12 Reasons to Become a Salesforce Platform Developer

There are so many opportunities out there today for software developers that it can feel a little overwhelming, especially if you’re just starting out. How can you figure out what’s right for you? It helps to narrow your focus just enough to visualize a full-fledged career path for yourself — and exploring the Salesforce ecosystem is a great place to start. Many mid-career developers also transition into Salesforce development to expand and invigorate their technical skills and take their careers in an exciting new direction. If you’re curious at all about how to become a Salesforce Platform Developer, this post will help you dig a bit deeper.

What can Salesforce offer me as a developer?

Becoming a Salesforce Platform Developer offers you a golden opportunity to learn valuable new skills, grow into an expert, and explore new technologies and roles — all within the varied and extensive Salesforce ecosystem. And you’d be far from alone — developers across the globe are actively developing on Salesforce. Across companies and industries, thousands of Salesforce devs spend time every week in our developer-focused Trailblazer Community, collaborating and helping each other.

Top 12 reasons to build a career in the Salesforce ecosystem

There’s never been a better time to dive in and start building on Salesforce. Here are some top reasons why you may want to consider a career as a Salesforce Platform Developer.

1. Skill up with an industry leader
   Salesforce is the #1 CRM application, as noted by IDC’s 2022 worldwide revenue market share. We help more than 150,000 customers across industries and around the world thrive with our world-leading technology and ecosystem.
2. Stay ahead of the innovation curve
   Salesforce is committed to releasing updates and new features three times a year, which helps developers make the most out of our platform with AI + Data + CRM.
3. Tap into a thriving job market
   Salesforce Platform Developers are in high demand. In 2021, there were 52,300 job postings* in the U.S. alone. There’s been a 165% job growth* in the last 5 years (U.S. data).
4. Enjoy high earning potential
   Salesforce Platform Developers typically receive a high median base salary* of $120,000 (U.S. data).
5. Explore multiple career paths
   The Salesforce ecosystem offers a world of opportunities for you to grow your career. You can gain expertise on multiple products or even move into a new role like technical architect or leader.
6. Join an active, welcoming community
   The Salesforce Developers Trailblazer Community is the place to meet other Salesforce Platform Developers and collaborate, learn, solve problems, and build your peer network.
7. Access support and resources
   Need to solve a problem? Want to learn something new? There’s a variety of resources available through the Salesforce Developers website. Peruse docs, tools, expert advice, and how-to materials.
8. Get free training on-demand
   Skill up when it’s convenient for you with Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform. Trailhead offers a wide variety of technical courses and other topics of interest to developers. Developers can also sign up for a free Salesforce Developer Edition to get started with the Platform today!
9. Become Salesforce Platform Certified
   Salesforce credentials allow for certification and career growth, showcasing your hands-on experience with a variety of products and technologies.
10. Develop in a flexible environment
    Customize your development environment with the Salesforce Platform’s declarative and programmatic tools to suit your needs. Our platform offers the best of no-code and code options, without compromise.
11. Use an API-friendly platform
    Add functionality to your applications from other cloud products, industry solutions, and the Salesforce Platform with a wealth of APIs.
12. Ask the experts
    Connect with developer advocates and product experts through online content, such as Ask Me Anything sessions, events such as TrailblazerDX and Dreamforce, and on Salesforce+.

There are many more reasons to become a Salesforce Platform Developer, but don’t just take our word for it. Ask around in the community and people will tell you about their journey. Developer, Dinko Sego, shares their thoughts in their blog post, Why I’m Sticking with Salesforce: A Developer’s Perspective on the Low-Code Platform. 

Get started on the road to a bright future by exploring the range of resources below.

Developer resources

• Blog Post: What Is a Salesforce Developer?
• Trailhead: Salesforce Developer Career Path
• Trailhead: Build Your Salesforce Developer Career
• Salesforce Developers: Home
• Trailblazer Community: Salesforce Developers
• Salesforce Developer Blog
• Salesforce Developers: Salesforce Developer Edition, a free, full-featured copy of the platform

*Lightcast Research: Jobs in the Salesforce Ecosystem, 2022