account executive

software engineer

solutions engineer

business development representative

enterprise account executive

Salesforce

I want to preface this by saying that Salesforce, like any large corporation, is different depending on the team, department, or organization you are in so while I will review MY personal experience I recognize that others within the company or your experience if you come to work here will vary.
Having said that I can say that my org, department, and team all follow the values that come from the top, and not just lip service. We truely operate not only as a team but as a family.  We check in on each other, cover for each other if someone has personal business to attend to, and genuinely care about each other more than just co-workers.  When your manager or higher checks on you, you know it is because they actually care about you as a person and not just to find out when you'll be back to work or fully productive again.

Bottom line Executives promote a culture of trust and family and treating each other as people and not resources. They also ensure there are policies and tools to enforce it, and are constantly (almost to a fault) looking for feedback on how to improve and ensure they are going in the right direction.

And oh by the way the work itself is usually interesting and challenging. As someone that works in what was a traditionally Systems Operations (Sysadmin, Systems engineer, devops whatever you want to call it) we are constantly evolving and growing ourselves. Any negatives I can say about it are the same you would get from any company. The difference is we mitigate it and the severity is magnitudes less.

My bottom line is that if my experience doesn't match yours, the problem is somewhere in your management chain and not the company itself.  This brigns up another awesome thing about Salesforce, if you don't like where you are there are internal job fairs several times a year and you can easily move around the company. Something that is highly encouraged because not only does it make good business sense to keep you even if you go to another part of the company, but as stated before they genuinely would rather you stay and be happy.  

Salesforce is making big changes in our world and it feels great to be a part of that process. Every day I work with companies using Salesforce to transform the way they do business. As the company expands, my opportunities do as well. Since working at Salesforce I have gained new skills that opened up new doors should I ever leave. There are also growing opportunities internally. Along with promotions, I have also been encouraged to move laterally at times to gain new experience. 

Along with career growth, I also appreciate the way Salesforce treats employees. My salary has always felt competitive with the industry average. The employee stock program has been a great way to create a stronger financial foundation. I have also been allowed to change my work location when needed, including opportunities to work remote. Remote work is dependent on the role. 

The downside to hyper growth has been the disruption internally. I don't mind change, but sometimes change happens without understanding the downstream impacts. I have seen executives overlook two separate organizations creating duplicate products and processes. I have also seen the opposite, when an executive team combined multiple groups without realizing what would be lost. In one example, a group was disassembled, only to be reassembled from the ground up later by a different team. Not only was it inefficient, it also brought resentment from the people who were initially required to move. 

Another concerning trend is a move to have each employee only do one type of task. I believe the rationale is the executive team wants a clear way to demonstrate value. This had resulted in some teams working in silos, teams getting territorial and repetitive/grinding work for frontline employees. I would much rather have individual contributors be able to work on side-projects without jumping through hoops to demonstrate value.

Working at Salesforce has been nothing short of an incredible journey. From day one, I felt welcomed into a culture that values innovation, collaboration, and personal growth.

One of the greatest things about Salesforce is the sheer amount of learning opportunities. From world-class training on Trailhead to hands-on experience in the office during AI learning days, I’ve gained invaluable skills in leadership, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. 

Beyond professional development, Salesforce’s world-class benefits set it apart for me. The comprehensive healthcare coverage, generous parental leave, wellness programs, and stock options all demonstrate their commitment to our employee well-being. My favorite perks are unlimited PTO, and volunteer time off to give back to my community. 

The workplace culture is simply unmatched. Salesforce’s commitment to trust, equality, and innovation is reflected in everything they do. The people here are passionate, driven, and incredibly supportive, making it a place where you feel valued and inspired every single day.

While every job has its challenges, the hardest part at Salesforce is also the most rewarding—keeping up with the fast-paced environment and constantly evolving technology. But with the incredible support system in place, it always feels like an opportunity rather than a hurdle.

The most enjoyable part? Without a doubt, the people and the mission. Being part of a company that is not only leading in its industry but also committed to making the world a better place is truly fulfilling. The camaraderie, the innovation, and the sense of purpose make every day exciting.

If you’re considering a career at Salesforce—go for it! It’s more than a job; it’s a transformational experience. I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of such an outstanding company.

Pros:

	1.	Exposure to Diverse Industries: Working at Salesforce, one of the largest SaaS companies in the world, provides invaluable exposure to a wide range of industries, products, and customer personas. This experience can significantly broaden your professional knowledge and skill set.
	2.	Professional Growth: The dynamic environment and extensive resources at Salesforce offer ample opportunities for professional growth and development. Engaging with various clients and high-profile projects can enhance your sales expertise.
	3.	Prestigious Brand: Being associated with a globally recognized and respected brand like Salesforce can boost your career prospects and professional reputation.

Cons:

	1.	Administrative Workload: A significant portion of your time will be spent on administrative tasks and building presentations (decks), which can detract from actual selling activities.
	2.	Challenging Quotas: Meeting sales quotas can be particularly challenging unless you are assigned a highly favorable territory. The pressure to perform can be intense.
	3.	Return-to-Office Policy: Salesforce has implemented a new Return-to-Office (RTO) policy requiring alignment to one of four main offices in North America for SMB roles. This may necessitate relocation unless you are already based near one of these offices.
	4.	Long Working Hours: Expect to work long hours to meet targets and manage the various demands of the role. The work-life balance can be difficult to maintain.

Overall, while the Account Executive role at Salesforce offers substantial professional advantages and the prestige of working for a top-tier company, it also comes with significant challenges, including administrative burdens, high performance expectations, and potential relocation requirements.

Salesforce has been a great place to work and grow a career. Firstly - we have great products. I help our customers adopt these products and I have very interesting conversations with our customer leadership who are driving business value on our platform. Secondly - we have great leadership and a culture of leading courageously. I am really inspired by both my direct managers and executive leadership - who care about the people and making it a great place to work. The caliber of people I work with is high, and although everyone is high-achieving they also stay supportive and collaborative, and everyone's successes are genuinely celebrated. We invest a lot in our customers and in our people - and it shows. It's a great size of company to work for: large with some structure but not impossible to navigate. Promotion/ advancement may be easier or more difficult depending on the growth of the group, but I have appreciated all the learning and growth opportunities. It's great to learn about how our products are evolving and how they are getting used by our customers to do innovative and impactful things. Lastly - as a working mom I don't think I could find better balance and support anywhere else. The hours are manageable, I have a lot of support from leadership, and I got promoted twice - both times right around my 6 month long maternity leave - a sign they were investing in me and made me really enthusiastic to come back. 

Pros:

Latitude for Goal Achievement: Salesforce provides employees with the freedom to achieve goals in their own way, within the alignment of the organization. This flexibility allows for individualized approaches to problem-solving and project execution.

Commitment to Employee Well-being: Despite a challenging year marked by layoffs and executive changes, Salesforce demonstrates a strong commitment to its employees. Solid benefits, respect, and trust are evident in the company culture, fostering a supportive work environment.

Social Responsibility: Salesforce's dedication to mitigating global warming and addressing social issues through its influence is commendable. The company's efforts reflect a broader commitment to sustainability and societal betterment.

Cons:

Bureaucratic Challenges: While the company emphasizes clarity and accountability through RACI structures, navigating the bureaucracy can be daunting. Frequent organizational changes contribute to ambiguity regarding roles and responsibilities, leading to inefficiencies and confusion.

Meeting Overload: The inclusive approach to meetings, while well-intentioned, often results in "too many cooks in the kitchen" syndrome. Fear of excluding key stakeholders leads to overly crowded meetings, hindering productivity and decision-making processes.

In conclusion, Salesforce offers a mixed experience characterized by a supportive culture, flexible goal attainment, and a commitment to social responsibility. However, bureaucratic hurdles and meeting dynamics present ongoing challenges for employees navigating the organization's structure.

I started my career at Salesforce in Sales and moved into recruiting after two years. I absolutely loved my time in the Sales organization, and it's true what they say about getting your "Salesforce MBA" - the way they teach you to approach a sale/company is incredible! It is a heavy coaching culture and you learn so much not only from the management but most importantly from your peers. I never felt like I was the smartest person in the room, and was ALWAYS learning. It's pretty typical in terms of a sales role in regards to the day to day, but it's the approach and type of partnership we offer that truly sets us apart. I did always want to move out of Sales since I had started in it 5 years prior, but had not found the right opportunity. Learning the culture, products, organization and overachieving in my sales role allowed me to create excellent relationships with my manager and upper management, and through networking and with their blessing I was able to secure a role in recruiting, which I absolutely love - it's so fulfilling bringing others into a company I love so much, and promoting equality and inclusive hiring practices along the way! The community of incredible people is truly what makes this such a special place - everyone is always so willing to help here. It is definitely a place where you work hard, but they do a good job of providing breaks/time off to mentally recharge! They are also incredibly supportive of having a family which has made my transition into motherhood so much easier. I can't imagine working anywhere else! 

Priorities change fast here. Your first 3 months will be trying to make sense of it and feeling frustrated, until it eventually clicks that "the rules are made up and the points don't matter" (like Whose Line). Salesforce is approaching 40,000 employees but in many ways has retained that "start-uppy" feel of pivoting on a dime to build and release products sourced right from customer needs. 

It gives you whiplash early on, and everyone is constantly asked to do 200% of whatever they could possibly do (which is why the "80-20 rule" matters so much for work-life balance and mental health here). Eventually you learn to kind of shrug, say "Whee!", and go with it. Then it's fun! Learn to prioritize and advocate! Don't say "Yes" to everything, because the job will take everything from you it can if you let it, when we're going this fast.

One of the coolest things about working here (a bug or a feature depending on you), is how openly the company wears its socially progressive stance on its sleeve. Philanthropy and pursuit of equality permeates the entire place's DNA, which infuses a sense of "purpose" into what could otherwise be cold or boring enterprise cloud software. 

Other recruiters have attempted to poach me multiple times and often told me how "impossible" it is to get people to leave Salesforce. The high compensation and sense of purpose is a huge part of why. 

Go to Dreamforce and see for yourself! Customers are RABID for this platform, they love it. It feels nice every time you randomly meet someone in the world that uses Salesforce, and they 100% always say they adore it. 

5/5, A++ would recommend applying. Buckle up, though.

In the past five years here, I've made several observations:  I am surrounded by brilliant and hard working people and it feels great to be supported in various work streams that require cross-departmental teaming. Comp plans encourage better teaming among the SE community. This also ensures everyone is elevating their game with support from one another. Salesforce still has a start up feel with a fast-paced environment compared with other software companies of similar size.  As the product line expands through new product releases and acquisitions, some job roles have increasing responsibilities for knowing more with each year. This can feel a bit overwhelming at times. There are plenty of trainings available. It just can feel like 'too much' at times. You must prioritize and manage your time & energy. The initial 6 months of onboarding can feel overwhelming. Some thrive and some don't - it takes a bit of patience to fully adapt.  Salesforce provided me an opportunity for more personal growth after 3 years by supporting my desire for an internal transfer. I take pride in working within a company culture that inspires diversity and inclusion. Salesforce provides many education opportunities for employees to learn about unconscious bias as well as opportunities to get involved and continue learning with equality groups.  The intent is there for everyone to have a voice & equal opportunity. Taking time out to volunteer and rest for personal wellness with PTO is highly encouraged. 

I've worked at Salesforce for over 5 years now and all those things you hear are true. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop but it just never does. I enjoy my daily responsibilities (checking in with the team, collaborating with internal and external customers, bettering myself with available development trainings), my team, going to work in the morning, my leaders, my direct and indirect peers, the perks, the technology, the workspaces,  the investment in learning and growing and that I have flexibility. 

The best part of the job is that as a result, I've become a better human being. It sounds crazy and cheesy and drank-the-koolaid-ish, but I truly am able to be a better parent, member of my family and of the community. That kind of knowledge and engagement is contagious and Salesforce's investment in its employee's well-being by default extends to those around them. My friends and family volunteer more, listen and learn about our community with what I take back to them (i.e. one of our employee groups hosts local expert guests to cover topics like homelessness in our city, eduction, food deserts, climate change, etc.) and engage on a different level in their communities. 

The hardest part of the job is related to change management. It can be really rough. In the end it always works out and does in fact prevent any kind of boredom, but it's tough getting there sometimes. I've never considered leaving Salesforce through even the toughest days.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Account executive 153 salaries reported	$98,010 per year
Software engineer 57 salaries reported	$178,985 per year
Solutions engineer 39 salaries reported	$158,029 per year
Business development representative 38 salaries reported	$64,763 per year
Enterprise account executive 5 salaries reported	$151,473 per year

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