Talent Hub Talk

Vanessa Grant on the Salesforce Business Analyst role and the power of giving back in the Salesforce Ohana

In today's episode, we're joined by US based Salesforce Solution Architect, Vanessa Grant.

 

Having already built a successful career on the business side, with people management responsibilities, Vanessa first joined the Salesforce ecosystem as a Business Analyst. We discuss how this transition first occurred, what first motivated her to specialise in Salesforce, and why the Business Analyst role was the one which resonated the most with her.

 

We go on to discuss the Salesforce Business Analyst role specifically, what makes a good B.A, how essential technical skills and platform knowledge are to the role, and which resources she found to be the most helpful throughout her learning. 

 

Recently Vanessa has stepped into a Solution Architect role, and she also shares her experiences of this, as well as her views on Salesforce certification and professional development.

 

As an active and generous member of the Salesforce ecosystem, Vanessa explains what she has gained by becoming more involved in the Ohana, how she likes to give back, and finally how she found Dreamforce 2021!

 

Make sure you're following Vanessa on LinkedIn and Twitter for her insights, and reach out to her with any questions that you may have, as she's more than happy to assist you on your journey if she can.

 

We hope you enjoy the discussion!

David Longhini on the world of Field Service and operating in a niche space

In today's episode, we're joined by CEO and Co-Founder of the US based Salesforce consultancy, Empodio, David Longhini.

 

We discuss David's background, how and why he became a specialist in the Field Service space, and explore his desire to become a business owner.

 

Empodio specialise in the Field Service space, and operate in a very specific niche, which opens the chat to dive into the evolving expectations of clients, where insights on industry and business challenges are sought after, rather than simply expertise in the technology.

 

We discuss the world of Field Service, and the benefits and challenges of operating in such a specific niche within the Salesforce space. This is a really interesting episode which not only explores emerging trends in the Salesforce partner landscape, but also the entrepreneur psyche.

 

Make sure you're following David on LinkedIn for his insights, where you can also find his LinkedIn article on the drive to become a business owner, which he references in this episode.

 

We hope you enjoy the discussion!

BONUS: How to optimise your LinkedIn profile with Ben Duncombe

In today's episode, Ben talks LinkedIn profiles. You may have an existing profile, and have an opportunity to optimise it to work harder for you, either in a networking capacity or by aligning you to a future role. As a vocal advocate for the platform, Ben gives his tips on this topic and what it could mean for you and your Salesforce career.

 

He explains new features, insider tips on how recruiters initiate searches on the platform, and how it can more accurately represent not only your experience and skills, but interests and passions.

 

Make sure you grab yourself a copy of our Salesforce Market Survey 2021 for the data around current Salesforce market trends, and that you're following Ben on LinkedIn for further content Salesforce truth bombs and content.

 

We hope you find the episode useful! If you do, please do let us know in your podcast reviews

Shane Williams on the impact of escalating demand for Salesforce talent

In today's episode, we're joined by Australia based leadership advisor and Managing Director of Shane Williams Executive, Shane Williams, to discuss the evolving landscape of hiring and retaining talent in a tightening space.

 

In a unique combination of border closures, and a rush for urgent digital transformation, the talent pool in the ANZ region in particular has tightened considerably in the past 18 months. We explore the consequences of this, on recruitment processes, budgets and candidate's careers themselves, as we touch on subjects such as 'The Great Resignation' and how to best strike a balance both as a hiring manager and as a Salesforce professional. 

 

We regularly catch up with Shane on the podcast, as he's a popular voice with our listeners. There are several previous episodes that we have recorded throughout the year with him, including candid chats, predictions and observations. If you've missed any of these, then head back through the show to catch up on what you missed.

 

Shane has successfully hired and managed high performing teams across APAC and delivered large scale Salesforce transformations, and so make sure you're following him on LinkedIn for his insights, and that you check out his book, The Platform Owners Guidebook, and podcast, Platform Diaries.

We hope you enjoy the discussion!

Part 2: Matt Hollingshead and Chris Hopper on everything Salesforce interviews

In today's episode, we catch up with USA-based Salesforce Recruiter, Christopher Hopper, and Matt Hollingshead, Director of Business Systems for BetterCloud, to cover a wide range of topics around Salesforce interviews.

 

We dive into discussion around whether a short interview is a bad sign, how the interview process differs for contract roles, and the gold standard for feedback.

 

They share tips on creating a portfolio to demonstrate your abilities, and pieces of advice for hiring managers and candidates alike.

 

This is Part 2 of the chat, and if you missed Part 1, make sure you go back and have a listen.

 

We regularly catch up with Chris on the podcast, as he's a popular voice with our listeners. There are several previous episodes that we have recorded at past Dreamforce events and throughout the year with him, including candid chats, predictions and observations. If you've missed any of these, then head back through the show to catch up on what you missed.

 

Chris comes from a technical background himself which gives him a unique insight, and he's a valuable voice and content creator to follow on social media. You can find him on LinkedIn, or visit his website for articles, videos, and information.

 

Matt has successfully hired over 1000 candidates throughout his career and so is an experienced and knowledgeable hiring manager to glean insight from on the topic of interviews. He has some refreshing approaches to recruitment and so make sure you're also following him on LinkedIn.

 

We hope you enjoy the insights!

Part 1: Matt Hollingshead and Chris Hopper on everything Salesforce interviews

In today's episode, we catch up with USA-based Salesforce Recruiter, Christopher Hopper and Matt Hollingshead, Director of Business Systems for BetterCloud, to cover a wide range of topics around Salesforce interviews.

 

We dive into discussion around how interview questions are typically structured, the things that hiring managers are typically looking for, and whether this is always consistent. 

 

They share tips for how both candidates and hiring managers can best handle gaps in experience and the dreaded nerves. We also talk about how candidates can best prepare for interviews, and the knock on effect of when candidates renege on initial acceptance.

 

This is Part 1 of the chat, and we have even more insights and truth bombs to share with you in Part 2, next week.

 

We regularly catch up with Chris on the podcast, as he's a popular voice with our listeners. There are several previous episodes that we have recorded at past Dreamforce events and throughout the year with him, including candid chats, predictions and observations. If you've missed any of these, then head back through the show to catch up on what you missed.

 

Chris comes from a technical background himself which gives him a unique insight, and he's a valuable voice and content creator to follow on social media. You can find him on LinkedIn, or visit his website for articles, videos, and information.

 

Matt has successfully hired over 1000 candidates throughout his career and so is an experienced and knowledgeable hiring manager to glean insight from on the topic of interviews. He has some refreshing approaches to recruitment and so make sure you're also following him on LinkedIn.

 

Additionally, we'd like to thank our episode sponsors, Form Assembly for their support in bringing you this episode. 

 

Form building can be a tedious and complex process when collecting loads of data for enterprises. Solve this issue with ease through FormAssembly, an all-in-one secure web form builder with a robust Salesforce integration. This seamless web to lead form building connection boasts features including sophisticated data collection, the option to pre-fill forms, create and update records, and more! Their advanced compliance standards offer prime solutions for companies in the government, finserv, healthcare, nonprofit, and higher education spaces. 

 

What else? Their soon-to-come feature, FormAssembly Workflow, is built to streamline processes for any organization.

 

Visit www.formassembly.com/talenthub to find out why FormAssembly is the #1 Enterprise form building platform for Salesforce and how it can be customized to fit the needs of your company!

 

Enjoy the chat!

Felix Nilam on transitioning his career from Salesforce consulting to client side

In today's episode, we're joined by Australia based Salesforce Architect and Program Manager, Felix Nilam.

As a previous guest of Talent Hub TV right back in episode 2, we reconnect with Felix to discuss his recent transition from a long tenure within the consulting space, to a recent move to client side.

He shares what motivated him to make the change, his experiences so far, and the observations he's made. 

We delve into whether his new environment has shifted his perception of topics such as Salesforce certifications and time management, amongst other elements, and he goes on to explain the new skills that he's acquired on this side of the ecosystem.

It was great to catch up with Felix again, and if you missed his first appearance with us, you can catch it here.

Make sure that you're following Felix on LinkedIn to stay connected, and if you have any questions, then he is happy to chat with you online.

 

We hope you enjoy the chat!

Rohit Kumar on the Indian Salesforce ecosystem and nurturing upcoming talent

In today's episode, we're joined by India based Salesforce CTA and CTO of Venerate Solutions, Rohit Kumar.

Rohit talks us through what first attracted him into the world of Salesforce, and to pursue the CTA path, as part of what has been a varied and successful career to date, having worked directly for Salesforce previously, and utilised his Salesforce skills for a period of working in Europe. 

He explains how he benefited from his time working in the European market, and shares a detailed insight into the huge Salesforce ecosystem in India. We talk about the unique challenges there, the growth that the region has experienced, how the perception of the platform has evolved over time, and his predictions for future growth.

Rohits explains the RPA space which he is now involved in with Venerate Solutions and how it complements Salesforce; how the business started, and the gap in the market that they capitalised on. We talk about developing talent, and how they are facilitating bringing more talent into the ecosystem. 

Finally, we talk about Rohit's journey to CTA, what worked for him and the tips that he shares with others considering undertaking the challenge.

Make sure that you're following Rohit on LinkedIn to stay connected, and if you have any questions, then he is happy to chat with you online.

 

You can check out our episode sponsors, FlowRepublic for details about the Elite Salesforce Academy coaching programme mentioned in this episode, and a big thank you for their support in bringing you this episode.

 

We hope you enjoy the chat!

Carter Wigell on the early days of Salesforce and the evolution of the consulting space

In today's episode, we're joined by CEO of US based Salesforce consulting practice, Thunder, Inc, Carter Wigell.

 

Carter has a fascinating and unique story, having been one of the first circa 100 Salesforce employees back in 2001, and having been involved in a number of acquisitions within the consulting space throughout his career to date.

 

We discuss how he first became a part of the Salesforce ecosystem, what his initial thoughts were, and how he saw the business and platform grow exponentially over the years.

 

Carter explains why he made the decision to start his own business within the ecosystem, and we discuss the various ways that this can be approached, as well as his thoughts on optimising talent.

 

Having been involved in several high profile acquisitions in the past decade, he shares his insights in acquisitions, and the opportunities and challenges that come from them. There have been many developments in the market since then, and he explains his views on both the positive and more testing aspects, including his vision for his most recent business, Thunder, Inc.

 

Make sure you're following Carter on LinkedIn and continue to follow the Thunder, Inc journey, and we'd like to thank our episode sponsors, Form Assembly for their support in bringing you this episode. 

 

Form building can be a tedious and complex process when collecting loads of data for enterprises. Solve this issue with ease through FormAssembly, an all-in-one secure web form builder with a robust Salesforce integration. This seamless web to lead form building connection boasts features including sophisticated data collection, the option to pre-fill forms, create and update records, and more! Their advanced compliance standards offer prime solutions for companies in the government, finserv, healthcare, nonprofit, and higher education spaces. Visit www.formassembly.com/talenthub to find out why FormAssembly is the #1 Enterprise form building platform for Salesforce and how it can be customized to fit the needs of your company!

 

We hope you enjoy the chat!

 

Vinay Sail on enterprise architecture and the pursuit of the CTA

In today's episode, we're joined by Netherlands based Salesforce CTA, Vinay Sail.

Vinay is an Enterprise Architect and talks us through what first attracted him into the technical space and the world of Salesforce, and more recently to pursue the CTA path.

We talk about how he first started designing Salesforce solutions, we cover the different types of architects and what each one does. Vinay explains the structure and planning aspects of architecture, and how TOGAF certifications and others similar, can assist professionals to build that framework.

We touch on architecture from the business's perspective; the outcomes that they can expect to see, and the return on investment from the work produced.

As a Certified Technical Architect graduating from the FlowRepublic Academy, Vinay explains his personal CTA journey, the study group that he was a part of, and shares the productivity tips that he adopted to achieve success.

Make sure that as well as checking out his blog referenced in this episode, forceenterprisearchitect.com, that you're following Vinay on LinkedIn to stay connected, and if you have any questions, then Vinay is happy to chat with you online.

 

You can check out our episode sponsors, FlowRepublic for details about the Elite Salesforce Academy coaching programme mentioned in this episode, and a big thank you for their support in bringing you this episode.

 

We hope you enjoy the chat!