How to Prepare for the Salesforce Developer Certification?
Question:
I am relatively new to Force.com development (less than a year), and I did not learn it from the ground up. I think it would be beneficial to study for the Salesforce Developer Certification to strengthen my basics and improve my overall knowledge of Force.com. Plus, it would be great to have the certification.
However, I find that there is limited information available online about how to go about obtaining this certification. Most other major certifications have dedicated study guide books, but there seem to be few resources for Force.com, and none of them appear to be official. The official page has little information, and the study guide only provides a broad overview of the exam topics.
Many certified developers are active in this community. I would really appreciate it if anyone could share their insights, tips, and advice on how to prepare for this exam. Is taking the DEV401 course required or helpful for this certification? Also, can you recommend great resources, such as books, online training, or practice tests?
Answer:
While the official study guide may seem minimal, it is intentionally so. The topic list in the guide essentially outlines what you need to learn in order to pass the exam. Don’t worry too much about the large topics; focus on breaking down the smaller sub-topics and assess your knowledge in each area on a scale of 1 to 3:
- 1: I know it well
- 2: I know it, but need some review
- 3: I have no clue and need to build my understanding
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Start by addressing the areas where you’re rating yourself as a 2. Work your way towards the 3’s. You can apply this approach to any certification exam preparation.
For the Developer Certification, a good resource is the Force.com Fundamentals and the Force.com Workbook. Also, don’t underestimate the value of the online help and training materials provided by Salesforce. When the exams are reviewed, any needed modifications or clarifications usually reference the official help and training.
In the weeks leading up to your exam, be sure to go through the current release training. Each exam is reviewed with every Salesforce release, so relying on older material may put you at a disadvantage. For example, if you start studying for Winter ’13 and take the exam in Spring ’13, the questions may reference updates in the newer release.
Finally, be cautious about practice exams. Due to the constantly evolving nature of Salesforce, practice questions that are even a year old may no longer be accurate. If you do use practice exams, ensure they specify which release they were written for.
Regarding DEV401, it is highly recommended. Many individuals who take the DEV401 course report that it was instrumental in their success with the Developer Certification. The course is also a significant benefit if you’re planning to teach others, as all instructors must be Developer certified. If possible, take the DEV401 course to strengthen your foundation and better prepare for the exam.
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