If you walked into a room full of Salesforce veterans today and asked them how they got their start, many would tell you they began their career as a Salesforce Administrator.
Admins have historically been jacks of all trades, with a breadth of knowledge across different areas of Salesforce. At some organizations, they are the only person who understands what Salesforce can and can’t do, acting as a chief keeper of knowledge.
But times have changed (a lot), and the Admin role doesn’t look the same as it did 10 years ago—nor should it.
Over the last several years, the Salesforce ecosystem has seen incredible growth, and the platform has become even more complex. It’s also become verticalized, with more industry-specific capabilities and customizations to meet customer demands.
All these changes and expectations have left some industry veterans wondering… will the Salesforce Administrator become a thing of the past?
This expansion has led to higher expectations for Admins, who may struggle to keep up with the increasing need for specialized knowledge. It’s also made it more challenging for new talent to break into the Salesforce ecosystem and land their first Admin role.
All these changes and expectations have left some industry veterans wondering… will the Salesforce Administrator become a thing of the past? Our team is confident that Admins are here to stay, but they can no longer be considered catch-all, Salesforce generalists.
According to Matt Gvazdinskas, 10K’s Chief Strategy Officer, “Salesforce customers still need Admins, especially in the early days of their Salesforce journey. There is still a very important customer service-like role that an Admin needs to play to support users, especially for larger, more mature organizations.”
Salesforce Admin Can No Longer Be a Catch-All Role
Thanks to a number of converging factors, including tighter budgets and a “Great Reshuffling” of the talent market, the number of organizations expecting too much from their Admins is on the rise. Many Salesforce customers also don’t fully grasp (and often underestimate) the skills required to manage their org.
Admins today are expected to be both tactical and strategic, with deep and broad skill sets across multiple areas of the Salesforce ecosystem. And yet, they aren’t paid as well as those in niche roles, like business analysts and consultants. In many cases, the expectations of the Admin role are no longer on par with reality.
In order to improve efficiency, support new business strategies, and enable a more remote workforce, many organizations are expanding their capabilities across multiple Salesforce clouds. Unfortunately, Admins who are expected to keep up with and manage all these new capabilities and requirements on their own end up overwhelmed, and many eventually burn out.
Here is a post we recently came across on a Salesforce subreddit. It’s an example of how Admins are now expected to be more strategic and help their organization identify what they need to succeed.
It’s perfectly okay to not know Apex – this Admin just needs to get strategic and identify a solution. We would recommend this Admin define the talent gap on their Salesforce team (an Apex coder) and then prepare a proposal for leadership to enlist the help of a skilled Salesforce Developer, development team, or a Technical Architect (depending on the complexity of the org and requirements).
The scenario above drives home the fact that an Admin is just one role companies need, not the only role. Currents Admins can lean on their program goals, business understanding, and roadmap to identify where additional skills need to be brought in.
New Crop of Salesforce Talent is Eager But Underprepared
It seems as though Salesforce customers are finally picking up on the fact that they need to hire for more specialized roles, with data showing demand for the traditional Admin role diminishing.
Our 2022 Salesforce Talent Ecosystem Report found that the growth rate for Admin job listings declined by 36% over the last year. Admin supply also declined globally, down 20% in established markets and 16% in emerging markets. The talent market for traditional Salesforce roles is clearly shifting.
But while demand for Salesforce generalists may be in decline, on-demand learning with Trailhead, talent boot camps, and other certification courses are on the rise, promising an exciting career path for young professionals or those looking to make a change.
But while demand for Salesforce generalists may be in decline, on-demand learning with Trailhead, talent boot camps, and other certification courses are on the rise, promising an exciting career path for young professionals or those looking to make a change.
These programs are great for helping people understand the core Salesforce technology and the basics of navigation, setup, configuration, and data management. In other words, they’re very effective for preparing someone to pass the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam.
However, training isn’t a substitute for the specialized knowledge and skills gained from real-life experience (business analysis, project management, product management, etc). This is where customers should choose to meet aspiring talent in the middle.
Organizations Should Hire For Potential, Focus On Upskilling, and Look to Fractional Talent
We found that more experienced admins are starting to find their niche and move into specialized roles. Our research showed significant growth in the higher-paying roles Admin typically move into, including:
- 33% increase in Salesforce Business Analyst roles
- 17% increase in Salesforce Consultant roles
- 13% increase in Salesforce Solution Architect roles
We also ran a Glassdoor compensation comparison (for all years of experience and remote). The following are median comps including base salary and bonus:
- Salesforce Administrator: $80,368
- Salesforce Consultant: $132,597
- Salesforce Business Analyst: $94,226
- Salesforce Solution Architect: $177,516
With these numbers, we’re not terribly surprised to see a shrinking talent pool of experienced Admins. It’s a competitive talent market, and for companies to hire effectively, they must adjust their expectations. Rather than duking it out for the few experienced Admins still out there, companies should consider taking a chance on new talent eager to learn and grow. Look for candidates that check 80% of the boxes on your wish list and invest in training to fill any gap areas, like foundational IT skills or business acumen. With a bit of mentorship and guidance, these are the folks who could become your next #AwesomeAdmin.
On that note, it’s crucial to remember that if you hired an Admin for their potential and invested in their career development, you have to stay tuned into where and when they need support. A win-win solution is to partner with independent Salesforce Architects, Developers, Business Analysts, and Consultants who can help your Admin solve complex business challenges that require specialized skills (custom business applications, system integrations, etc.). Learn how to make on-demand talent an effective part of your Salesforce program with our how-to guide.
To identify the tell-tale signs your Admin needs help, stay tuned to our blog!
10K’s 2022 Salesforce Talent Ecosystem Report is Now Available
Our fifth annual Salesforce Talent Ecosystem Report is available now. Download it for access to more of the latest trends and statistics around talent supply and demand, and learn more about what’s happening in the Salesforce partner ecosystem.
