Technical screening questions
Ask for one example per question and listen for specifics.
- Walk me through how you would add a new approval process. A good answer: Entry criteria, approvers, actions and testing in a sandbox.
- How do profiles and permission sets differ? A good answer: Profiles as the base; permission sets add access without changing the profile.
- How do you manage data quality? A good answer: Validation rules, duplicate rules and regular cleanup.
- How do you handle a release? A good answer: Sandbox testing, user acceptance and a rollback plan.
- Which certifications do you hold? A good answer: Admin certification and any advanced administrator credential, with dates.
Quick screening questions
Use these when you have only a few minutes.
- Which clouds have you administered?
- How do you manage change across sandboxes?
- How do you handle duplicate data?
What separates the levels
Match the level to the requirement before you submit.
- Junior: handles user requests and simple changes.
- Mid: owns configuration and automation.
- Senior: designs the data model and governance.
Red flags
Any of these is a reason to probe further.
- No hands-on Flow experience.
- Cannot describe sharing model basics.
- Certification lapsed with no refresh.
Tools you should hear mentioned
A Salesforce administrator with real experience usually names several of these without prompting.
- Salesforce Setup
- Flow Builder
- Reports and dashboards
- Data Loader
- Permission sets
- AppExchange packages
Run the call well
Ask for the last project first, then dig into the second or third question. Take notes on versions, team size and outcomes, and record them with the submission so the vendor’s later technical interview does not surprise you.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a Salesforce administrator screening call take?
Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough to cover the project, three technical questions and availability, rate and work authorization.
Do recruiters need to know the technology?
Working vocabulary is enough. Use the sourcing guide for the role and listen for specifics instead of judging technical depth yourself.