Do you have a deep knowledge of business and business systems?
If so, a career as an SAP consultant could be perfect for you. This role mainly involves creating and implementing SAP systems for clients.
There are several different types of SAP consultant roles you can choose from. Each involves specialist skills and deep knowledge of the industry you work for.
To discover if you want to embark on this career path, check out my in-depth…
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SAP Consultant Job Description
The job description you are reviewing should provide an overview of the company. This is likely to include the products and services that the company offers as well as its customer base. It is also likely to provide an overview of the working environment, the type of contract, and the base salary.
The job description should provide an overview of the tasks that you would be charged with. There should be information on the education and experience that candidates need to have. You may also find information on the abilities and skills the manager is looking for in the ideal applicant.
Types of SAP Consultants
There are several different types of SAP roles that you can choose from. Each of these roles involves specialist skills and knowledge. Let’s take a closer look at the main types of roles you can become qualified to perform.
Developer consultant
This role mainly involves coding ABAP and Java programs. You need to have a deep knowledge of these programs and understand how to adapt them to the needs of the company.
Functional consultant
If you choose this role, you will work closely with different developers to create custom code for ABAP programs. You will also customize SAP to meet the requirements of clients.
SAP basis consultant
These consultants are responsible for installing, maintaining, and perfecting SAP servers and databases. Depending on the size of different projects, this role can also come with a wide range of other responsibilities.
Business and sales consultant
This role focuses on winning new projects for the company you are working for. Once the project has been secured, these consultants usually take the lead on them. This can include generating new ideas, making presentations, strategizing, and implementing projects.
Duties and Responsibilities
Your daily duties will depend on the type of SAP consultant you decide to be. Tasks will also depend on the company and industry you work for. Here are some of the main duties and responsibilities that usually go along with this role.
Designing and Implementing SAP Solutions
You need to configure SAP software to meet the specific needs of each client. This involves understanding the business needs of the client and any issues they are experiencing. You will then begin to build the solution, which includes writing programs for interfaces.
Proposing Solutions
Clients are likely to contact you because they are experiencing issues with their current systems or SAP software. You need to be able to analyze the client’s business and come up with different solutions. You are likely to present several solutions for the client to choose from.
Skills And Attributes
You need to have specialist SAP and domain knowledge in order to work in this field. There are also certain soft skills that will help you complete different aspects of your job more effectively. Here are some of the key skills and attributes a successful SAP consultant should possess.
Presentation skills
You need to be prepared to give presentations to clients on request. Presenting very technical information to people with little background knowledge. You need to be able to find ways to present this information in different ways.
Visualization
You need to be able to take solid ideas and transform them into an actual product. This involves visualizing all the steps from conception to actualization. While there are likely to be numerous ideas available, only some of them are actually feasible.
Strong communication skills
You need to be able to explain complex information as simply as possible. When writing reports, you need to condense information so that it is easy to read. You also need to make sure you understand the directives of clients and can explain them to colleagues.
Collaboration
It is important to be able to work well with other people. This includes clients, IT professionals, and junior consultants. You should be able to create and encourage a productive working environment that is free from conflict.
Dedication
You will often have to work long hours to complete a project before the deadline. This can be tiring and frustrating at times. It is essential to have a positive attitude and be able to inspire other people.
Decision-making
There will often be several different ways of designing a particular process in SAP. You need to be able to evaluate the options quickly and make insightful decisions. This includes running different scenarios to work out the best overall solution.
How To Become an SAP Consultant?
You usually have to hold a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field to get a job as an SAP Consultant. Taking special business courses will also help you get a foot in the door. Here are some of the other key elements that go into both securing the role and advancing on your career path.
Training
Once you have your bachelor’s degree, you need to decide which area of SAP consulting you want to specialize in. Completing a structured training course will help you to do this. You will also gain specialist business knowledge that will help you relate to different clients.
Training programs usually come with certification, which shows clients you have the necessary knowledge and dedication to do the job.
Experience
Experience in an office environment can help you develop soft skills. It is a good idea to complete a summer office internship while you are at college. This is also a good way to make connections that could help you secure your dream job later.
You can also gain experience by joining an IT consultancy firm after completing your degree. It is possible to secure a role as a junior consultant and gain vital work experience. You will work alongside senior-level consultants and will see firsthand how they perform their duties.
Advanced Education
Completing a master’s degree in business administration or computer science will help you stand out from the crowd. Most master’s degrees last for a year and can be completed directly after a bachelor’s degree. Alternatively, you could decide to gain work experience before completing your education.
The Working Environment
When you are starting out, you are likely to be employed by a single company. You will usually work full-time hours from Monday to Friday. However, you may also be required to work additional hours to meet tight deadlines.
As your career takes off, you may decide to become a consultant. This gives you more freedom to choose the projects you work on and set your own work schedule. However, you need to be able to develop strong connections with potential clients and promote yourself.
Interested In Computer Programming?
Well, let’s begin with what this position entails in my Computer Programmer Job Description.
Next, we found computer programming guides that are very helpful such as Computer Programming for Absolute Beginners, Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software, Computer Programming: Learn Any Programming Language in 2 Hours, or how about the Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science, or A Programmer’s Guide to Computer Science: A virtual degree for the self-taught developer, and Computer Programming: The Most Complete Crash Course, and finally The Art of Computer Programming to start with.
Another specialization you can look into is the mathematical side with the Introduction to Algorithms, Algorithmics of Matching Under Preferences, Practical Discrete Mathematics: Discover math principles that fuel algorithms for computer science, as well as the Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C++, or the Computer Vision: Algorithms and Applications, and The Algorithm Design Manual all available online in 2023.
Computational thinking and data management are sought-after specializations; we recommend reading up on Data Management: Databases and Organizations, the Introduction to wxMaxima for Scientific Computations, Data Management: a gentle introduction: Balancing Theory and Practice, or perhaps try Computational Design Thinking, Thinking as Computation: A First Course, or the Introduction to Computation and Programming Using Python, along with the Clinical Analytics and Data Management for the DNP, and DAMA-DMBOK: Data Management Body of Knowledge.
Start with Computer Science…
If you’re just starting out, your basis will focus on computer science. For that, we found Computer Science Principles: The Foundational Concepts of Computer Science, Computer Science Illuminated, or what about Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective, or Computer Science: An Overview (What’s New in Computer Science), and perhaps the Intro to Python for Computer Science & Data Science: Learning to Program with AI, Big Data & The Cloud, the Computer Science: An Interdisciplinary Approach, as well as AP Computer Science A: With 6 Practice Tests, and Comparative Approaches to Program Planning also available online today.
Final Thoughts
It is common for entry-level SAP consultants to work up to eighty hours a week when they start out. This will help you gain the specialist skills you need in order to do this job well. The starting salary for this role is typically around $30,000 per year.
After a few years, your salary is likely to climb to around $58,000 per year. Gaining an advanced degree and specialist skills can significantly boost your earning potential.
Once you are ready to work as a consultant, you could earn at least $80,000 per year.
All the very best working as an SAP Consultant!