a digital badge that can be shared on social media or added to your resume/CV as proof of certification.

3. Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I

Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I is a certification offered by Salesforce, the world’s leading CRM platform. It is designed to validate an individual’s ability to develop custom applications on the Salesforce platform using Apex and Visualforce. It demonstrates that an individual has the skills and knowledge necessary to design, develop, test, and deploy secure and scalable custom applications on the Salesforce platform.

It typically takes around 30-40 hours of study time to prepare for this certification exam. The exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions and must be completed within 90 minutes. A passing score of 65% or higher is required in order to obtain the certification.

The cost of taking the exam varies depending on your location, but it typically costs between $200-$400 USD. To register for the exam, you must first create a Salesforce Certification account and then purchase an exam voucher through Webassessor. Once you have purchased your voucher, you can schedule your exam at any Pearson VUE testing center near you.

Overall, obtaining a Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I certification is a great way to demonstrate your expertise in developing custom applications on the Salesforce platform and can open up new opportunities for career advancement in this field.

4. Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II

Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II is a professional certification that demonstrates an individual’s expertise in developing custom applications on the Salesforce platform. This certification validates an individual’s ability to design, develop, and deploy custom applications on the Salesforce platform.

It typically takes around 3-4 months of study and practice to prepare for the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II exam. To get certified, individuals must pass the multiple-choice exam with a score of 65% or higher. The exam consists of 60 questions and must be completed within 105 minutes.

The cost for the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II exam is $200 USD. Additionally, individuals must have a valid Salesforce Administrator certification before taking this exam.

5. Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator

Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator is a certification that validates an individual’s expertise in administering and managing Salesforce applications. It is designed for professionals who have experience in configuring, customizing, and maintaining Salesforce applications.

It typically takes about 6-8 weeks to complete the study materials and pass the exam. The exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and must be completed within 90 minutes.

To get certified, you must first register with Salesforce, then purchase the exam voucher from the Salesforce website. The cost of the voucher is $200 USD. After purchasing the voucher, you can begin studying for the exam using resources such as Trailhead and other online study materials. Once you feel prepared, you can schedule your exam with Pearson VUE testing centers.

Upon passing the exam, you will receive your certificate from Salesforce indicating that you are now a Certified Advanced Administrator.

6. Salesforce Certified Pardot Specialist

Salesforce Certified Pardot Specialist is a certification program offered by Salesforce. It is designed to help professionals demonstrate their expertise in the Pardot marketing automation platform. The certification validates an individual’s knowledge of the features and functions of Pardot, as well as their ability to use it to create successful campaigns and optimize results.

It typically takes about 4-6 weeks to complete the certification process, depending on how much time you are able to dedicate each week. To get certified, you must first pass the Salesforce Certified Pardot Specialist exam. This exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions that cover topics such as lead management, segmentation, campaign creation and optimization, reporting and analytics, email marketing best practices, and more.

The cost of the exam varies depending on your location and can range from $200-$400 USD. You must also be a Salesforce customer or partner in order to take the exam. Additionally, there may be additional fees associated with taking the exam at a testing center or online proctoring service.

7. Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant

Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant is a certification program designed to help professionals demonstrate their expertise in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. It is designed to validate the skills and knowledge needed to effectively design, build, and deploy marketing solutions using Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

The certification exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions that must be completed within 90 minutes. The exam covers topics such as data management, automation & personalization, campaigns & journeys, analytics & reporting, and social media & advertising.

To get certified as a Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant you must meet the following prerequisites:

-Have at least 6 months of experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud

-Have an active Salesforce Administrator Certification or equivalent experience

-Complete the required training course from an authorized provider

The cost of the certification exam is $200 USD and can be taken at any authorized testing center. Once you pass the exam you will receive your official certificate from Salesforce.

8. Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant

Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant is a professional certification program offered by Salesforce. It is designed for individuals who want to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in implementing, configuring, and managing customer service solutions on the Salesforce platform. The certification covers topics such as customer service processes, automation, analytics, and reporting.

The exam for the Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant certification takes approximately 90 minutes to complete and consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Candidates must achieve a score of 65% or higher to pass the exam.

To get certified as a Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant, candidates must first register for the exam through the Salesforce website. After registering, they can purchase study materials from Salesforce or other third-party vendors to help them prepare for the exam. Once they are ready to take the exam, they can schedule it through Pearson VUE or Prometric testing centers.

The cost of taking the Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant exam varies depending on location and currency exchange rates but typically ranges from $200-$400 USD.

9. Salesforce Certified Community Cloud Consultant

Salesforce Certified Community Cloud Consultant is a certification that validates an individual's expertise in designing, building and deploying custom communities on the Salesforce platform. This certification is ideal for consultants who are looking to demonstrate their knowledge of community cloud solutions and gain recognition from their peers and employers.

The exam for this certification takes about 90 minutes to complete and consists of 60 multiple-choice or multiple-select questions. To get certified, you must pass the exam with a score of 65% or higher.

The cost of the exam varies by region but typically ranges between $200-$400 USD. You can register for the exam through Salesforce's website or through a testing center near you.

In order to prepare for the exam, it is recommended that you have at least 6 months of experience working with community cloud solutions on the Salesforce platform, as well as familiarity with topics such as user management, security settings, customization options, content management, analytics and reporting features. Additionally, there are several resources available online to help you study for the exam including practice tests and study guides.

10. Salesforce CPQ Specialty

Salesforce CPQ Specialty is a certification that demonstrates an individual’s proficiency in Salesforce Configure, Price, and Quote (CPQ) solutions. It is designed to give professionals the skills they need to successfully implement and manage CPQ solutions on the Salesforce platform.

To get the Salesforce CPQ Specialty certification, you must first pass the Salesforce Certified CPQ Specialist exam. This exam covers topics such as product configuration, pricing rules, quote generation, order management, and more. The exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and has a time limit of 90 minutes.

The cost of the Salesforce Certified CPQ Specialist exam is $200 USD. Once you have passed the exam, you will be awarded your certification. You can then display your certificate on your resume or other professional profiles to show employers that you have achieved this level of expertise in Salesforce CPQ solutions.

Overall, it should take about 2-3 months to complete the necessary steps for getting the Salesforce CPQ Specialty certification depending on how much time you are able to dedicate to studying for the exam.

Do You Really Need a Salesforce Consultant Certificate?

The answer to this question depends on a variety of factors. If you are looking to become a Salesforce consultant, then yes, a certificate will likely be necessary. However, if you are already working in the Salesforce field and simply want to increase your knowledge or gain a better understanding of the software, then it is not necessarily required.

If you decide that pursuing a Salesforce consultant certificate is right for you, then there are many options available. Depending on your current level of expertise and experience with the software, you can choose from beginner, intermediate or advanced courses. You can also choose to take online classes or attend seminars in person. There are also numerous certification programs offered by companies such as Salesforce University, which provide comprehensive training and certification exams that can help boost your career prospects and give you an edge over other job applicants.

No matter what route you decide to take in order to obtain a Salesforce consultant certificate, having one will show potential employers that you have taken the initiative to learn more about the software and demonstrate that you are knowledgeable and capable of providing support for their customers. It can also be beneficial for those who already work in the industry as it can open up new opportunities for advancement or higher salaries. Ultimately, having a Salesforce consultant certificate is something that could prove invaluable in any job search and should be considered if it is applicable to your situation.

Related: Salesforce Consultant Resume Examples

FAQs About Salesforce Consultant Certifications

1. What are the different Salesforce certifications?

Answer: Salesforce offers seven different certifications: Administrator, Advanced Administrator, Platform App Builder, Platform Developer I, Platform Developer II, Sales Cloud Consultant, and Service Cloud Consultant.

2. How do I become a certified Salesforce consultant?

Answer: To become a certified Salesforce consultant, you must pass the corresponding certification exam for your desired certification. You can find information on how to register for the exam and prepare for it in the Certification Study Guide provided by Salesforce.

3. How long does it take to get certified as a Salesforce consultant?

Answer: The amount of time it takes to get certified depends on how much time you are able to dedicate to studying and preparing for the exam. Generally speaking, most people spend between 1-3 months studying before taking the exam.

4. Is there a cost associated with becoming a certified Salesforce consultant?

Answer: Yes, there is an associated cost with becoming a certified Salesforce consultant. The cost of each certification varies depending on which one you choose; however, all exams typically cost between $200-$300 USD per attempt.

5. Do I need prior experience or training to become a certified Salesforce consultant?

Answer: While prior experience or training is not required to become a certified Salesforce consultant, it is strongly recommended that you have some knowledge of the platform before attempting any of the certification exams. There are numerous online courses and study materials available that can help you prepare for the exams and gain an understanding of the platform’s features and functionality.