Tips on Passing Salesforce Certification

Here’s the thing: if you want to pass your Salesforce certification, you have to know that the process isn’t easy. Don’t be taken in by those who claim it can all be done in a flash and without stress. Having said that, there are things you can do to make the difficult process go more smoothly, and to increase your overall chances of success.

Here are some of the best tips on passing your Salesforce certification:

Tip 1: Study the Exam Outline

As with most kinds of exams, one of the keys to passing is understanding the test structure itself. The point of understanding what’s tested isn’t just so you know exactly what to study, but also so that you know which areas of study to give more weight to over others. For example, of the knowledge about 12 Salesforce functions that is assessed, more weight on the test is given to “Standard and Custom Objects” (14%) compared to “Organizational Setup” (3%).

So much of what people experience as “exam nerves” is based on not really understanding what the test will be like. The more familiar you become, the more relaxed you’ll be and therefore the more likely to perform well. 

Tip 2: Teach Someone Else the Material

Once you’ve learned the material and feel you understand it well, work with a fellow aspiring Salesforce professional, or someone within your company or organisation and try to teach them that same knowledge you have learned. Interestingly, teaching an area of expertise to another person is among the most effective ways of unveiling the gaps in knowledge that we have. It is often referred to quite aptly as “learning by teaching.”

The reason it works so well is that when studying we often think we’ve mastered some knowledge because in our minds we’ve read it, understood it, perhaps recreated some notes on the subject. However, explaining the concept we’ve just studied orally to another person is a whole other level of challenge, and a much more accurate way to tell if we really understand what we’ve learned.

Tip 3: Don’t Cram

This tip applies to just about anyone preparing for any kind of test at any level. When you cram, you’re just dooming yourself either to failure, or a pass by the skin of your teeth that isn’t really worthy of your true knowledge and understanding of Salesforce. What does it really say about you as a professional if you’ll leave such important tasks to the last minute?

Tip 4: Be Careful When Going Back to Review Answers

The Salesforce exam has an interesting quirk, which is that if you leave a question for later and then circle back to review it, the order of the answer choices will have shifted. It’s the same content, but what was previously listed as answer A may now have shifted to answer B. It means you should be focusing on what you feel the answer keyword is rather than just remembering what letter answer you thought it was.

Tip 5: Read All Questions Carefully

Many mistakes made on the test itself stem from an improper reading and thus erroneous understanding of the question asked. Read each question at least twice before starting your answer. Break it down to its key components if that helps. Another good thing to do is jot down a paraphrasing or summary of the question on a piece of notepaper, as that helps reassure yourself that you’ve understood it, and what it wants from you is the answer.

Tip 6: Take a Deep Breath Before Hitting the “Start” Button on Test Day

Remember that for the Salesforce test, the timer only starts when you hit the “Start” button. They do afford you this much control, at least. Before you get started, take a deep breath, or perhaps pause for a full minute, relaxing and centering yourself before you begin.