Antti Matilainen, Senior Business Development Representative at Salesforce, left Finland for Ireland and planted the seeds for a successful sales career. As we launch in to 2017, we wanted to find out more about his career journey, and what tips he could share for forging a successful career here at Salesforce.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I grew up in a small town called Eura and moved to Helsinki when I was 20. Back then my dream was to become an aeronautical engineer. However, I have always loved business, technology and gadgets so instead of aeronautical engineering, I focused more on industrial technology and economics during my studies in Aalto University.

Outside of work I enjoy playing football, golf and when possible going to the sauna (you can take the boy out of Finland...). I also have a passion for good crafted beers.

What was your experience of the Salesforce interview process?

I was working for a multinational company when a Salesforce recruiter contacted me. I had heard about Salesforce but right after the first call with the recruiter, I looked up more information of what the company was about and what people were saying - most innovative company on the Forbes list, Dreamforce videos on YouTube, on top of that a great reputation on Glassdoor and volunteering as an integral part of their business model - I was blown away!

The Interview process was smooth and my future colleagues took part in the process, which gave me a good indication that this is a company where everyone's voice is heard: HR, management and your future peers.

What are the three top reasons you wanted to join Salesforce?

1. My #1 reason to join Salesforce was that I immediately got the feeling that people are really welcoming and driven to make Salesforce a great place to work. So I decided to go after my dream job.
2. Secondly, the Salesforce culture is unique with its foundations guided by Hawaiian principles. We refer to our culture as the #SalesforceOhana. Ohana which stands for family in Hawaiian and the belief that together we can achieve more. To experience the Ohana culture with colleagues from other teams, Salesforce also rewards successful professionals for their quarterly results. I had the privilege to join the top performer club and won a surfing trip to Lahinch in the west of Ireland. During the three days we visited the Aran Islands and saw the magnificent Cliffs of Moher. Not to talk about the parties in the evening...
3. We also get seven days of VTO (Volunteering Time Off) a year, that you can use to help a cause that matters to you. I have collected money for the Irish Heart Foundation and cleaned up beaches in Dublin and San Francisco. My colleagues even went to Africa to volunteer with a nature preservation charity counting wild life animals and and I heard it was amazing experience!

Last but not least, at Salesforce there's a clear plan for career progression whether you are interested in business or a technical role. My next step will be a sales role either in Ireland or in the UK. I’d love to be based out of the Salesforce HQ in San Francisco within the next five years.

What are your tips for young European professionals looking for an international experience?

Working and living abroad is a life-changing experience. You learn a lot on a professional-level and get a great chance to develop yourself in so many ways.

Often you hear people saying "I was thinking of moving abroad but I never did and every now and again i wonder what I missed out on". 

Moving abroad might sound like a big thing but it really is not.

Taking that step will give you an experience you will never forget!

Interested in joining me and the #SalesforceOhana? Check out our career opportunities.