ServiceNow Developer Advocates AMA #1: Inside Scoop and Career Hacks!

[Earl Duque]

 

The ServiceNow Developer Advocates Get Real: An AMA Recap

What happens when you get the entire ServiceNow Developer Advocacy team together for a live "Ask Us Anything" (AUA) session? A whole lot of candid advice, a few laughs, and some insightful discussions about the ServiceNow platform, career growth, and the community. If you missed our recent live stream, here's a rundown of the key takeaways.

Beyond the Code: Personal Perks and Surprises

We kicked things off with a lighthearted look at the "weirdest things within arm's reach." The team also shared their initial surprises joining ServiceNow. A huge positive highlighted was the company's well-being days – essentially surprise paid days off that truly show ServiceNow's commitment to employee mental health. On the flip side, some early observations included the challenges of navigating a large organization and the initial lack of recognition for the Developer Advocate team in certain regions. Oh, and the strict rules around requesting instances? Apparently, that’s a real thing!

Knowledge 2025: The AI Buzz and Beyond

For those who couldn't make it to Knowledge, we discussed the most common questions from the AMA session there. A recurring theme revolved around AI adoption: "What if my company isn't investing in AI right now?" The consensus from the team was clear: don't let your job dictate your learning tempo. Even if your company isn't jumping on the AI bandwagon, it's crucial for individual developers to invest in learning about AI and how it can personally assist them in their careers, filling skill gaps and boosting productivity.

We also emphasized the importance of attending local events like World Forums, ServiceNow User Groups (SNUGs), and Developer Meetups. While some cutting-edge AI features might not be on Personal Developer Instances (PDIs) yet, these events often offer hands-on labs and showcases that provide invaluable exposure. Shoutout to Sydney James and the Chicago Dev meetup for their upcoming Agentic AI event!

Strengthening the ServiceNow Community

A deeper dive into the community revealed some interesting points. Lazlo highlighted a perceived degradation of quality in content, especially with the rise of AI-generated information. The solution? Creating and promoting high-quality content, calling out inaccuracies, and providing constructive feedback.

Travis added to this by suggesting more content focused on people's real-world experiences – "We implemented X product, ran into Y issues, and here's how we solved them." This type of practical, problem-solving content is incredibly valuable.

Kristy pointed out that some "veterans" in the community might be stuck in a "frozen time period," relying on old methods and ignoring new tools. The advice was to embrace change, continuously expand your toolset, and be mindful of outdated documentation.

And a huge point from Lauren: don't be afraid to document your learning process. Sharing your journey, even if you're not an expert, provides immense value to others just starting out and helps to normalize that learning is a continuous, sometimes messy, process. We need to be graceful when people are trying to contribute, especially if English isn't their first language and they're using AI tools to bridge the gap. Focus on the quality of the content, not just the presentation.

Breaking In: Your ServiceNow Career Journey

"How to break into ServiceNow without prior experience?" This is a hot topic, and while it's acknowledged that it's tougher now than a few years ago, it's certainly not impossible.

• RiseUp Program: This was heavily endorsed as a fantastic pathway into ServiceNow, offering various tracks for technical and non-technical roles.
• Find Your Niche: As Lazlo wisely put it, don't try to replicate others' career paths. Look at how your company or customers are using ServiceNow and identify emerging areas like UI Builder or new AI capabilities. Even if you're new, you can become an expert in a fresh area.
• Leverage Existing Skills: Your background, even outside of tech, can be a huge differentiator. Someone with a strong business perspective might excel at building business applications on ServiceNow that others overlook.
• Start with Help Desk: For some, an entry-level position like help desk can be a great stepping stone to admin and then developer roles.
• Network, Network, Network: This was perhaps the most emphasized point. Attending dev meetups, SNUGs, and other community events allows you to make personal connections. A referral often carries more weight than a resume, especially when dealing with AI-powered resume filters. Don't just throw your resume into the void; build relationships!
• Be Authentic in Interviews: While certifications are great, don't be afraid to apply if you don't tick every box. Be yourself, talk about your real experiences, and don't rely on "interview dumps." A powerful question to ask at the end of an interview: "Based on our conversation, is there anything you see as a gap where I'm not meeting what you're looking for?" This can open up opportunities to clarify or highlight overlooked experiences and get valuable feedback.

Flow Designer vs. Workflow Editor

A question that always sparks debate: should you migrate workflows from the old Workflow Editor to Flow Designer? The team's consensus:

• If it's not broken, don't fix it. Workflow Editor isn't going away anytime soon, and there's no direct conversion tool.
• Build new flows in Flow Designer. For any new processes or significant changes to existing ones, Flow Designer is the way to go. Its continuous improvements, easier integrations, and powerful features (like external triggers and the flow debugger) make it the superior choice for modern development.

Looking Ahead

We wrapped up by reminding everyone about our next AMA coming up on August 8th (mark your calendars!). We also gave a quick shout-out to upcoming live streams, including "Live Coding Afternoon Tea" and "Low Coding Second Breakfast," which will focus on low-code development and conversational coding.

We love these interactive sessions, and the engagement from the community is what makes them so valuable. Keep those questions coming, and we'll see you in August!