To succeed in the lateral entry in the SAP consulting

Jobs in the SAP consulting are in great demand, but also consultants are sought. Therefore, not only leads a straight path through a computer science or economic computer science studies in the SAP consulting. Other career paths are quite possible and after a few years, the salary of a lateral hire usually not more different.

In the SAP consulting is placed apparently worth less on titles, training or certificates, as one

might assume maybe. Nevertheless, newcomers must meet certain requirements to be considered for this challenging job in question.

About 90 percent of those who go to the SAP consulting directly after graduation, are business data, economists, scientists or graduates of a technical course. Typically, these "direct hire" a master or diploma. The bachelor's degree, there is a lack of recognition as before, says Dr. Thomas Beaver, managing director specializing in SAP HR consulting positions Beaver & Associates.

With a Ph.D. from but however the newcomers to the profession can hardly score: He let the young talent in comparison to other applicants usually look only older, white beaver. Only those who actually plan to rise to the top echelons of the company, have the doctor or MBA a small advantage.

"SAP career changers" often have an academic education in all other subjects through - for example, law, humanities or theology.

Academics and non-academics

Even non-graduates have a good chance, for example, after training in business or computer science-related professions. Only when, years later, comes to leadership positions, provides an academic education again an advantage over the education profession. "Most important is that you have both IT know-how and business expertise," beaver summarizes the necessary skills together. "A lot of successful career changers had gathered professional experience in one of these two fields and brought interest and understanding of the other field."

This is also true thickness Silvia; spokeswoman for the SAP consulting company itelligence’s consistent. The NTT Data's daughter makes conscious use of "cross-Einstein pus" to fill vacant positions in consulting. Itelligence is especially academics who bring a punt SME Focus, an industry know well, or during the study - have set the theme apart SAP - SAP about a bill or an internship. And project experience or generally "good Softsiklls" would improve the chances of the candidates.

"We have very good experience with career changers," says thickness together. For SAP consultants would "count up not only one and one, but it's also a lot about giving things or to take information together." Generally itelligence put a "high problem-solving skills" forward.

Beaver sees the preparation of lateral hires into positions in controlling, sales or inventory management. So it's either business knowledge, or work as a webshop or network administrator or programmer, demonstrating profound IT knowledge.

A good preparation is also to seek to continue their education from the enterprise to an SAP consultant in a SAP implementation. Also, the employment agency pays an occasional SAP certification and some workers get paid as part of a process of outplacement her former employer. Courses with SAP certifications are organized both from Walldorf Group itself and by various training providers.

Learning by Earing better than any training

The certification is by no means mandatory for a career as an SAP consultant: "Employers prefer the Learning-on-the-job, so the practical activities in the SAP project, each training experience before," said Beaver. It comes from that aspiring SAP consultants Job Offer turn down to lead the once begun, and finally, too expensive education to end. But opportunities do not come back at will: "If offers a chance to get the first solid SAP point, you have a new or newcomers access," warn recruiters.

In general, the new employer can be a fact that the applicants the first SAP training ended before he starts the new job. Should an employer refuse the, it's the lesser of two evils, cancel the training. For the first position as a SAP consultant is always the hardest to find.

The first applications for the position of SAP one should necessarily begin before completion of certification or training. Application processes in an SAP environment often take two to three months. In addition, the phase comes between contract signature and starting work.

Who gets going late, risked an unpleasant and unnecessary gap in the resume. But it can get worse: Anyone have spent several months as a freelancer or coaches, other certifications purpose or even for some time working in non-SAP jobs, has almost gambled away his chances of a long-term perspective with a permanent position as an SAP consultant . Read such a resume HR as a failed entry into a booming industry. "Here you have to be a candidate then quickly put up the question of why you find a position as an SAP consultant, but where SAP consultants are sought everywhere," said Beaver.

Who does not have the good fortune that the former employer forms, can also take lateral entry in the SAP consulting into their own hands. Beaver recommends for this purpose unsolicited applications for small and medium SAP consulting companies. These companies currently have a strong personal needs, they often can not meet.

Therefore, many consulting firms are willing an ambitious SAP Junior Consultant to give him a chance to train and also to some extent or to incorporate. "SAP consulting company," said Thomas Beaver, "have on the SAP job market, the function of trainers. Consulting firms are often more accommodating than SAP end users for applicants, not entirely meet the requirements, also. "

Important prerequisites for the SAP job are knowledge of English, good work references and a clear resume. Willingness to travel is in an SAP consulting firm indispensable anyway. SAP newbies should be open for at least two to three years of consulting with extensive travel activity, that is three to five working days per week. The labor-intensive and time travel is worth the long term and is a professional life, a very good reference.

Indispensable to endure in the first place, even under difficult working conditions, because many changer in the SAP environment to be seen is very critical. SAP projects often take several months in some cases even years. And even an experienced SAP consultants in the new job usually requires six to twelve months until it is fully incorporated and mastered the new environment.

However, entry is made, the doors are candidates for an exciting SAP career open.

If you look around for the "formative years" in the labor market, which offer highly attractive for further development paths. Solid project experience and capabilities remain more important for the progress in the SAP career than any title or any certification. Beaver: "The move to the second position SAP is much easier. With a little luck, a candidate may then already choose between various attractive contract offers. "

But who is already established in the job can not help but to constantly develop further explained thickness. The SAP world since subject, especially in recent times, a considerable momentum. Therefore, SAP consultants would have to keep constantly up to date. For example, itelligence also translate heavily on internal training.

This strong change on the product page may sometimes be the reason that "the differences in salary and career options for SAP consultants alike, regardless of the training pathway, after three to five years, adjust project experience," as Thomas Beaver explained. Itelligence today derives about a doctor of mathematics the division "advice".