- Beyond technical skills, Salesforce consultants need to show strong ‘soft skills’ to impress hiring managers.
- Soft skills can be practiced, and The Crevalle Group offers coaching to assist consultants with interview prep
- Key skills to learn and improve include verbal communication, non-verbal communication, functional business understanding and presentation skills
It’s important to have and show various soft skills when you’re interviewing for a Salesforce consultant role. Of course, it’s critical to have the technical skills and certifications to land the job. As much as you’re being tested for your technical abilities, hiring managers are also analyzing you communication, listening, and other transferable skills to determine if you will be a great fit for their team. Our Director of Recruiting, Jen Drescher, shares her top advice on the must-have skill sets hiring managers are looking for and the ones you should develop in your career.
Strong communication skills
“This may be the most obvious one, but being able to clearly communicate is a crucial soft skill. As a Salesforce consultant, you’ll be working directly with the client, their team, and your own team on a daily basis.” says Drescher.
With many stakeholders involved in a project, you need to communicate and speak clearly in order to get your point across. You can show the hiring manager your ability to communicate efficiently by speaking slow, clearly, and without “ummms” during your interview.
“You can even practice with a friend, coworker, or your recruiter to iron out any errors you make when answering interview questions. Practice makes perfect!” says Drescher.
Functional understanding of business processes
You have the technical expertise, but being able to apply these hard skills to real-world examples that relate to your client’s business is very valuable. Having an understanding of how their business processes work and being able to recommend innovative strategies will set you apart from their pool of candidates. Take the opportunity to speak to these high-level ideas in your interview.
Exceptional presentation skills
As a Salesforce consultant, you will be presenting constantly. This will mostly be in the form of presenting your ideas and solutions to your team and the client. This is where your communication skills will play a role. Great presenters don’t just tell the facts, they tell a story.
As you think of your experience and interview questions & answers, ask yourself:
- How can you turn your experience into an engaging story?
- How can I entertain my audience while simultaneously giving them the information they need?
Nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication can tell a future employers a lot about your abilities and interests before you even step through the door of their office. Nonverbal communication includes the elements of your speech, such as intonation, speaking speed, and pauses, facial expressions, your attire, your outfit, and even your surroundings.
Many of our clients at The Crevalle Group have interviews via video call. This means you’ll be face-to-face with the hiring manager, but not in the same room so it’s important to follow the below advice. The hiring manager will pick up on several cues during you call, so you can ace the interview with a little preparation.
- Check your internet connection with a friend/colleague first to make sure there is no lag in the video/audio.
- Be aware of your surroundings: set up in a quiet place and make sure there are no distracting objects behind you that will show in the video.
- Be pleasant and understanding of the potential for technical issues.
- Stay focused on the computer screen and look into the camera instead of off into the distance.
- Many clients ask that you do not wear headphones or earbuds to make sure you are the only person ‘answering’ or responding to questions.
- Check your audio quality before the call and speak clearly and slowly when answering questions.
If you need help looking for jobs in the tech and IT industry, let The Crevalle Group connect you with our wide network of local employers to expedite your job search.