A year on:
After completing the one year milestone as a Salesforce Recruiter at Steadman Brown, Jason shares everything he has learned in his journey over the past year. From learning the basics of recruitment, to what Salesforce is itself, Jason has come very far, and we are super excited for the years to come!
What did you initially think of recruitment?
“This is going to be a lot of hard work. I knew it would be tough, but equally, it was an exciting new opportunity, and I wanted to get involved and learn.”
Like many of our Salesforce recruiters, Jason had no previous recruitment experience. We don't believe recruitment experience is necessary to grow into a successful recruiter, as long as there is a desire to learn, you’ve crossed the first hurdle. Jason’s background was in retail, which meant he brought strong customer service skills that helped many of the initial conversations he had with Salesforce candidates.
How do those initial thoughts compare to now?
“Whilst my previous customer service experience has been relevant to some aspects of the job, I underestimated the differences between in person communication and that over the phone.”
Because 99% of Salesforce recruitment is done through phone calls or various email or social media channels, it is a common misconception that in person customer service skills and experience will always translate. For instance, having conversations over the phone omits key parts of conversations that happen in person, e.g. facial expressions or body language. This was one of the things Jason underestimated, meaning in the past year he has learnt to grow and adapt to a new style of customer service.
“Recruitment is much more mentality focused than it seems.”
Like many other jobs, recruitment has its ups and downs, but the mentality part is something you have to keep consistently strong in order to get through the lower periods.
“Recruitment is all about relationships.”
When you know the ins and outs of a Salesforce candidate’s work experience, as well as their personal ambitions and qualities, it becomes so much easier to determine the truly right fit for their career move. This comes through both initial connections as well as the ability to constantly build on the relationship.
Relationship building has meant that in just a year, Jason’s network of Salesforce professionals who trust him to find them the best job opportunities has grown significantly.
“Be less impatient, things don't come quickly.”
Another common mistake made when initially beginning recruitment, is that every candidate is a perfect fit for the job.
Due to perhaps an initial overexcitement, or general oversight due to lack of experience, every recruiter will think they’ve made a perfect job match that in reality, isn’t so perfect. There are so many avenues to consider when recommending candidates for a job, whether this be their personal circumstances or need to delve deeper into their work experience. Being patient to learn these essentials leads to successful recruitment on all ends.
What did you first think of Salesforce?
“I thought it was a Sales tool, but had no idea what it was, or how big it was in technology. Which was weird considering I am from a technology background. This was even weirder when finding out Apex derived from Java, I couldn’t believe I didn’t know this.”
The best way for Jason, as well as any new Salesforce recruiter to learn about Salesforce was through trailhead. However, what was equally as important was speaking to candidates. The people working with Salesforce everyday have infinite knowledge, and these conversations help a Salesforce recruiter massively.
“Having a computer science background helps me relate to candidates. It means people understand that I’m genuinely interested in what they do and their career.”
The industry is also ever-evolving, there is new technology and features everyday. This is what keeps Salesforce recruitment exciting and ensures your learning journey will never stop.
“Now I know that Salesforce is massive. So many companies I know have been using it, and until you’re involved in the industry you have no idea of its scope!”
Who has influenced your learning journey?
“I’ve learnt about the recruitment process through those more senior than me. To learn recruitment meant less focus on technical jargon, and more on how to build meaningful rapport that encourages people to open up.”
Notable moments over the past year:
Jason also mentioned how his first experience at the Salesforce World tour put all the theory behind Salesforce recruitment into perspective.
“The world tour showed the importance of my personal brand, where I was representing Steadman Brown as well as Jason as a recruiter. People come to me for their market, because they trust me and have heard good things.”
“World tour also meant an application of the theory discussed over the phone. Being able to take part in code classes as well as seeing Salesforce professionals in the flesh meant an insight into the realities of the candidates I speak to every day.”
Overall:
A year on, it’s clear that Jason has come so far since his first day.
Whilst his opinions of what it takes to be a Salesforce recruiter have changed throughout the year, learning through the wider team, as well as through the Salesforce candidates he speaks to everyday, has shaped Jason into the successful Salesforce recruiter he has become.
You can get in contact with Jason here: Jason Smith | Steadman Brown
We can’t want to see what the next year has in store!
