Salesforce Admin: Karen Xiao

Why did you become an Admin?

I just became a Salesforce Admin less than a year ago, after spending over 20 years in the travel industry. In my last role as a Sales Manager, I was tapped to work on the Salesforce implementation project because I was the most technically-inclined on the team although I was not familiar with Salesforce at all and knew nothing about coding. After I started working on the project, I immediately fell in love with Salesforce. I loved how robust the platform was, how quickly it worked, and the inter-relational database model. With just one click, I could convert information I needed into a contact, account, opportunity, and more. The platform is endlessly customizable, and I could learn how to customize it myself with support from the incredible community and resources available in the Salesforce ecosystem.

Being tapped to work on the Salesforce implementation project at my previous company was the best opportunity I’ve ever had because it allowed me to completely change my career. Since working on that project, I have become a full-time Salesforce Admin in a completely different industry. I still feel like it is surreal because I never imagined that I’d be in a technical role. I keep wondering, “Am I going to be able to do this?” But I love being challenged because my strengths lie in finding ways to improve processes and finding better solutions.

What’s your favorite thing about being an Admin?

I am the magic worker, making things happen for people. Something seemingly easy and simple to me can be such a game changer for one of my end users. It is so rewarding to see other people using something I built.

What’s the most important skill for an Admin?

You have to be able to be creative, think outside the box and have a can-do attitude. It’s also really important to be a good listener and communicator. Acknowledge what your customer needs (internal or external) before rushing to a solution. You don’t have to know everything and produce an answer right away. Learn to level set your user’s expectations, know how to take the time to find the best solution, and follow through and communicate effectively. There’s nothing in the world that you can’t do if you take the time to look for solutions this way.

What’s your advice for other Admins?

Always be learning, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are lots of people in the community to help you! I love the Success Community because I can post a specific question and lots of people are willing to help me figure out the best solution. It’s also a great place to see how others are taking on challenges and solving problems. I would suggest looking at the Salesforce videos, documentation, and user guides to help you find answers as well.