Where Do I Go From Here? Your ServiceNow Learning Path

[Travis Toulson]

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Where Do I Go From Here? Your ServiceNow Learning Path

The ServiceNow ecosystem is massive. Community, ServiceNow University, the dev site, certifications, user groups. There's no shortage of places to go. The problem isn't finding resources. It's figuring out which ones matter to you right now.

So let's map it out.

Start With the Community

The first thing I tell anyone getting started: get into the ServiceNow community. You're already here, so if you haven't already, be sure to register. One tip from experience: use a personal email address. That way your community account follows you wherever your career takes you, not just wherever your current employer takes you.

Once you're in, do a few things right away. Hit the Developer Advocate blog and subscribe. These foundation videos aren't the only thing we do, and the blog is a great place to stay current. Then check out the developer meetups, ServiceNow user groups, and other ways to connect with ServiceNow folks in your local area. Getting plugged in early is one of the best moves you can make.

You'll also find dedicated spaces for developers, admins, and specific products. These are great for getting a feel for what people are actually building and talking about on the platform.

Find Your Learning Path

The resources are the same for everyone, but your path is unique to you. Where you go next depends on the kind of work you want to do. A great next step is finding a learning path on ServiceNow University.

If you're an admin or implementer, the System Administrator learning path is your starting point.

If you're focused on a specific application (ITSM, CSM, whatever product you're working with), look for the certification track for that product. It maps out exactly what you need to know and gives you a clear target to work toward.

If you're a developer or creator, the Certified Application Developer learning path is where you're headed. It takes you from platform basics through building and deploying full custom applications. And those skills carry over directly to developing on every other application on the platform.

Pick a Path Based on What You Already Know

If you are trying to figure out which path to get started on, my advice: start with what you already know.

If you've got a background in IT, you already speak the language of incidents, requests, and service desks. ITSM is going to feel familiar real fast. HR background? HR Service Delivery. Customer service? CSM. Security or GRC experience? Those modules exist too. If you can already talk the talk, learning the platform side is going to be way easier.

Your existing experience is an asset here. Match it to the application that aligns with it and you've got yourself a starting point.

If you genuinely don't have a strong alignment to any specific application, here's the path I'd point you toward: admin certification first, then Certified Application Developer, then ITSM.

That trio covers the platform fundamentals and gives you a solid, well-rounded foundation that a lot of developers build from. From there, you can layer in additional certs based on where your career takes you.

Two More Bookmarks

Before we wrap up, there are two resources worth bookmarking right now.

developer.servicenow.com is your home base. API references, release notes, code snippets, and your personal developer instance. You did get one of those, right?

docs.servicenow.com is the official product documentation. You're going to use both of these a lot, so get comfortable with them early.