Sourcing candidates for Salesforce roles requires a careful consideration of each candidate’s cloud expertise. While common roles such as Salesforce administrators and developers may be easy to find, clients often request candidates who have experience working with specific Salesforce clouds and programs. However, it’s not as simple as including the cloud names in a Boolean search, as there is a difference between a candidate who has experience working with a cloud and one who focuses on it. For example, Sales and Service Clouds are found more generally across Salesforce candidates and usually don’t serve as the focal point of a job description. In this article, we’ll focus on some of the more niche clouds that require more attention.

Understanding the Importance of Salesforce Cloud Expertise

Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) is one such cloud that requires careful attention during the search. SFMC used to be called ExactTarget until it was acquired by Salesforce, so it’s essential to include both names in a Boolean search. When searching for SFMC candidates, it’s important to know what the client is looking for since a candidate may claim to be an expert but might not have the necessary skills. For example, if your client is looking for a Marketing Cloud Developer or Engineer, they will most likely need a technical background with skills such as Ampscript, REST and SOAP APIs, .NET, and Javascript. On the other hand, someone who claims to be skilled in Marketing Cloud but doesn’t have the same technical experience could be fit for email marketing roles, managing campaigns, and possess skills such as automation, campaign, email, digital marketing, or a marketing degree.

Utilizing Buzzwords & Former Platform Names while Searching

Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) can also create confusion during a search because it’s split into two different skill sets: B2B and B2C. Both skill sets are two different platforms, and it’s helpful to include their former names (CloudCraze and Demandware) in a Boolean search. It’s common to see a candidate have both skill sets, but it’s best to assume they have both only when they have explicitly written it on their profile.

Salesforce Financial Services Cloud (FSC) is another program that may require a specific search. While it’s built to improve the functionality of Sales and Service Cloud and cater it towards the financial services industry, the skill set may have a limited candidate pool. However, you can expand the pool for these types of candidates by searching for candidates with Sales Cloud and Service Cloud who have good experience with the financial services industry. Some candidates may not have FSC on their profile, but they may have been exposed to it or have the ability to adapt to the platform. Therefore, it’s necessary to ask for information on their experience with FSC before submitting them to a client.

In addition to understanding cloud tidbits, it’s helpful to begin your search with Salesforce certifications for each cloud. For example, certifications for Marketing Cloud include “Marketing Cloud Administrator,” “Marketing Cloud Developer,” “Marketing Cloud Consultant,” and “Marketing Cloud Email Specialist.” Technical Marketing Cloud candidates will likely have the “Marketing Cloud Developer” certification, while an email marketing manager may have the “Marketing Cloud Email Specialist” certification. Certifications to search for when looking for Commerce Cloud candidates include “B2C Commerce Developer,” “B2C Commerce Architect,” “B2B Commerce Developer,” and “B2B Commerce Administrator.” It’s essential to understand which version of Commerce Cloud you’re looking for when searching for these certifications. For FSC, it’s best to use the “Financial Services Cloud Accredited Professional” certification without the “Salesforce Certified” tied with it because the LinkedIn certification on a candidate’s profile doesn’t include it. While a candidate doesn’t necessarily need these certifications on their profile, it serves as a good reassurance and starting point when looking for qualifications.

Salesforce Sourcing Consultant, Daniel Ashe, is a leading sourcing specialist at Talution Group. In his 1.5 years of working here, Daniel has assisted many leading organizations across multiple industries, helping to augment their hiring teams with sourcing solutions.