This may seem like a controversial question for a Salesforce recruitment business to ask but hear us out.
We recently caught up with a contact of ours who works for a company that is currently going through a large digital transformation programme and are hiring UX Developers on a weekly basis. Like the Salesforce market, the UX Development space is candidate short so we were shocked to hear that they are asking every applicant to complete a coding assignment BEFORE they meet them for an interview. We felt that a test before an interview is a big ask but it got us thinking about interview processes in the Salesforce market and whether or not some Salesforce interviews are thorough enough.
Talent Hub arrange dozens of Salesforce interviews each month, with a wide range of companies from global brands, to established consulting partners and exciting start ups. Every company has a different interview process and we take preparation seriously so always strive to ensure that each Salesforce professional is right for the interview they are attending and has the best chance of securing the position.
Various aspects of an interview can be coached and should be practiced, including how to answer questions with the right amount of detail, previous work experience to highlight, ideas on questions to ask and how to talk in “I” and not “we”. Salesforce knowledge and practical experience can be refreshed but aren’t coachable prior to an interview (at least not by a recruiter) as you either have them or you don’t.
Although we know that Salesforce interviews are a two way street (https://talent-hub.com.au/two-way-street/) it is quite common for a Salesforce professional to leave an interview feeling as though they have just had a laid back discussion and not a thorough interview. In many cases this is because the person conducting the interview is not technical, therefore takes the candidate on face value, judging them on their last job title, their ability to write an impressive resume and answer questions such as “tell me about your experience?”, “where have you done X,Y and Z?” and “how would you approach this role?”.
On the flip side, there are some companies that do have a vigorous technical interview process, sometimes including a practical test/assessment. Some of these companies are alarmed at the number of Salesforce professionals who cannot answer technical questions in line with the seniority of the role they are applying for. We hear of candidates that have listed more experience on their resume than they can demonstrate in a technical discussion and some who deliver solutions that simply do not work when it comes to a practical assessment. So if other companies aren’t being as thorough, are they missing some of these warning signs and perhaps making hiring mistakes?
Talent Hub work with many incredibly skilled Salesforce professionals in the ANZ Salesforce market and we know that every Salesforce candidate is able to add value IF they are operating at the right level and in the right role for them. From our experience, the companies who are having the most success with hiring and retaining the most suitable Salesforce professionals for their teams/business are the ones that are taking the most thorough approach to candidate assessment.
Talent Hub have had candidates fail technical tests at interview stage in the past which is one of the main reasons we developed our own technical test – https://talent-hub.com.au/salesforce-technical-test/. Adding this to our screening process has given us a greater ability to match candidates to opportunities in line with their experience, saving them and our clients time and in the long run meaning that they are in positions they enjoy. This is very much only a theory based test and only suitable for Salesforce Developers at this stage therefore we are always looking at ways to improve on and expand it.
We would love to hear your experience on this topic, from both the candidate and client perspective.
Do you feel that you are usually thoroughly technically tested in a Salesforce interview?
Have you been surprised at the amount of candidates that fail your technical questions/assessment?
How would you feel if you were asked to complete a technical assignment as part of an interview process?
Is asking a Developer to code in an interview like asking a salesperson to show you their recent commission cheques?