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Last week we left an exhausted, but confident, Doina who had just completed her Review Board Exam to become a Certified Technical Architect. This week, we hear how she managed the agony and suspense of the wait for her results and she shares her advice on becoming a CTA yourself.
The weeks of waiting for the results were really difficult. And then it came — I PASSED! On my first attempt no less. I was now one of an elite few Salesforce Certified Technical Architects. I was elated!
The judges’ feedback was very important and detailed the areas they believed I was strongest. And, to my surprise, there were no weaknesses identified. I was floating on cloud nine and couldn’t stop thanking the people who helped me get there.
I was so happy in fact that I decided to help others achieve their own CTA journey. I registered as a CTA mentor and helped whenever I could. I also volunteered to be a judge on the review board panel.
#Ohana #MeaningfulChallenges - received at a Salesforce Customer Success Group team building event.
I’m here in no small part thanks to my grandmother (my role model in life), Dragos Fagurel, and my parents who taught me the mantra that kept me going throughout my journey to the top, “I CAN, and I WILL!”.
Start by realistically assessing your knowledge gaps and make an ambitious plan for closing them. The Trailhead Architect Journey trailmixes are fantastic and while there is a lot of information, don't be daunted! Just tackle them step-by-step and you’ll succeed. You'll need to know every single topic covered in these trailmixes.
Once you earn all the prerequisite certifications and are ready to register for your review board, check out the information on the scheduling page and open a case to register your interest. The Architect Team will work with you and provide additional guidance to help you prepare.
If you have the chance to befriend a CTA and get their support for your prep – fabulous! Even if you can't, be sure to join the Architect Trailblazer Community to connect with others who have gone, or are going through, the process. Everyone is happy to help and there are many subject matter experts willing to share their knowledge.
Learn, practice... and repeat! You may want to request time off from your employer to study as you get closer to the board, but also be prepared to put in a significant amount of personal time to study and practice.
You'll know when it's time. But don’t expect to feel 100% ready, rather assess if you're prepared and then just go for it!
There really is such a buzz around Salesforce Architects right now, and when you become one of the CTA elite, you’ll see that it’s definitely worth all the effort. The amazing feeling of acquired knowledge, the impact you can make in your work, the peer and community recognition, the financial benefits, and professional opportunities are more than you can imagine.
Just remember, once you reach the top, give back and help others ascend with you. You'll need to maintain the high level of knowledge by keeping current with releases and continuing to learn. You can definitely share your experience and knowledge — and you should — but at the same time, you'll still have a lot to learn from everyone around you.
#JourneyToCTA—made it to the top of the mountain, literally and figuratively!
My CTA credential has been my launch pad to bigger and better things. It proves that I know my stuff and have the dedication to see something through to the end. And the deep platform understanding that’s resulted from my learning now enables me to make a real difference in my day-to-day work life.
Join me! Start your own #JourneyToCTA today and check out my 5 top tips on taking the Review Board exam… I’ll see you at the top.
