Realize the Value of Certifications
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Understand the value of a Salesforce certification for your learners.
- Explain the certification exam structure and how to help your learners register to sit for a Salesforce certification exam.
Why Certify?
A Salesforce certification can help your students stand out when applying for their first roles after graduation by verifying their Salesforce skills and their commitment to professional development.
Certified professionals have greater skills and influence at their organizations. According to a recent IDC study, certified employees are often given more responsibilities than their uncertified peers, making them 5.5 times more influential in their role and 90% more productive. Certified professionals are also 68% more efficient, bringing 30% faster time to value and resulting in two times longer tenure than their uncertified peers.
Plus, once a student has learned in-demand skills, they can show them off on their very own re-invented resume with their Trailblazer.me profile.
For a deeper understanding of the value of Salesforce certifications, read 3 Powerful Salesforce Certification Benefits.
Exam Structures and Guides
As you help prepare your students to take certification exams, it’s helpful to understand the structure of each exam, including the length and breakdown of questions.
Exam |
Time |
Questions |
Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
70 minutes, timed |
40 multiple choice, and up to 5 nonscored |
62% |
|
70 minutes, timed |
40 multiple choice, and up to 5 nonscored |
62% |
|
105 minutes, timed |
60 multiple choice, and up to 5 nonscored |
70% |
Certification Vouchers
Certification vouchers include unique codes that your students can use to take the test either virtually online or in-person at a testing center. If your institution is a Salesforce customer, please reach out to your Salesforce account representative to discuss purchasing certification vouchers in bulk. If you plan on including certification in your course, please make voucher purchases at the beginning of the quarter or semester to ensure adequate time for delivery.
Currently, if your institution is not a Salesforce customer, you can’t purchase vouchers in bulk.
How to Register for a Certification
Here are instructions to help you enable your students to register for their certification exams.
Students start the registration process by accessing Webassessor.
- Go to https://www.webassessor.com/salesforce.
- Select Create New Account in the top right corner. (Tip: It’s in a very small font!)
- Create a new Account (with an email the student plans to keep).
When signing up for Webassessor, students are asked some questions specific to Salesforce.
- For Company name, enter the name of your institution.
- Select SFDC Customer.
- For Verification Opt In, select YES. (This is very important!)
- Select the exam in the appropriate time zone.
Verification allows future employers or you as the teacher to publicly check that a certification has been earned. The easiest way to opt in is during registration.
Then they can schedule their exam.
- Select the type of exam they want to register for.
- Click the + next to the exam name.
- Choose Online or Onsite proctored.
- Select a date and time.
Exam Accommodations
Some students may require accommodations for their certification exams. Students eligible for accommodation include:
- Test takers with disabilities (formal diagnosis not required)
- Test takers with testing anxiety
- Test takers who speak English as a second language
- Test takers with specific personal circumstances
Salesforce offers general extra time (30 min.), along with specific accommodations like screen readers, magnifiers, read-aloud exams, and more. To request accommodation, the student can log a Salesforce Help Case and then register via Webassessor special registration. Students should be aware that accommodations may take additional time to organize and must be arranged before they schedule their exam.
Now you know how to take your students from signing up on Trailhead to becoming certified Salesforce professionals—they (and you!) are true Trailblazers!