There’s a trend on LinkedIn where people put the number of Salesforce certifications in their headline. It’s usually the leading word, and sometimes it’s the only thing in their headline.
Something like “7x Salesforce Certified”.
Do you realize this headline doesn’t actually say anything?
There are some negative side effects of this kind of headline you may not be aware of:
1. It doesn’t explain what you do or what value you bring to your clients. Are you an admin, consultant, marketing specialist, or something else?
2. By displaying a number, you open yourself to quick and direct comparison. Is a 7x certified consultant better than a 5x certified consultant?
I’ve met some wonderful consultants that only had 2 certifications (certs) while I know someone with 15 certs who cannot explain what is a flow using simple language.
3. Certs are an important part of building your credibility, but they are not the whole picture. Relevant experience and communication skills are more important.
Most high-end consultants are constantly busy with project work and won’t have much time to prepare for certifications. To share a secret with you: I didn’t have a single cert for the first 8 years working with Salesforce. Does that make me an incompetent consultant?
The takeaway
There is so much more to who you are and what you do than a single number.
A more constructive headline would be something like,
– “Salesforce Certified Consultant in the nonprofit industry” or
– “I help nonprofits as a Salesforce Certified Consultant”
Then add your certs in the “Licenses & certifications” section.