HomeKeeper Skills are Marketable Skills

When you’re entering program information into HomeKeeper, creating and placing custom fields, or finalizing a report, you are actually learning skills applicable to some of the top 10 jobs in the world.

HomeKeeper is built on Salesforce, an incredibly popular CRM cloud technology, used worldwide by nonprofits, businesses, and places in-between. In 2016, over 300,000 new jobs called for Salesforce skills, and since then, the new job growth has increased 65% each year.

This means the skills you build as a HomeKeeper user are valuable and marketable.

Each year, more nonprofits decide that Salesforce is the right tool to use to make an impact. Whether you are a new or longtime HomeKeeper user, a Salesforce login to access the HomeKeeper app means an opportunity to automate and innovate – without having to learn to code.  As you learn new skills and implement solutions, you may see opportunities for a salary increase, improved job security, and insight to tackle the challenges faced by your community.

Free Tools to Level Up Your Career

Invest in yourself – spend 15 minutes a week learning something new on a platform used worldwide. Salesforce offers numerous free resources, and you can also meet local Salesforce users in person.

1. Reinforce Salesforce basics and test new ideas in a safe environment using Trailhead, a free learning platform from Salesforce. You can easily create spaces to test ideas, without impacting your organization’s data. Sign up for free at https://trailhead.salesforce.com. Use your HomeKeeper login, or use your personal email to create a free “developer” playground. Here’s some great ways to start learning on Trailhead:

• Beginner: Manage Fundraising for Nonprofits including recurring donations
• Intermediate: Use Reports and Dashboards to answer business questions
• Advanced: Create Formula Fields to calculate what matters
• Advanced: Process Automation to create automated solutions for multi-step routine tasks

2. Salesforce hosts an online community for nonprofits called the Power of Us HUB. Check it out to find ideas and answers about using the NonProfit Success Pack and other tools designed to accomplish more good using Salesforce. (While you’re there, find HomeKeeper in the HUB!)

3. As a HomeKeeper user, step-by-step instructions in Support Forum can help you:

• Brainstorm situations where an automated email, reminder or field completion would improve your workday
• Learn to create email templates to use in mass mailings (consider tracking effectiveness in Campaigns)
• Brush up your reporting skills, then visualize your data in a personalized Dashboard

Spread the Word and Increase Your Impact

Building a solution by yourself is a great accomplishment! But it’s also important to solicit feedback, and create a process that your entire team will really use.

So don’t keep quiet about your ideas and skills. As you explore and learn new things, discuss how you can expand HomeKeeper use for your program with your supervisor. Schedule a recurring “lunch and learn” to teach others on your team how to customize and automate HomeKeeper. Using your new Salesforce skills also offers you a chance to improve your workplace communication skills.

Got a solution that could benefit others in the field? Share a description or screenshot about a customization you made in HomeKeeper. The HomeKeeper team is always excited to hear about how you’re resolving specific program challenges, tracking new data points, or making it better for other staff who use HomeKeeper. You can even demo your customization on a future HomeKeeper webinar, or share your success on the HomeKeeper blog!

Stay Motivated

When you learn to use and customize HomeKeeper, you learn to leverage Salesforce. This build yours transferable skills at your current organization, or at a future role. Utilize the free resources to feel more confident, gain and reinforce valuable skills to do the work that matters to you, and see how your career grows in the changing economy. The HomeKeeper team is here to help! Join for one of our upcoming Office Hours to get assistance building a valuable report, or start tracking another service offered by your program.

Looking for “extra credit”? Take 15 minutes to learn about the future of Salesforce, the Lightning user interface. HomeKeeper will become Lightning compatible in 2018. If you are familiar with the possibilities of Lightning, you can lead the transition at your program.

My Story

I know this recipe works based on personal experience. I first used Salesforce as an AmeriCorps member, right after college. When I landed in a new city, the words “Salesforce CRM” on my resume landed me a job within six months. Soon, I was off and running – let’s share and relate our data to land that grant! Let’s make informed decisions by looking at colorful dashboards! I got to be part of key conversations, and often was able to improve someone’s day with a few clicks.

The more I learn using Salesforce, the more I approach my work and career with curiosity and passion. I joined a study group and attend local Salesforce events because meeting people with similar goals keeps me motivated. I enjoyed volunteering to learn more, and eventually found a new position where I could earn more, while reaching a wider audience.

In the process of learning marketable Salesforce skills, I have met fascinating people, earned nearly 100 Trailhead badges, and found an interesting and challenging career in the nonprofit sector. What will your journey look like?