Unlock software engineering career success

Ready to create, automate, innovate, and accelerate your software engineering career?

Then meet Sandra Kemp and Marisol Torino, two software engineers at Salesforce who know a thing or two about building an exciting and ever-evolving career in technology.

We recently sat down with Sandra and Marisol in our chat, “Cracking the career code: Software engineering at Salesforce,” to discuss how to advance your engineering career and what it means to be an engineer at Salesforce. Here are our biggest takeaways from the conversation.

Master your interview

Finding success as a software engineer starts as early as the recruitment process.

When preparing for an interview, Sandra encourages you to “know the company and know the company’s values. I’ve had people interview with me who had no idea what the company was about. They didn’t understand the position. And that’s a flag.”

She also encourages you to come prepared with questions and send a thank you email after the interview to demonstrate your interest in the role.

“And be yourself,” Marisol adds. “Because if you try to force something that’s not in your blood, we’ll realize it. And it won’t help at all in the interviews. So be honest and be transparent.”

Always be learning

Both Marisol and Sandra encourage you to stay curious — no matter your seniority level.

“Read at least one thing a day,” Marisol says. “It can be a podcast, a blog, whatever keeps you curious… We’re used to the kind of thinking where we complete the training and we’re done for the year. But no, that’s not working right now. We need to be more prepared for constant change. If you want to succeed in a software engineering career, start with super short steps, daily.”

Sandra mentions the importance of thinking outside the box as a developer.

“Technology is changing. Processes are constantly changing, and you want to change with it. So stay up on the latest trends and always think: ‘How can I improve?’”

In her day-to-day, this includes utilizing Salesforce’s learning platform, Trailhead, to develop in-demand skills and earn globally-recognized credentials for free, listening to podcasts, reading technology blogs, and attending networking events in her home city of Chicago.

Nurture your soft skills

Marisol recognizes that technical skills are the cornerstone of a successful engineering career; however, she also emphasizes how they work in tandem with soft skills.

“Every software engineer needs to focus on communication. You will be working with a lot of people that have different levels of understanding. Some are more technical than others and others may be more high-level. So, being able to speak with different levels of understanding and connect with different points of view is key for a person to succeed,” Marisol explains.

She also points out how learning a foreign language can open up career doors around the world.

“I’m Argentinian. I’m not a native English speaker. If you want to work for an international company like Salesforce and many others, mastering a foreign language is key. It allows you to communicate with a broad range of people.”

Collaborate like an expert

Software engineers at Salesforce work cross-collaboratively to create cutting-edge, AI-first technologies. And for both Marisol and Sandra, teamwork is integral to achieving company-wide success.

“Make sure you have certain guidelines on how you’re going to collaborate or communicate as a team. You know, some people like different ways, but make sure you’re clear on expectations on how to communicate, how to respond, and how timely you should respond,” advises Sandra.

Marisol adds, “Don’t be afraid to speak up. Especially in companies like Salesforce, we don’t have hierarchy levels in which a person from one level can’t speak to someone three levels up.”

In addition, throughout her career, Marisol has found it’s easiest to work in tandem with colleagues when everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.

“What tasks and deliverables are you responsible for? If there’s a disconnect there, you don’t want to get to the end and realize people expected you to deliver something that wasn’t on your radar.”

Grow your career at Salesforce

When asked to describe Salesforce’s company culture in one word, Sandra says “innovative” and Marisol says “family.”

Weave these together, and Salesforce offers the ideal combination of constant learning and market-leading technology in a supportive environment.

“Salesforce is at the top of innovation in the industry right now, and that makes it exciting for everyone working in the company,” Marisol says.

If you’re interested in building the future of technology through Data + AI + CRM + Trust, explore career opportunities with Salesforce here.

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