So you’ve decided to master Salesforce DevOps. Now what?

What do seasoned release managers, Salesforce developers and admins just getting their teeth into Salesforce all have in common? The fact that Salesforce DevOps skills are hugely valuable and practical — whatever their role and no matter what stage they’re at in their careers.

But for those of you just setting out on your Salesforce DevOps journey, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed. Mastering new concepts, tools and processes can seem tricky at the beginning — especially if your team's current release management process already feels complex.

That’s why we’ve pulled together some simple steps to follow as you navigate the Salesforce DevOps waters. Follow these three tips and you’ll start to build your foundational knowledge of best practices for building on the platform. Before you know it, you’ll be diving in headfirst.

1. Find your Salesforce mentors

The Salesforce ecosystem is all about continuous learning, curiosity, and peer-to-peer support. That’s why it’s a good idea to start with looking close to home by identifying any existing DevOps experts within your organization. Ask them if they can spare a little time, and question them on their knowledge, or how they learned their own skills.

Adding a Salesforce string to your DevOps bow — or a DevOps string to your Salesforce bow — is no mean feat, and most people who are further along the learning curve will be more than happy to help someone starting out.

2. Do your research

It’s important to do a little digging around in the blogosphere to seek out some of the more authoritative and respected sources about Salesforce in general and DevOps in particular. Getting to know the platform is essential, so resources such as Salesforce Ben could come in really handy for those looking to gen-up on all things Salesforce.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for our latest in the DevOps Launchpad blog series, where we’ll highlight tips, ‘how-to’ tricks, and best practice for all things Salesforce DevOps.

3. Get onboard the training train

Mastering Salesforce DevOps doesn't need to be difficult. The hard part is knowing where to begin and how to build on your existing knowledge. DevOps Launchpad guides you on this journey, taking each aspect of Salesforce DevOps and breaking it down into manageable chunks for you to learn.

DevOps Launchpad is a free Salesforce DevOps training platform that offers comprehensive materials designed to take you from whatever your starting point is all the way to DevOps expertise. Like Trailhead, it includes quizzes along the way that add a bit of fun and help consolidate everything you're learning.

These three steps will help you get started, but the most important step has already happened: taking the plunge on Salesforce DevOps in the first place. As more and more organizations begin to adopt and adapt Salesforce to meet their unique business needs, having accredited skills will soon pay dividends for your career.