ServiceNow consultant

[mariusgheor]

Hi everyone,

I’ve recently started working as a ServiceNow consultant and I’m excited to learn and grow in this role.

I’d love to hear your advice on:

• What are the most important modules or concepts to focus on first?
• Any tips or resources that helped you when you were starting out?
• Common mistakes to avoid as a beginner?

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

[GlideFather · Accepted solution]

Hi @mariusgheor,

First of all, welcome and good luck!

To your question, the most useful module would be ITSM - because it is always implemented and every company uses it. It is a good starting point to understand better another modules.

Very simplified example of ITSM: "Every day at 7 AM there is server outage" > many incidents are created, for that a single problem record was created to associate all the incidents in one place and managing one problem record is also updating the associated incidents (adding one comment will be copied to all the incidents), once the root cause is know - it was a cleaning company that unplugs the socket for their vacuum cleaners and during that the service was unavailable. You have the problem and you know the root cause, so you raise a request to modify it, once the request is approved, then you can create a change (either lock the sockets, add some more), then change is scheduled at specific time, when everything is done, you can write a knowledge article about it to inform the employees and the cleaners not to unplug this.

Above you see incident - problem - request - change - knowledge. These are part of the ITSM in each you might have specific roles. And this knowledge can be later applied for CSM (Customer Service Management) where incidents are represented by Cases and ITSM is for internal while CSM for external (clients) people.

With all this, I would recommend to focus on the ITSM in the beginning and on the ServiceNow platform as such, then you can always learn some more. Some people will tell you that different modules in ServiceNow are just different prefixes of the tables :))) each module has a different ambition:

• ITSM (when interruption ocurrs, then resolve ASAP),
• Asset management (track the operational and licencing costs),
• ITOM (operations within the company),
• SPM (projects, demands and business processes),
• HR,
• Security, Vulnerabilities,
• ...

Here nobody can tell you what to do because each client is unique and even the ITSM can be maintained a little bit differently across the industry.

Go to ServiceNow University: https://learning.servicenow.com/now/lxp/learning-dashboard and take there some trainings that you will find interesting. For a starter I recommend "Welcome to ServiceNow" and the rest will depend on what will be your exact role, ServiceNow has there predefined career path and journeys and you will get recommendation on what to take next.

Sorry for a novel and let me know if you have any question in particular 🙂

[Aniket Chavan · Accepted solution]

Hey @mariusgheor , welcome to the world of ServiceNow! 👋🙂

First of all, it’s really great that you’ve already reached out here on the Community — that itself is a big win in your early stage. You’re absolutely on the right track, and trust me, this space will help you a lot.

If you’re just starting out, I’d suggest beginning with the System Administrator course on Now Learning — it gives you a solid foundation. Explore other beginner-friendly courses there too — it's all structured well.

Also, definitely get your own free Personal Developer Instance (PDI) from the ServiceNow Developer site. Practice whatever you learn there — even small things like creating a catalog item or writing a basic business rule. That hands-on play will teach you more than theory ever will.

Here’s a simple path you can follow:

• First, get comfortable with the basics — UI Policies, Client Scripts, Business Rules, Script Includes, Catalog Items, Record Producers, Flow Designer, Scheduled Jobs, etc.

• Watch individual videos on YouTube to understand each topic — it helps a lot when you want to go step-by-step.

• Side-by-side, strengthen your JavaScript, especially how it’s used inside SNOW (Glide APIs are your new best friend).

• Try focusing on ITSM first — Incident, Problem, Change — these are core and used in almost every project.

And just a personal tip — get used to exploring ServiceNow Docs, & install SN Utils browser extension. It makes navigating and working inside the platform much smoother.

And most importantly, don’t rush — take one topic at a time, understand it deeply, and then move on to the next. ServiceNow is huge, but once you start connecting the dots, it becomes really fun.

Wishing you all the best in your SNOW journey! Keep learning and exploring — and anytime you need help or guidance, feel free to drop a message. Happy to share whatever helped me when I started. 🙌

🔹 Please mark ✅ Correct if this solves your query, and 👍 Helpful if you found the response valuable.

Best regards,
Aniket Chavan
🏆 ServiceNow MVP 2025 | 🌟 ServiceNow Rising Star 2024

[Pratiksha]

Now Learning is a great place to start—there are plenty of beginner-friendly courses available. A good first step would be the "Welcome to ServiceNow" module.

The great thing is that you already have a job, so the modules you focus on will depend on what you're currently working on. That said, it's important to build a strong foundation. The Certified System Administrator (CSA) course is perfect for gaining essential platform knowledge.

ServiceNow is a powerful tool. As a beginner, always aim to leverage out-of-the-box (OOB) features instead of jumping into customizations. This will help you stay aligned with best practices and ensure easier upgrades in the future.

Best of luck on your learning journey!

[GlideFather · Accepted solution]

Hi @mariusgheor,

First of all, welcome and good luck!

To your question, the most useful module would be ITSM - because it is always implemented and every company uses it. It is a good starting point to understand better another modules.

Very simplified example of ITSM: "Every day at 7 AM there is server outage" > many incidents are created, for that a single problem record was created to associate all the incidents in one place and managing one problem record is also updating the associated incidents (adding one comment will be copied to all the incidents), once the root cause is know - it was a cleaning company that unplugs the socket for their vacuum cleaners and during that the service was unavailable. You have the problem and you know the root cause, so you raise a request to modify it, once the request is approved, then you can create a change (either lock the sockets, add some more), then change is scheduled at specific time, when everything is done, you can write a knowledge article about it to inform the employees and the cleaners not to unplug this.

Above you see incident - problem - request - change - knowledge. These are part of the ITSM in each you might have specific roles. And this knowledge can be later applied for CSM (Customer Service Management) where incidents are represented by Cases and ITSM is for internal while CSM for external (clients) people.

With all this, I would recommend to focus on the ITSM in the beginning and on the ServiceNow platform as such, then you can always learn some more. Some people will tell you that different modules in ServiceNow are just different prefixes of the tables :))) each module has a different ambition:

• ITSM (when interruption ocurrs, then resolve ASAP),
• Asset management (track the operational and licencing costs),
• ITOM (operations within the company),
• SPM (projects, demands and business processes),
• HR,
• Security, Vulnerabilities,
• ...

Here nobody can tell you what to do because each client is unique and even the ITSM can be maintained a little bit differently across the industry.

Go to ServiceNow University: https://learning.servicenow.com/now/lxp/learning-dashboard and take there some trainings that you will find interesting. For a starter I recommend "Welcome to ServiceNow" and the rest will depend on what will be your exact role, ServiceNow has there predefined career path and journeys and you will get recommendation on what to take next.

Sorry for a novel and let me know if you have any question in particular 🙂

[Aniket Chavan · Accepted solution]

Hey @mariusgheor , welcome to the world of ServiceNow! 👋🙂

First of all, it’s really great that you’ve already reached out here on the Community — that itself is a big win in your early stage. You’re absolutely on the right track, and trust me, this space will help you a lot.

If you’re just starting out, I’d suggest beginning with the System Administrator course on Now Learning — it gives you a solid foundation. Explore other beginner-friendly courses there too — it's all structured well.

Also, definitely get your own free Personal Developer Instance (PDI) from the ServiceNow Developer site. Practice whatever you learn there — even small things like creating a catalog item or writing a basic business rule. That hands-on play will teach you more than theory ever will.

Here’s a simple path you can follow:

• First, get comfortable with the basics — UI Policies, Client Scripts, Business Rules, Script Includes, Catalog Items, Record Producers, Flow Designer, Scheduled Jobs, etc.

• Watch individual videos on YouTube to understand each topic — it helps a lot when you want to go step-by-step.

• Side-by-side, strengthen your JavaScript, especially how it’s used inside SNOW (Glide APIs are your new best friend).

• Try focusing on ITSM first — Incident, Problem, Change — these are core and used in almost every project.

And just a personal tip — get used to exploring ServiceNow Docs, & install SN Utils browser extension. It makes navigating and working inside the platform much smoother.

And most importantly, don’t rush — take one topic at a time, understand it deeply, and then move on to the next. ServiceNow is huge, but once you start connecting the dots, it becomes really fun.

Wishing you all the best in your SNOW journey! Keep learning and exploring — and anytime you need help or guidance, feel free to drop a message. Happy to share whatever helped me when I started. 🙌

🔹 Please mark ✅ Correct if this solves your query, and 👍 Helpful if you found the response valuable.

Best regards,
Aniket Chavan
🏆 ServiceNow MVP 2025 | 🌟 ServiceNow Rising Star 2024

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @mariusgheor 

I’m a ServiceNow trainer and happy to share my thoughts on this. ServiceNow is becoming increasingly broad and deep these days, and the best way to kickstart your journey is by earning the CSA (Certified System Administrator) certification. The CSA provides a solid understanding of the platform, its terminology, and core modules. Once you get hands-on experience with the platform through CSA, you can decide on your next path.

Employers value professionals with experience across multiple modules, so it’s important to expand your knowledge and add more products to your portfolio. Consider focusing on areas like ITSM, GRC, HRSD, CSM, or SecOps.

Currently, the training is free, which is a fantastic opportunity. However, the real challenge is gaining hands-on experience. To overcome this, the ServiceNow community is an excellent resource. Dedicate at least 1-2 hours a day engaging with the community — read questions others are asking and contribute your own responses. Over time, this will improve your skills and boost your confidence.

Additionally, mastering scripting is essential if you want to become a developer. There are many courses and exercises available on developer.servicenow.com to help you practice and enhance your scripting skills, which will strengthen your portfolio.

Start with the CSA certification and then choose your next step based on your interests — whether that’s development, becoming a Business Analyst, Change Manager, or Project Manager. A solid foundation will give you the flexibility to pursue any domain you prefer.