Behind the Certs – Sharayu Sable

SG – Let’s get started. Why don’t we begin at the beginning? Please tell us about your education/ career before coming into the Salesforce ecosystem.
SS – I did my engineering in Electronics and Telecommunication. In the last year of my engineering program, I got placed with a company as a Java developer. This started my journey in technology. I worked as a Java developer for 5 years before moving to the Salesforce ecosystem. In these 5 years, I learned the core concepts of Application lifecycle management, client communications, stakeholder management and the art of understanding the business problems and converting them to solutions.

SG – That’s awesome. We’d love to know the tipping point, that moment when you said ‘I want to make this change’ and what was the trigger?
SS – I first heard of Salesforce from my ex-manager who had moved to lead the Salesforce practice within the company. At that stage, I did not have much idea about the Salesforce, but it looked like an interesting opportunity, so I took that on. I think I made a great decision then.

So there started my Salesforce journey around 2010 and what really amazed me was the extensive list of out of the box capabilities of the platform which can be used to deliver customer’s requirements.Being from Java platform, it was easy to pick up the apex side of things.It was an exciting journey as with every new business challenge I learnt a new capability of the platform that could be used to solve it. It was definitely a steep learning curve, but the salesforce community and forums were always there to help.

SG – You achieved many certs along the way. Can you share three things with us,

1. why you value certs
2. challenges associated with the process and,
3. your top tips for being successful in cert exams?

SS – Salesforce is an ever evolving platform. Certs help you to keep yourself up to date. It helps you to learn about new products and features, and apply it in the real world with client business problems. In terms of tips, I would say first and foremost, keep your focus on learning and how you can use that learning to solve a real world business challenge, instead of just focusing on passing the exam. Enjoy the learning process! Secondly, never shy away from asking for help. The Salesforce Ohana is an amazing community and there are many who will be there to support you with your journey. Lastly, set aside some time daily to study and make learning part of your routine.

SG – What do you enjoy most about your work as a certified Salesforce professional?
SS – I love helping clients solve their business problems. When you see your solution in action making an existing process efficient and easy to use , it’s a fantastic feeling. The other thing that I like about working on the platform is the constant challenge of learning something new. There is always something new to learn with every Salesforce release.

SG – Time for gratitude!! Finally, is there anyone (individual or company) you would like to take this opportunity to thank for their role in helping you along your journey? If Yes, what was their role in your success?
SS – There are many, I have been lucky to have some inspirational managers and mentors throughout my career who all have helped me progress in my journey. I would like to thank all the companies I have worked for and all my colleagues.