Systems, Applications and Products also known as SAP is number one provider of business software across the globe whose chief specialty lies in providing ERP solutions, where ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. Narrowing down and selecting a career path to follow is a tough task indeed, therefore you should take your time in taking your decision. If you have set your mind to become a SAP consultant then congratulations as it is a lucrative career path and you could use these tips to help you in the initial stages of your career.
How to Become a SAP Consultant?
1. Have a keen interest in information technology:
As in most career paths education qualifications do not guarantee that a person will excel in a career path. Similarly when it comes to being a Systems Applications and Products consultant even a person with an ordinary degree might be able to perform his or her tasks better than a highly qualified individual owing to the fact that he has a keen interest in information technology. If your interest truly does not lie here then you ought to re consider your option of becoming a SAP consultant as this is possibly not the right career for you.
2. Do not become a SAP consultant for the wrong reasons:
There are many individuals who join this career path for all the wrong reasons, sometimes it is their parents who force them and sometimes it is the large pay check that tempts them into thinking that this is the line for them. However you should not be fooled. You ought to take up becoming a SAP consultant only if you have read up about the job thoroughly and you think that this is where not only your interest but also your skills lie. Even though you might have the interest, you might lack in the skills so ensure that you have both.
3. Make use of the Google Search Engine properly:
Google Search Engine is the most popular search engine which is used by billions across the globe to find answers to their questions. A great way to help getting your tasks done quicker and in a more efficient manner is if you know what text you ought to input into the search engine in order to get the best results. Make sure to never include more text than you need to and always make use of the advance search option so as to ensure that if your need is more precise.
4. Provide answers after proper weighing and measuring:
When you are a SAP consultant you should never give answers right from the top of your head without thinking it through. It is your job to never reject or accept any proposal in a straight forward manner even if you are sure of the outcome. It is of paramount importance that you give your word after careful evaluation. There is no shame in asking for extra time as it only means that you are doing a thorough job and that is a trait which is truly very admirable in any SAP consultant.
5. Be cautious about giving your feedback too promptly:
Though you might think that the quicker you answer the better it is for you, experts in the field say that even if you are sure of the answer you should take a while to answer. This is simply because if you provide a swift answer today then the next time as well users will want the same speed again and when you are unable to deliver then they will think that you are not putting in your effort. This is just a useful tip with is up to you to make use of or not, but is always advisable to believe what expert SAP consultants say.
6. Try building your network and contacts:
Just as in any career field it is always useful to befriend some of your contemporaries so that you can share notes and seek council as and when required. It is when you share ideas then only will you be able to broaden your horizons and become aware of different approaches to the same problem. Having contacts as well as a strong network does not imply that you stop trying to come up with solutions on your own it simply implies that in situations when you find that you have hit a wall, talking to another person will help you gain a new perspective.
7. Important to have a great deal of industry knowledge:
When you are a SAP consultant if you have experience working in a similar or even a same industry then you will find it much easier to be able to grasp a company’s working methods as opposed to another individual who has no industrial knowledge at all. For example in the pharmaceutical industry it is important to ensure that medicines being sold are not past their expiry date therefore a SAP consultant should think of implementing new action plans such as a regular inspection to ensure that everything that has reached its expiration date is gotten rid of.
8. Have in depth knowledge of SAP technology trends which are recent:
As a SAP consultant, your learning is never complete, there are constantly new products for you to learn about and it is of paramount important that you remain aware of the change in times. It is practically on a daily basis that there are new SAP products which are being introduced. If you wish to remain a relevant as well as successful SAP consultant then it is up to you to ensure that you never fall behind in being up to date with what you ought to know.
9. You should have integrity above everything else:
Even if you have all the skills and predisposition to become a good SAP consultant, however if you are lacking in integrity then you can never go very far indeed. In the course of your career you will come across many individuals who will offer you great sums of money for you to make use of your expertise in order to bend the rules to get what they want done. It is up to you to inform them that it is a database system where everything is recorded and there is no scope for any kind of dishonesty or foul play.
10. Efficiency so as to proficiently manage clients:
With the emergence of each new project the SAP consultants need to be ready to interact with new sets of business users. It is for this very reason that a SAP consultant along with having client management skills should also be a people’s person. It is up to the SAP consultant to explain the complex technical terminology as well as procedure in such a manner that the client is able to comprehend information in a clear as well as comprehensive manner and in addition to this the client must then be able to make use of this information when taking decisions.
11. The ability to make good presentations:
One of the many functions of a SAP consultant is to make presentations which are easy to comprehend as well as self explanatory. A SAP consultant spends many an hour not merely presenting but also preparing blueprints, organizing training sessions etc. It is indeed a challenging career path but if you work hard enough it is also very lucrative in terms of the salary which you are able to draw along with the job satisfactions which you get.
12. Commendable communications skills are important:
Therefore once you have prepared the presentations, it is of paramount importance that you have good communication skills as well. A major part of any SAP consultant’s job pertains to talking to clients and business users. If you are not good in communicating then how will you be able to get your ideas across in a clear as well as concise manner. Not only must you speak sense but it is also important that you are able to speak in a confident manner such that it does not reflect badly on you in any way.
13. You must know how to conduct yourself in a professional environment:
There are numerous nuances which are a part of being a SAP consultant. Since your job is quite an high profile where you will be required to speak to clients and conduct training sessions it is very important that you know how to behave in a professional manner such that you do not do any dishonor to your position or to yourself. This factor is much more important than you might think and you must be cautious about how you act at all times so that you never appear to be either too cold or too friendly and forward.
14. Must be well dressed to receive clients:
Though this might seem superficial to some, yet a SAP consultant should take care to be well dressed at all times owing to the fact that clients might walk through the door at any given time. This does not imply that you spend half your salary on your wardrobe, it merely implies that you look presentable at all times to give a good impression.
15. You must be intelligent and be able to think on your feet:
In order to give proper direction as well as address certain pressing issues, you should be competent enough to be able to think on your feet as you never know what issue might suddenly present itself in the most random times. Initially you might be flustered yet over time once you gain experience then you will be able to immediately find quick solutions to problems. Thinking on your feet is not something that comes easy to all but over time you will acquire it.
16. You must be efficient in filing and managing huge amounts of paperwork:
One very important thing is that you should be able to manage huge amounts for paper work without feeling daunted at any point of time. Proper documentation is absolutely vital as at any given point in time a client might come to check out some piece of information or to make some inquiries and it is vital that you have everything in order. Even losing one paper can cause you a world of trouble.
17. You should accept each day as a new adventure:
As a SAP consultant you should never expect to have a regular job where you will only be required to stick to what is mentioned in your job description. Rather you should be willing to accept each day as a new adventure and as a challenge. Some people find a career like this one too over whelming as well as too uncertain but some opt for this career path for the sheer thrill of it. They love that, their job never runs the risk of being either boring or monotonous and that is what keeps them on their feet all the time.
So when it comes to become good SAP consultant, these tips are tried and tested so you need not worry at all. If you are willing to put in hard work as well as effort then nothing will be too impossible for you to achieve. In order for you to get ahead in this line it is of paramount importance that you are willing to rely on your own expertise and ability rather than trying to relying on what others are doing as well as saying.
