Salesforce Job Market 2026: The AI Skills Gap & How to Outrun Layoffs

The Hiring Edge

The Hiring Edge
Salesforce Job Market 2026: The AI Skills Gap & How to Outrun Layoffs
Feb 04, 2026 Season 4 Episode 82
Josh Matthews

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Salesforce demand dropped 37% in 2024, but the 2026 recovery is already leaving "average" Admins behind. Are you catching the wave, or getting crushed by the coral?

In this episode of The Hiring Edge, host Josh Matthews and 27x Certified Architect Scott Stafford break down the "75% Delta of Pain" currently hitting the ecosystem. We move past the Reddit rants and look at the actual data: who is getting hired, who is getting $25k premiums, and why "manual configuration" is a career dead-end.

Key Insights for your 2026 Career Plan:

  • The Surfing Strategy: Why you must match the speed of the AI wave before it hits you.
  • The "Jimmy" Trap: How a negative mindset is costing professionals more opportunities than the economy is.
  • The Premium Pivot: Why RevCloud, CPQ, and MuleSoft are the "safe havens" for $150k+ roles right now.
  • AI Orchestration: Moving from "builder" to "architect" in the age of Agentforce.

Featured Guest: Scott Stafford, 27x Certified Salesforce Architect.

Stop guessing about your career. Listen now to get the 2026 Talent Roadmap.

Episode Artwork Salesforce Job Market 2026: The AI Skills Gap & How to Outrun Layoffs 53:26 Episode Artwork Stop Cold Outreach. Salesforce Insider Reveals What Works. 54:23 Episode Artwork Slow to Hire, Quick to Fire: How to Build Major League Teams 49:06 Episode Artwork Salesforce Layoffs 2025: Career Strategies to Bounce Back Strong 29:32 Episode Artwork Certs Didn't Matter - Learn This to Land Your Dream Job 8:49 Episode Artwork Betrayal at Work: How It Destroys Trust, Health, and Culture—And How to Heal with Dr. Debi Silber 50:19 Episode Artwork The Truth About Compensation: Pay Transparency, Bonuses & Retention 27:56 Episode Artwork Why Vulnerability Is the #1 Hiring Superpower in Tech Teams 34:36 Episode Artwork How to Spot a Bad Recruiter Before It's Too Late 31:21 Episode Artwork Why Your Interview Process is Costing You Talent 18:36 Episode Artwork How to Choose the Right Salesforce Partner (and Protect Your Career Doing It) 23:43 Episode Artwork AI Cheating in Tech Interviews: Ex-Salesforce Engineer Tells All 25:13 Episode Artwork Scaling Salesforce Teams: Snipers, Swim Lanes & Zero Ambiguity 30:19 Episode Artwork The Lightning-Fast Hire: How Speed, Clarity, and Flexibility Win the Salesforce Talent War 18:56 Episode Artwork AI Takeover - Will Your Salesforce Career Survive? 1:43:55 Episode Artwork AI & The Future of Salesforce Admins 1:01:09 Episode Artwork Is Leadership Right for You? The Truth About Moving Up (And Why Many Fail) 1:02:00 Episode Artwork How to Speak Like a Leader: Mastering Tone, Confidence & Influence 55:26 Episode Artwork Don't Quit Your Job. Do This First! 1:35:54 Episode Artwork AI-Proof Your Salesforce Career: Communication and Leadership Techniques 1:36:46 Episode Artwork Plan Your Year for Success in 2025: Tools, Strategies, and Career Insights 1:37:24 Episode Artwork 2025 Salesforce Predictions + 2024 Year in Review with All Star Panel 1:30:49 Episode Artwork Salesforce Career Questions Answered: AI Integrations, Team Retention + Contest Winners and More 1:26:29 Episode Artwork Unlocking Salesforce: Expert Strategies for Successful SI/AE Partnerships + AMA on AI 1:06:35 Episode Artwork Focusing on What Really Matters: Mark Mears, Author of The Purposeful Growth Revolution 1:14:04