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Learn How To Code (And Have More Options)

Kaelan Moss
Feb 17, 2024
5 min read

I never thought I'd admit this, but...

It's time to learn how to code.

The world is changing.

There's too much competition for the basic "Clicks, not code" jobs out there.

Salesforce's motto is "Clicks, not Code."

And it's still true.

But companies want people who know more than "Clicks"

After looking for Salesforce Marketing Cloud jobs over the past 2 weeks, I've noticed something strange.

There are fewer options for Marketing Cloud jobs than ever before.

That's not to say that there aren't available jobs.

What I'm saying is that there's a lot of competition for each job.

And the rest of the jobs want you to come into an office.

Which I'll never understand.

You're literally logging into a computer to do your work.

I won't understand the need to drive to work to log into a computer.

It just baffles my mind.

Anywhoo, here's where I'm headed.

You need to separate yourself from the crowd.

If you want to have leverage when you're looking for a job, you need a skill that other people don't have.

And that skill is coding.

Here's the backstory:

I was talking with my friend Alex.

He's a buddy from college.

We were talking about the Economics of the world today.

And we got on the topic of "Supply and Demand."

There was a point in the conversation where he mentioned his friend who learned how to code in 6 months and landed a 200k job with a financial firm.

It struck a chord with me when he said that.

Here's why:

I've been looking for a Marketing Cloud job over these past 2 weeks.

And here's what I've noticed:

Every job has dozens of candidates looking for the same position.

There's almost no way to stand out from the crowd.

And I've been wondering what's going on.

Something in the back of my mind kept saying:

You have to do something different if you want to stand out from the pack.

I started to think about what I could do.

There were dozens of ideas that came to my mind.

But only a few stuck out as good options.

So I went back to the lab.

But nothing really stuck out as "The Best Option."

It was an interesting dilemma to be in.

I've been in the Salesforce ecosystem for the past 8 years, and it has always been pretty easy to find a quality position.

It doesn't matter if I'm looking for a job or if other people are looking.

If you work in Marketing Cloud, there used to not be that much competition for every single job.

But times have changed.

People have learned it.

Which is great!

But now it's time for a change.

If times change, then you and I need to change.

Finding a job is like looking for a great relationship partner.

You NEED to be picky and shouldn't pick just anything that comes your way.

Looking for Marketing Cloud jobs has turned into a maze (and a confusing one at that).

Recruiters will reach out to you and leave you high and dry.

You'll show up for a conversation and they'll straight up ghost you.

It's an interesting thing for a job position that's apparently so in demand.

But the question is...

How In Demand are you if you are just like everyone else who's applying?

In a world of Online Dating (aka Online Job Searching), you have to have the skills that a potential partner wants (which means you need to be in demand).

Going into any relationship with a beggars mentality will get you nowhere.

In fact, it'll leave you powerless.

Which means one thing.

You need to have something that the other side wants.

If you're looking for a tech job right now, there's a major factor at play:

Companies have lots of candidates applying for beginner-level jobs.

If a company (or a potential relationship partner) has a lot of options, and you're one of them, you'll likely feel the effects of it (and it doesn't feel good).

So you need to have something that other candidates don't have.

And from what I've noticed, that skill is "Coding"

Look... The world is changing.

Companies have options now...

Which means you need to upskill.

My recommendation is to learn a coding skill.

There's not a lot of competition when it comes to coding, and here's why:

Most people think coding is too hard

If you're facing competition, it's much more scarce among coders.

95% of people think they're not smart enough to code.

Which means, if you're willing to put in the work, you'll be in a small majority of people.

Which also means you'll be part of the "Supply" that is in "High Demand".

All that to say...

If you're in the job market and the job search is tough, you should consider learning a coding skill.

It's only going to help you in the long run.

Which coding skill should you learn?

Glad you asked.

Here are the skills I recommend:

SQL
AMPscript
ServerSide JavaScript (SSJS)
JavaScript in general
HTML & CSS
API's

Right now, I'm learning how the Internet works.

I want to have a strong foundation of the entire internet before jumping into a coding language.

That way, no matter what I learn, I'll know what's going on behind the scenes.

I truly believe that if you take the harder path, you'll get a higher reward.

It's going to suck in the short term but pay off HUGE dividends in the long run.

So, Here's My Plan

Step 1: Learn how the Internet works

If you have a strong understanding of how the internet works, you'll be able to pick up any coding language.

Set yourself up with the foundational skills that other people don't have.

If you're competing with someone who only knows a coding language, and you know the same thing PLUS the core pieces of the internet, who's more valuable?

You!

Take the time to learn what other people aren't willing to learn and become a more rare option on the job market.

Here's the course I'm taking to learn how the internet works:

Web Development: A Primer