He credits much of his success to networking and building relationships. “This work blurs the line between online and offline, and professional and personal,” AJ says. “The majority of my work takes place online. That’s why I was so touched when I shared the news online that my wife and I were expecting a baby, and my house was showered with baby presents from my online network. The people who I have professional relationships with have been there for me during times that had nothing to do with my career.” 

Bringing the community together at Dreamforce

AJ, as well as other Trailblazers, are constantly looking for more opportunities to meet with the online network in-person. Naturally, AJ jumped at the opportunity to apply to be part of the Salesforce Military cohort this year at Dreamforce, happening from November 19-22 in San Francisco.

Out of 140 applicants, AJ was one of the fifty people from across the globe who was awarded a full scholarship to connect with others in the Salesforce ecosystem, learn from keynotes and thought leaders, and share stories to give back to the community. Additionally, more than thirty Salesforce Military ambassadors will be on-site at Dreamforce to spread the word about the career-changing opportunities available through the program.

A commitment to interviewing and hiring

Throughout the week at Dreamforce, the group will meet Salesforce Military Alliance partners. This will be an especially valuable opportunity for members of the Salesforce Military cohort who are seeking jobs within the ecosystem.

We know it isn’t enough to train the military community with the necessary technology skills to succeed. Transitioning veterans are often overlooked during the hiring process because their unique experiences might not translate directly to a posted job description. So, they need help to get their resumes to the top of the pile. That’s why we launched the Salesforce Military Alliance back in May, creating a larger movement to prioritize and accelerate the interviewing and hiring of veterans and military spouses for Salesforce ecosystem roles.

The alliance kicked off in partnership with Accenture Federal Services and Prudential, and now is up to 15 partners and more than 115 military community members have signed up for interviews. These Salesforce partners and customers commit to conducting guaranteed job interviews and removing the college degree requirement for all military participants who earn Salesforce certifications. 

The newest companies to join the Salesforce Military Alliance include Amazon, Booz Allen Hamilton, PwC Canada, HigherEchelon, Archima Solutions, and MST Solutions. These partnerships will drive tangible opportunities for military community job seekers and bring military talent into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Blaze your trail

Are you looking to take advantage of the Salesforce training resources and join the Trailblazer community, but don’t know where to begin? AJ has experience encouraging people, even those with limited tech experience, to get started. While his friends and family felt overwhelmed at first, AJ reminded them that no matter their industry background — whether they worked at a pizza shop, in retail, or in a bar — that Salesforce technology can solve issues they faced and that there are resources available on Trailhead.

It just takes a few minutes to begin. Start with the Strengthen and Diversify Your Workforce with Military Veterans trail to learn how businesses can build a stronger workforce that’s inclusive of military veterans. Be sure to follow Salesforce Military on Twitter to meet the Dreamforce cohort and get an exclusive peek at the event from their perspectives.