salesforce.com case study answers

Top 35 Salesforce Interview Questions (Example Answers Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Salesforce is a giant in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) space. The company has a firm grip on around 20 percent of the market.

Pretty impressive, right? Plus, its influence keeps expanding.

But keeping ahead of the competition isn’t easy, even for a tech powerhouse like Salesforce. It requires diligence, guts, and dedication to innovation, for one. Having an incredible team by your side is also a necessity.

This is especially true during these strange times. The coronavirus altered the business landscape dramatically. In some cases, it’s practically unrecognizable. Plus, so many people found themselves unceremoniously unemployed.

Companies like Salesforce can be a bastion of hope. Not only can they help businesses regain traction through customer insights, but they are also still operating, making them a potential employment option. Many professionals relish the chance to join the organization’s ranks. That means the company can often have their pick of top talent. That’s great for them, not always so much for you.

If you want to become one of the company’s 49,000 employees, you have to stand out from the other candidates. How do you show Salesforce that you’re the right person for the job? By nailing the Salesforce interview questions that get thrown at you, of course.

Not sure how to make that happen?

Don’t worry. We’ve got your back. If you want to shine during your Salesforce interview, here’s what it takes.

How to Answer Salesforce Interview Questions

Alright, we know you’re here for Salesforce interview questions and answers. But, before we dig into that, let’s take a moment to cover an incredibly important question: What’s the best way to answer interview questions in the first place?

Well, technically, there isn’t a single best way. Each question is unique, so it may need something different from you. But, by learning a couple of reliable techniques, you can be ready for just about anything.

What’s the first method for success? It’s research. We know, not very exciting, but it’s nonetheless critical.

By scouring the job description , reviewing the company’s mission and values statements , and devouring its social media posts , you can learn a ton. The job description lets you know what the hiring manager needs to find, giving you points that you have to cover on your resume and during your interview.

With the mission and values statements, you learn about an employer’s priorities and get clues about its culture . Social media is an excellent way to learn about recent events and more about the company’s vibe.

Yep, that’s the power of research. But that alone isn’t enough. You also need a great way to tell the hiring manager about your valuable skills and traits.

With straightforward interview questions , that’s usually pretty easy. In most cases, you’ll affirm that you have a capability, and follow that up with an example proving it. If you don’t, then focus on telling the hiring manager that you’re willing to learn or how you’re personally striving to improve in that area. Done.

Behavioral interview questions are the tricky ones. Luckily, we’ve covered two techniques in-depth before that are perfect for these. Just combine the STAR Method and the Tailoring Method . When you do, you get a ridiculously compelling and relevant answer, increasing the odds that you’ll stand out from the proverbial pack.

We also wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions!

Click below to get your free PDF now:

Get Our Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet!

FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET: Get our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you " word-word sample answers to the most common job interview questions you'll face at your next interview .

CLICK HERE TO GET THE JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS CHEAT SHEET

Top 3 Salesforce Interview Questions

Salesforce hires for a wide variety of roles. While much of their workforce is tech-oriented, they also need marketers , customer service representatives , accountants , and nearly every other specialty required to run a company.

This means that you may encounter different Salesforce interview questions depending on the nature of the role. However, a select few are somewhat universal, giving hiring managers helpful information when filling any position.

With that in mind, here are the top three Salesforce interview questions:

1. What does Salesforce do?

While it may seem odd for a hiring manager to ask you what the company does, in their eyes, this is an easy way for them to identify top candidates. If you can’t provide a basic overview of the solution, the hiring manager is probably going to assume that you aren’t overly interested in the job. Why? Because an engaged applicant would have a clue.

Now, you don’t need to be able to describe the ins and outs of every solution the company offers. But you do need an accurate response. In most cases, a simple, high-level rundown is fine.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“Salesforce is a CRM software provider. The cloud-based solutions empower enterprises to make the cost of their customer data, allowing them to track activities, review details, and gather insights to enhance the relationships efficiently. In essence, its streamlined brings companies and customers together, providing multiple departments – like sales, marketing, customer service, and commerce – a shared holistic view for wiser decision-making and well-timed action.”

2. Do you have any experience using Salesforce?

Hiring managers ask this question to determine how familiar you are with Salesforce’s offerings. Technically, there is no wrong answer here. Even if you don’t have any experience, that doesn’t mean you won’t get selected. You just need to tackle the question properly.

Ideally, before your interview, you should find some free Salesforce tutorials, instruction videos, or similar resources. That way, you can get a grasp on how the solutions work.

“While I haven’t worked with Salesforce’s solutions during my career, I’m confident in my ability to learn the ins and outs of the software. Additionally, I’ve already taken some tutorials and reviewed educational material about Salesforce, ensuring I have a solid foundation to build upon and that I would have the knowledge necessary to excel in this role.”

But, if you do have Salesforce experience, be ready to talk about it. You should also have a few numbers at the ready, as quantifying the details is particularly powerful for a question like this.

“Yes, I gained Salesforce experience while working for my last employer in the marketing department. Salesforce allowed us to enhance our customer experience, dramatically increasing sales. For example, by using the Marketing Cloud to create personalized content marketing, we were able to achieve an 80 percent increase in buyers. Ultimately, I used Salesforce for two years and found it to be an incredibly valuable solution.”

3. Tell me about a time you worked on a project that was failing. What did you do?

This question isn’t really asking you to focus on the failure. Instead, it’s the hiring manager’s way of figuring out how you handle adversity.

While you do want to be honest and describe a project that didn’t go as planned, pivoting is also important. Transition from discussing what went wrong to reviewing any lessons learned or corrective steps you took after. That way, you are showcasing how failure led to growth.

“In my previous position, I was leading a project team for the company’s biggest client. It was a massive undertaking, and my manager gave me the option of expanding my team to ensure we had enough hands on deck. I was concerned that more people would make the project more complex and believed that the current team could handle all that was required. However, even though myself and every other team member were diligent, the project became overwhelming. We missed the initial deadline for phase one. At that point, I realized the error of my initial decision. I asked to expand the team, as I should have originally. Once the right members came on board, we had to reexamine the approach and create a new one, practically starting from scratch. However, by preserving, we were able to bounce back, and the client was ultimately happy with the result.”

32 More Salesforce Interview Questions

Here are 32 more Salesforce interview questions you might encounter, depending on the nature of the role:

• Why do you want to work for Salesforce?
• In your own words, what does CRM mean?
• Describe Salesforce’s database architecture.
• Can you explain the difference between profiles and roles?
• Which object relationships does Salesforce use?
• Can you name all of Salesforce’s service offerings?
• Can you name the Salesforce subsidiaries?
• What is an “app” in Salesforce?
• Tell me about a time you struggled while working as part of a team.
• What motivates you to succeed? What hinders your motivation?
• What challenges do you think come with working at Salesforce? How will you overcome them?
• Have you ever had a deal fail? What went wrong, and how would you do better next time?
• Why are you the ideal candidate for this role?
• What benefits does Salesforce CRM provide?
• Given the choice, would you rather work as part of a team or independently?
• Describe your experience generating insights from data to support better decision-making.
• Which of your traits do you think will be the most valuable addition to a team?
• If you and a coworker disagree on how to proceed with a project, how do you handle the conflict?
• If you could add any feature to Salesforce, what would it be and why?
• How do you stand out from other candidates?
• Have you ever attended Dreamforce?
• What new challenges did the coronavirus outbreak cause for companies? What Salesforce tools can help them solve them?
• What benefits do cloud solutions provide over on-premises solutions?
• When you’re part of a team, what role do you usually play?
• How would you describe your teamwork skills? How would your last manager or colleagues describe them?
• Can you tell me about an account win that you’re most proud of?
• How do you develop a value proposition for products you sell?
• Describe your experience with consultative selling.
• When a deal starts to fall through, what steps do you take to get it back on track?
• When launching a new product, how do you use research to increase its chance of success?
• How do you handle customer objections?
• Describe your ideal work environment.

5 Good Questions to Ask at the End of a Salesforce Interview

When you’re done answering Salesforce interview questions, you usually get a chance to ask a few yourself. Make sure to seize this opportunity. By asking smart questions , you can figure out if the job is a great fit for you, and that’s just as important as showing the hiring manager that you’re the best person for the job.

If you don’t know what to ask, here are five outstanding questions for the end of a Salesforce interview that you can have at the ready:

• What does a typical day at Salesforce look like?
• How would you describe Salesforce’s culture?
• What is the biggest challenge Salesforce is facing today? How can this position help solve it?
• What do you enjoy most about working for Salesforce? What do you like least?
• Are there any skill gaps in the current team that I could possibly fill?

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, just landing a Salesforce interview is amazing, so you should be proud of making it this far. Now, take advantage of all of the advice above. That way, you can show the hiring manager that you’re the stellar candidate you know yourself to be. With a little practice and preparation, you can stand out from the crowd. So, keep your chin up, take a deep breath, and be ready to shine.

FREE : Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet!

Download our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you word-for-word sample answers to some of the most common interview questions including:

• What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
• What Is Your Greatest Strength?
• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Should We Hire You?

Click Here To Get The Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

Copyright © 2024 · TheInterviewguys.com · All Rights Reserved

• Our Products
• Case Studies
• Interview Questions
• Jobs Articles
• Members Login

Dive into the Summer ’24 Release

As an admin, you can help your organization succeed by staying up to date with the latest Salesforce releases and getting familiar with product enhancements.

Check out the Summer ’24 release notes for a list of new features and available updates.

Did you find this helpful?

Help us enhance your experience.

Case Management Best Practice Guide

Cookie Consent Manager

General information, required cookies, functional cookies, advertising cookies.

We use three kinds of cookies on our websites: required, functional, and advertising. You can choose whether functional and advertising cookies apply. Click on the different cookie categories to find out more about each category and to change the default settings. Privacy Statement

Required cookies are necessary for basic website functionality. Some examples include: session cookies needed to transmit the website, authentication cookies, and security cookies.

Functional cookies enhance functions, performance, and services on the website. Some examples include: cookies used to analyze site traffic, cookies used for market research, and cookies used to display advertising that is not directed to a particular individual.

Advertising cookies track activity across websites in order to understand a viewer’s interests, and direct them specific marketing. Some examples include: cookies used for remarketing, or interest-based advertising.

Cookie List

About 5 mins

Learning Objectives

The phone interview, the video interview, case interviews, recorded interviews.

• Challenge +100 points

Discover Different Interview Types

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

• Define different types of interviews.
• Understand how preparation and interaction in these interviews differ from an in-person interview.

Up until now, you’ve learned about preparation and etiquette for in-person interviews. There are many more types of interviews beyond that. In this unit, the Leeds School of Business outlines these and the specific things you can do to approach them.

Many organizations conduct a phone interview before inviting a candidate for an in-person interview. The conversation could be used as a screening tool, or it can be the primary interview. Sometimes, you won’t know until the phone call gets started. Surprise!

Not to worry. Phone interviews tend to be shorter versions of the in-person interview. So follow the preparation steps in this module to give yourself ample practice.

Tips & Tricks for Phone Interviews

• Politely decline an unscheduled phone interview.
• You may receive the call as you’re getting ready to attend a meeting or class, or while you’re at a busy store. Politely explain to the interviewer that you won’t be able to give the call the attention it deserves and schedule a time you can talk without distractions. This also gives you extra time to prepare!
• Have the job description, your resume, and your cover letter in front of you for reference.
• You can also make yourself a cheat sheet with information about the organization and questions you’d like to ask.
• At the end of the call, ask for the interviewer’s full name and email address so you can send a thank you note and follow up.

The video interview is very similar to the in-person interview. There’s just a screen between you and the interviewer. However, there are some reminders and differences to keep in mind.

Tips & Tricks for Video Interviews

• The active engagement principles described in the previous unit are just as important in video interviews.
• Eye contact—try to avoid looking directly at the interviewer(s) on the screen when you are speaking. In the case of a video interview, you are actually looking away from the interviewer. Instead, try to look at the camera lens to mimic the effect of in-person eye contact.
• Technical difficulties happen. Make sure you’re in a well-lit area. Make sure your Internet is connected and working. Test your equipment before the call. Before the interview starts, ask the interviewer for a phone number you can call if you get disconnected.

Case interviews are common for consulting roles. In a case interview, the interviewer usually presents a scenario or problem—the “case”—and asks specific questions on how you would address its challenge(s). 

The interviewer wants to see how you work through a problem from start to finish. Typically, you know in advance if you are participating in a full case interview, but you do not know which questions or scenarios you are working with. 

An employer can also ask you a case interview style question in addition to more traditional questions. 

Case interviews usually focus on these types of questions.

Tips & Tricks for the Case Interview

• Take notes when the case is being presented to you.
• Ask questions. You may not be given all of the relevant facts because the interviewer wants to see if you’ll ask for them.
• Take your time and don't rush to a conclusion. Sometimes, you are not expected to produce the “correct” answer. Instead, the interviewer wants to see how you would reason through the problem in order to come to a conclusion.
• Think out loud. Explain your thought process and how each piece fits into the puzzle.

Recorded, or one-way interviews, sound just like what they are—interviews where you record your response to a question. Rather than speaking to someone face-to-face, over the phone, or through video, you send your recording in to the company for review.

In this type of interview, you log in to a recording platform either at a specific time or before a deadline. The system prompts you with questions that you answer in a recorded video format. Generally, you are given a minute or two to read the question and prepare, then you have a specific amount of time to record your answer. 

Preparation is similar to an in-person interview. 

Tips & Tricks for the Recorded Interview

• If the platform allows a practice round, take advantage!
• Make sure you know how to start and stop the recording and get familiar with the interface. This is also a great time to get proper lighting and a flattering camera angle.
• Look at your device’s camera when you’re speaking instead of at the screen.
• Cover the video playback of yourself with a piece of paper to remove the distraction.
• All in-person interview etiquette still applies.
• You won’t be interacting with an actual human, but pretend like you are. Pay special attention to your body language, tone, speed, and pitch.
• Article: How to Ace a Phone Interview (Forbes)
• Article: Video Interview Guide: Tips for a Successful Interview (Indeed)
• Tool: Practice a Case Interview (Deloitte)
• Get personalized recommendations for your career goals
• Practice your skills with hands-on challenges and quizzes
• Track and share your progress with employers
• Connect to mentorship and career opportunities

28 tricky Salesforce interview questions to include in your hiring campaign (and answers to look for)

Today, many businesses use Salesforce – a customer relationship management (CRM) software solution – to manage their sales operations, marketing efforts, and customer data. Identifying top talent for your Salesforce roles is vital, as skilled candidates will understand how to use the platform to streamline workflows, improve customer service, boost efficiency, and more. 

On the other hand, an underqualified candidate won’t know how to use Salesforce to its full potential. This can lead to poor configuration, improper customization, and weak security measures, resulting in negative customer experiences and data security issues. 

That’s why it’s essential to evaluate each candidate's Salesforce expertise properly to ensure you hire the perfect person for the position. A great way to do this is by asking tricky Salesforce interview questions that dive deep into candidates’ knowledge and skills.

In this guide, we share 28 complex Salesforce questions you can use and offer tips on implementing them in your hiring campaigns.

Table of contents

What are tricky salesforce interview questions, why include tricky salesforce interview questions in a hiring campaign, 28 tricky salesforce interview questions and answers, how to add tricky salesforce interview questions to your hiring campaign, identify top salesforce talent with testgorilla.

When we discuss “tricky” Salesforce interview questions, we don’t mean “deceptive” questions. Rather, these questions are challenging and thought-provoking.

They go beyond the basics and enable you to carefully assess a candidate’s problem-solving skills, technical knowledge, and ability to handle complex scenarios in Salesforce.

There are several types of tricky Salesforce interview questions, each focusing on different aspects of a candidate's capabilities. These include:

Integration and external systems questions

These focus on candidates' understanding of integrating Salesforce with external systems using application programming interfaces (APIs). You can ask candidates to describe considerations, challenges, and best practices for seamless integration.

Comparative questions

Answering these questions, candidates will compare and contrast different Salesforce features, functions, or development approaches. For example, candidates may need to explain the differences between master-detail and lookup relationships.

Scenario-based questions

These provide candidates with hypothetical situations or challenges that Salesforce professionals often encounter. Candidates must provide effective solutions and explain their thought processes to demonstrate their ability to handle complex scenarios.

Technical questions

Technical Salesforce questions delve into Salesforce concepts, features, and best practices. For instance, they can assess candidates’ understanding of Visualforce, Apex code, Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL), and governor limits.

Data management questions

These questions assess candidates' abilities to handle data in Salesforce, such as data deduplication, import and export, migration, quality, and validation rules.

Salesforce architecture and design questions

Tricky questions in this category explore candidates' understanding of Salesforce architecture, custom objects, custom settings, and designing scalable solutions.

Including tricky Salesforce interview questions in your hiring campaigns can help you:

Assess technical proficiency

Complex Salesforce questions enable you to measure candidates’ technical expertise. By presenting tricky scenarios and asking for in-depth explanations of Salesforce features, you can identify candidates with a deep understanding of the platform's capabilities and limitations. 

This way, you can easily separate your most knowledgeable applicants from the rest of your candidate pool and advance them to the next stage of recruitment.

Evaluate candidates’ problem-solving abilities and adaptability

Tricky questions assess applicants’ problem-solving skills under pressure. It enables you to see how they approach unfamiliar problems, analyze information, and create innovative solutions – all critical skills in a dynamic Salesforce environment.

These questions also give applicants the opportunity to showcase their ability to adapt and thrive in challenging situations. They can share examples of when they’ve used quick thinking and flexibility to navigate the ever-changing Salesforce landscape. 

Make improved hiring decisions

Asking tricky interview questions gives you a more comprehensive view of your Salesforce candidates’ skills. You can also avoid bias during hiring , as you’ll ask all candidates the same questions. By combining these questions with other pre-employment assessments , like personality and job-specific tests, you can make better hiring decisions overall.

In turn, you’ll create a stronger, more skilled Salesforce team. You can ensure you always hire individuals who can tackle complex projects, find innovative solutions, and drive continuous improvement. 

Below, we share 28 complex Salesforce questions to ask your applicants. We’ve also included sample answers for each question.

1. Explain the differences between a role and a profile in Salesforce.

A profile is a set of permissions and settings that determine what a user can do within Salesforce. Often, profiles are tied to departments, such as Sales or Support groups. 

Roles, on the other hand, determine what a user can see and access within Salesforce. Roles are more closely linked to hierarchy within an organization.

2. What are governor limits in Salesforce, and how can you overcome them?

Governor limits in Salesforce are essentially runtime limits that help prevent the platform from using too much space on a single record or action. They help maintain performance and keep Salesforce running efficiently. For example, a single SOSL query has a governor limit of 2,000 records being retrieved at any given time.

To overcome governor limits, I’d need to write efficient Apex code, change multi-trigger Apex code to single-trigger, write SOQL queries within FOR loops, or use Trigger Handler when writing Trigger logic in Apex. 

There are also some governor limits that are essentially paywalls. For these, I would purchase larger limits from Salesforce to get past them.

3. Can you describe how record-level security is enforced in Salesforce?

Record-level security are the records in each object a user can view or edit that they have access to in their profile. Simply put, it enables you to limit what objects each user has access to. Firstly, the organization-wide defaults set the baseline access for different objects, determining whether they are publicly readable or writable. 

Then, we have the role hierarchy, which extends access to higher-level roles, allowing them to view records owned by users below them in the hierarchy. Additionally, sharing rules can be set up to grant access based on specific criteria, and manual sharing enables users to share individual records with others on a case-by-case basis. 

4. How is the with sharing keyword used in Apex within Salesforce?

The with sharing keyword is used to enforce record-level security on a class and extend sharing access on a particular object. When a class is declared with the with sharing keyword, it ensures that the sharing rules and organization-wide defaults defined in Salesforce are applied to the data accessed within that class. 

This means that the class will respect the record-level access permissions of the current user, and users will only be able to access records they have the appropriate access to based on their role, profile, and sharing settings.

5. How do you handle bulkification in Apex triggers to avoid hitting governor limits?

I make sure to process records in bulk rather than individually. Instead of querying and updating records individually, I use collections and SOQL queries – as long as they’re not within FOR loop – to handle multiple records simultaneously. This way, I reduce the number of database queries and DML operations, which helps stay within the governor limits.

Additionally, I use helper methods to perform complex logic and avoid repeating code, ensuring streamlined execution and minimizing resource consumption.

6. Can you explain the differences between workflow rules, Process Builder, and Apex triggers?

Workflow rules are simple if-then statements, Process Builder allows more complex processes with multiple actions, and Apex triggers provide full programmatic control over record processing. 

7. How can you implement one-to-many relationships in Salesforce?

You can use the lookup and master-detail fields to create one-to-many relationships in Salesforce. These fields help connect records from one object to records in another object. 

With a lookup field, you can link one record from the first object to one record in the second object. Meanwhile, a master-detail field enables you to connect multiple records in the second object to one record in the first object.

8. What are the various types of sandboxes available in Salesforce, and when would you use each?

In Salesforce, there are different types of sandboxes, which are like safe spaces to test changes before making them. The main types are:

Full Copy Sandbox. An exact copy of your live Salesforce org, it's great for testing big changes or doing training.

Developer Sandbox. It's for a single developer to build and test new things without affecting the real data.

Developer Pro Sandbox. It’s similar to the Developer Sandbox but has more data and storage limits for bigger projects.

Partial Copy Sandbox. It has a sample of your real data and is useful for testing with some real data but not all of it.

9. How do you handle exceptions and errors in Apex code?

In Apex code, we handle exceptions and errors to prevent the program from crashing and to give a better experience to users. 

When something unexpected happens, we use try-catch blocks to catch and handle the error gracefully. This works by enclosing code with an exception in a try block, which is then enclosed in a catch block if the try block itself shows an exception. Instead of showing a clunky error message, we can display a friendly message to users or log the issue for developers to fix. 

Handling exceptions helps keep the program running smoothly and ensures a better user experience.

10. Explain the differences between a custom setting and a custom object in Salesforce.

A custom setting, called a “record table,” is a small, simple table to hold settings or configurations we can use across the whole organization. It's easy to access and doesn't count toward data storage limits. 

On the other hand, a custom object is called a “configuration table.” It’s a bigger, more complex table where you can store any type of data you want. It's great for storing lots of information but counts toward data storage limits. 

11. What is the role of the Schema Builder in Salesforce?

The Schema Builder in Salesforce is a graphical tool that allows developers to view and manage the objects and relationships in their Salesforce org. It provides a visual representation of the data model, making it easier to understand and modify the schema. 

12. How do you handle data imports and exports in Salesforce?

To import data, use tools such as Data Import Wizard and Data Loader to bring data from spreadsheets or other sources into Salesforce. 

For exports, use tools such as Data Export and Data Export Service to get data out of Salesforce and save it as files. It's like making a copy of the information so we can use it outside of Salesforce.

Handling data imports and exports helps keep the information up-to-date and lets us work with data from different places easily.

13. How can you perform a mass update of records in Salesforce?

Performing a mass update of records in Salesforce is like changing a large group of records all at once. One way to do this is by using the Data Loader tool, where you can upload a spreadsheet with the updated information and match it to the right records in Salesforce. The tool will then apply the changes to all the matched records in one go, saving time and effort.

Another method is using the Salesforce Reports and Dashboards feature. You can create a report to filter and find the records you want to update, then use the Mass Edit option to change multiple records simultaneously.

You can also set up a custom list view in Salesforce. To do this, you’ll first need to enable special permissions on the profile user interface, including the Mass edit from lists, Inline editing, and Enhanced lists options. 

From there, you can create a list view and specify different record types and visibilities. Once you’ve set up the list view, click the bulk edit checkbox at the top of the list to select all the records. Any changes you make while all records are selected will update the entire list.

14. How can you schedule a batch Apex job in Salesforce?

You can schedule a batch Apex job in Salesforce using this process:

Create a batch Apex class that implements the Database.Batchable interface.

Implement the three required methods: start , execute , and finish . 

Create an Apex job by creating an instance of the batch Apex class in an Apex job. 

Schedule the Apex job using the System.schedule method. 

15. How can you optimize SOQL queries to improve performance?

To optimize SOQL queries in Salesforce you can:

Ensure that your queries are selective and filter on indexed fields 

Avoid querying large numbers of records in a single query

Use aggregate functions like sum , count , and avg to avoid unnecessary fields

Use relationship queries (joins)

Use custom index functions

Use limit clauses

Bulkify queries in Apex.

Avoid nested queries

Cache data where possible

Monitor query performance

16. Describe the differences between a trigger and a workflow rule in Salesforce.

Triggers and workflow rules in Salesforce are used for automating actions, but they have different capabilities. Triggers are used for complex and custom automation, while workflow rules are limited to simple actions like field updates and email alerts. 

17. What is a roll-up summary field, and how is it used in Salesforce?

A roll-up summary field calculates values from related records and displays a summary of the results on the parent record. It's commonly used to perform calculations like sum, count, average, maximum, or minimum on child records and display the result on the parent record.

18. What is the use of the @future annotation in Apex?

We use the @future annotation to identify and execute a method asynchronously in Apex. When a method is annotated with @future , it runs in a separate thread, independent of the current transaction. This allows the method to be called and executed later rather than immediately within the current context.

The main purpose of using the @future annotation is to offload time-consuming or resource-intensive tasks from the main transaction, making the application more efficient and responsive. It’s commonly used for tasks like sending email notifications, performing callouts to external systems, or processing large volumes of data.

19. How do you integrate external systems with Salesforce?

APIs allow data exchange and real-time communication between Salesforce and external applications. You can integrate external systems with Salesforce using various methods, such as:

REST, Bulk, Pub/Sub, and SOAP APIs – usually with OData protocol

Outbound messaging

Adapters for non OData APIs

Apex callouts

Middleware tools

Third-party connectors, such as Salesforce Connector

20. Can you explain the differences between a lookup relationship and a master-detail relationship in Salesforce?

A lookup relationship creates a link between two objects, allowing users to link records from one object to another. A master-detail relationship creates a parent-child relationship, where the child record inherits certain behaviors and permissions from the parent.

21. How do you handle data migration from one Salesforce org to another?

Data migration from one Salesforce org to another can be done using the Data Loader, Change Data Capture, or Salesforce Data Integration tools. It involves extracting data from the source org, transforming it as needed, and loading it into the target org.

22. How do you handle data deduplication in Salesforce?

Data deduplication in Salesforce involves identifying and removing duplicate records to maintain data accuracy and integrity. To achieve this, you can use tools like Data Import Wizard, Data Loader, or third-party deduplication apps.

23. How do you implement validation rules to enforce data quality in Salesforce?

To implement validation rules in Salesforce and enforce data quality, go to the Object's settings, navigate to the Validation Rules section, and create rules with specific criteria and error messages. These rules will be triggered when users attempt to save records, ensuring that data adheres to the defined criteria and maintains its accuracy and consistency.

24. Describe how you can maintain data privacy and security in Salesforce.

Firstly, you can establish strong user authentication measures, such as through Salesforce’s multi-factor authentication options or by connecting the platform with outside authentication apps like OKTA for added security. You can also define user profiles and roles to control data access and encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit.

Additionally, you can regularly monitor user access and usage patterns, conduct security audits, and provide ongoing training to ensure users follow best security practices.

On top of that, Salesforce enables you to export org data in CSV files. This serves as a backup of your information in the event of a security breach or data loss.

25. Can you explain the differences between static and dynamic SOQL queries in Apex?

In Apex, static SOQL queries are written at compile-time and are fixed, meaning the query structure and fields are known before execution. These are written within square brackets.

Dynamic SOQL queries, on the other hand, are constructed at runtime as strings and allow for building queries based on dynamic conditions or variables, offering more flexibility in handling varying query requirements.

26. How do you handle long-running processes in Salesforce?

To handle long-running processes in Salesforce, you can use Asynchronous Apex, such as Batch Apex or Queueable Apex. This breaks down the process into smaller chunks that can be executed separately and efficiently in the background. 

27. Describe what custom labels are used for in Salesforce and when to use them.

Custom labels in Salesforce are used to store text values that can be easily translated into different languages. They provide a way to reference these text values in formulas, Visualforce pages, Apex classes, and Lightning pages and components, allowing for better internationalization and localization of Salesforce applications.

Use custom labels when you need to store static text or messages in a centralized and translatable manner. This provides a more flexible and scalable approach to managing text content. They’re often used for things like help or error messages, as they can be set to appear in various languages, depending on where a user accesses the platform from. 

28. How do you optimize Visualforce pages for better performance in Salesforce?

To optimize Visualforce pages for better performance in Salesforce, you can minimize the use of complex queries and large data sets and reduce the number of components and controller actions on the page. This helps you avoid governor limits.

Challenging Salesforce questions are perfect for evaluating candidates’ technical expertise and problem-solving skills. However, they shouldn’t be the only tool you use during hiring. 

To properly assess each Salesforce candidate, use a multi-measure testing technique that pairs tricky questions with skills-based tests, personality assessments, and more.

TestGorilla provides a library of 300+ scientifically backed pre-employment tests , which you can mix and match to create the perfect assessment. For Salesforce roles in particular, you can use TestGorilla’s:

Salesforce CRM test , which measures skills in managing leads, accounts, contacts, as well as generating custom reports, tracking and forecasting, integrating with APIs, customizing data and layouts, and much more. 

Personality tests , like the DISC and Enneagram tests, which offer insights into applicants’ behavioral traits. 

Culture add test , which shows you how well each candidate will mesh with your existing team and company culture.

Various soft skills tests to measure communication , motivation , time management , and more.

TestGorilla also enables you to add custom questions to assessments, so you can incorporate your tricky questions directly into tests.

Alternatively, you can use the one-way video interview tool to have candidates record video answers to your list of Salesforce questions.

By complementing your tricky questions with other pre-employment tests, you can ensure you always hire the perfect person for your team. 

Hiring an underqualified Salesforce professional can lead to poor customer service, lower efficiency, and even reputational damage. That’s why you must properly assess your candidates’ Salesforce skills before hiring them. 

By asking candidates tricky Salesforce interview questions, you gain a more robust understanding of their technical abilities – as well as their problem-solving skills, and adaptability. Coupling these questions with multi-measure assessments, like the ones from TestGorilla, helps you avoid unconscious bias and make more informed decisions. 

With more than 300 pre-employment tests in our library, TestGorilla makes it easy to evaluate candidates on a range of skills and capabilities.

Watch our quick product tour , then sign up for a free plan to get started with TestGorilla today.

Related posts

TestGorilla vs. Alva Labs

9 key project management soft skills (and how to assess them)

TestGorilla vs. Toggl Hire

Hire the best candidates with TestGorilla

Create pre-employment assessments in minutes to screen candidates, save time, and hire the best talent.

Latest posts

The best advice in pre-employment testing, in your inbox.

No spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

Hire the best. No bias. No stress.

Our screening tests identify the best candidates and make your hiring decisions faster, easier, and bias-free.

Free resources

This checklist covers key features you should look for when choosing a skills testing platform

This resource will help you develop an onboarding checklist for new hires.

How to assess your candidates' attention to detail.

Learn how to get human resources certified through HRCI or SHRM.

Learn how you can improve the level of talent at your company.

Learn how CapitalT reduced hiring bias with online skills assessments.

Learn how to make the resume process more efficient and more effective.

Improve your hiring strategy with these 7 critical recruitment metrics.

Learn how Sukhi decreased time spent reviewing resumes by 83%!

Hire more efficiently with these hacks that 99% of recruiters aren't using.

Make a business case for diversity and inclusion initiatives with this data.

Salesforce: An Agile Case Study

Key Takeaways: What worked for Salesforce 

• Organizational culture and established values prime an organization to be ready to take on an Agile framework.
• When Agile values are communicated from the top, they are infused into the organizational mindset to occur organically without enforcement as “rules.”
• Finding the right language to explain Agile to un-transitioned departments encourages teams to use Agile frameworks in a way that works for them.  

  In 2006 Salesforce decided to go all in with agile and transform their entire R&D department from traditional “Waterfall” SDLC — a top-down software lifecycle process — to Scrum, an iterative agile framework. At the outset of the transition, company leadership knew they would face roadblocks if they couldn’t make clear to employees the compatibility between Scrum principles, their company’s mission, and their individual employees’ values. Without this critical first step, the same lightweight, adaptable quality that makes Scrum successful could also render it susceptible to misinterpretation. So, Salesforce began its agile transformation not by blindly adopting the Scrum framework, but by first educating employees on Scrum’s alignment with preexisting company values.    Their “Educate Without Enforcing” strategy generated positive results, in part because upper management and staff already shared a coherent sense of the company’s overall mission and each employee’s individual purpose and could easily explain how the Scrum framework was uniquely suited to achieve those ends.    “We are fortunate that our founders were as intentional about the culture they wanted to create as they were about the products they wanted to build,” says Arun Ramanna, an Enterprise Agile Coach at Salesforce. “Agile frameworks such as Scrum, XP, and Lean face less transitional challenges at Salesforce than at others, because Salesforce has an environment of trust, customer success, diversity, equality, and innovation.”   It was in 1999 that Salesforce founded their popular  V2MOM Process . The acronym stands for vision, values, methods, obstacles and measures, and is used as a management tool for organization wide communication and adaptive development.V2MOM had pre-established transparency throughout the organization, so the company had a cultivated sense of trust vital to successful Scrum practices. And as a result, Salesforce proved to be better prepared for Scrum than many other pre- or partially agile organizations.   Yet challenges remained. Project managers feared losing the accurate timetables and deliverables on which they relied, and it was difficult to explain to them the purposes of agility beyond its concrete definition or discrete practices. To address these issues, the company held frequent meetings with departments that had not switched to an agile framework, framing agility as a mindset uniquely compatible with — and already present within — the organization’s mission and values. Leaders were able to explain how and why agility aligned with Salesforce and its employees’ sense of shared purpose.    Salesforce also used the strategy of framing Agile techniques, such as XP practices, Scrum artifacts, and Lean thinking as “tools.” This helped the company explain the benefits of agility to the organization without imposing Agile principles as mandates.    “We often hear our leaders say things like ‘Make sure we are focused on our customer’s success’, ‘Better, better, never done!’ and ‘Let’s approach it with a beginner’s mind’ to keep us on this journey,” Arun explains. These phrases embody the values of the  Agile Manifesto . Salesforce leaders regularly communicate the sentiment of agile without directly enforcingthe values as hard rules.   “Salesforce is always looking to improve our technology, products, and processes to make us more agile and customer focused,” continues Arun. “It’s because Salesforce continues to have both ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ organizational buy in and support for agile that it is able to be so successful and adaptive.”    Today, Salesforce continues to explore new approaches in applying agility within its different departments. As an organization, they remain flexible regarding their methods and open-minded about their results and are still discovering what practices work in different organizational contexts. Currently, their most essential task has become learning to tailor Agile methods to allow all departments and teams to have an iterative approach to work.    “The response has been very positive thus far, and it would be hard to imagine ever going back to a traditional waterfall approach,” Arun concludes. “In fact, our agile coaching team’s long-term goal is to spread this agile mindset beyond our R&D, IT and Marketing departments to our entire organization, and to all our partners and customers.”

Get the latest resources from Scrum Alliance delivered straight to your inbox

Salesforce is closed for new business in your area.