People Behind the Certs – Nagarajan Palaniswamy – saasguru

SG: Let’s get started. Why don’t we begin at the beginning? Please tell us about your education/ career before entering the Salesforce ecosystem.

NP: I completed my BE in EEE in 2001 from Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College, Coimbatore. Even while pursuing the degree at college, I was more fascinated by programming and joined DNIIT, a 3-year course offered by NIIT, and spent all my free time in their labs. Once I finished my degree in May 2001, I searched for a job for seven months and joined my first company E-Brahma technologies, as Software Developer. 

I worked on .net and VB6.0, with my first monthly salary being Rs. 2500. I did this for 2 years just to learn the nuances of software development and then got an opportunity to join Accenture as Siebel Developer and remained there till I became Associate Manager for 12 years and in 2016 joined TechM. In 2018 I got an opportunity to cross-train with Salesforce in Infosys and joined them. I wanted to become an Architect, but the role available there was PM then, so I moved on to my current company Consleague back to Coimbatore, where I currently work as Lead Architect.

SG: That’s awesome. Now we would love to know what was the tipping point when you said, “I want to make this change,” and what was the trigger for that?

NP: To be honest, there was no tipping point as such. It just felt like a natural transition from Siebel CRM on-premises to Salesforce CRM on Cloud. So I started with Trailhead, and while going through modules, I was fascinated by how Salesforce was not just a CRM app but a platform with fantastic features on which anything can be built, like an Android app, iOS app, web app, etc. So, when I got a call with an opportunity to cross-train, I grabbed onto it and never let go.

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

1. Why do you value certificates?

2. What are the challenges associated with the process?

3. What are your top tips for being successful in cert exams?

NP: I value certifications because, as a Salesforce newbie, it gets you through the door for getting a job. It is definitely a confidence booster to ourselves and employers that we can learn and do what is expected of us on the job.

There are challenges, especially the cost factor and time required for preparing, especially when you are already employed in a project. But if you understand WHY you started the certification journey and have discipline, consistency, and persistence to spend 2 hrs every day studying, you can definitely get through one certification every 3 months.

And my Top tip is NEVER EVER to memorize question dumps with answers. It never helps you to get a job and maintain it. Book the exam date prior so you have a deadline for your quest for certification.

SG: What do you enjoy most about your work as a certified Salesforce professional?

NP: Seeing the “wow” moments when we demo Salesforce features to a client who has been using some legacy systems is something that I enjoy.

Also, mentoring and helping students and lateral entries learn Salesforce and get certified. That satisfaction is beyond comparison.

SG: Time for gratitude!! Finally, is there anyone (individual or company) that 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?

NP: First, I would like to thank my wife Kalpana for being patient with me when I started preparing for certification and ignoring family times when I went deeper into my studies. 

Also, I would like to thank my CEO Mohan Elango for trusting and encouraging me to take up the 10 certifications that I currently have.