Salesforce Certification is one of the most common topics students ask me about, especially when they’re starting their Salesforce journey. Two questions come up again and again:
1️⃣ What skills do I need to become a Salesforce Administrator?
2️⃣ Which certification should I start with — Salesforce Admin or Salesforce Developer?
After seeing these questions repeatedly, I decided to write this blog post to give you clear, practical guidance. My goal is to help you make the right and informed decision for your Salesforce career.
Becoming a Salesforce Administrator does not require expert-level Salesforce knowledge.
In fact, you don’t even need programming skills!
If you have basic skills such as:
Understanding business processes
Logical thinking
Problem-solving
A willingness to learn
… then you can absolutely become a Salesforce Admin.
Salesforce Admin is all about using out-of-the-box Salesforce features. It’s a tool — just like Excel or Microsoft Word — and with consistent practice, trial, and error, you will master it.
Many Certified Admins today come from non-IT backgrounds such as marketing, HR, sales, finance, and even teaching. None of them had programming experience when they started.
If you’re wondering whether you have the skills to become an Admin, the answer is: Yes, you do!
Salesforce Certification and Your Career
Being certified is one of the most valuable steps you can take in your Salesforce journey.
Most companies now require at least one Salesforce Certification for jobs.
When choosing between:
A non-certified candidate (lower salary)
A certified professional (higher salary)
… companies almost always choose the certified professional.
Salesforce offers a large number of certifications to choose from.
📌 Official Certification List: (Internal Link) → Add link to your blog’s certification guide
📌 Salesforce Website: certification.salesforce.com
Administrator vs Developer Certification — Which One Should You Choose?
Salesforce Admin Certification is divided into:
ADM 201 – Salesforce Administrator
ADM 211 – Advanced Administrator
(No prerequisite for ADM 201, but you need ADM 201 before ADM 211)
Salesforce Developer track includes:
Platform Developer I
Platform Developer II
(No prerequisite for PD1, but required for PD2)
Most confusion happens when people plan to move from Admin to Developer. So let’s understand the difference…
What's the Difference? — Admin vs Developer
Salesforce Admin Certification Focuses On:
- User management
- Security & permissions
Workflow automation
Reports and dashboards
Standard Salesforce features
Territory management
Declarative configuration
It mainly tests your knowledge of what Salesforce offers without coding.
Salesforce Developer Certification Focuses On:
- Designing data models
Writing Apex code
Creating Visualforce pages
Building programmatic automation
Understanding the development lifecycle
Working with development environments
Platform Developer II goes even deeper into coding expertise.
What I Recommend
For beginners, always start with the Salesforce Admin Certification (ADM 201).
Before learning Apex programming, you must understand what Salesforce already provides out-of-the-box.
There is no point in writing code for something Salesforce already offers.
How to Prepare for Your Certification
Step 1:
Visit the Salesforce certification website and download the Study Guide for your exam.
Step 2:
Identify high-weight topics so you can focus your efforts.
Step 3:
Start structured learning using online courses.
Here are some helpful internal resources to guide you:
Salesforce Admin Certification Course (Internal link to your course page)
Salesforce Apex – Beginner to Advanced
Salesforce Lightning with Real-Time Project
Apex REST Web Service Course
Avoid outdated content online. Study smart—not hard.
Thousands of students have cleared their certifications with these courses. And with our 15-day money-back guarantee, there’s no risk in getting started.
If you have questions or need guidance, feel free to contact me at info@mytutorialrack.com.
Ready to Master Salesforce the Right Way?
If you’re serious about building a strong foundation in Salesforce and want to clear the Salesforce Admin Certification on your first attempt, don’t miss the Salesforce Admin Certification Course by MyTutorialRack. This beginner-friendly course includes hands-on practice, real-world scenarios, and exam-focused training.
Enroll now: https://www.mytutorialrack.com/courses/salesforce-admin-certification-course/
