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Career Center: Why Domain Experience ismust to be a SAP Functional consultant?

Posted by Balaji Parsewar 17 Jun, 2013

Now days I am observing that more & more youths are turning towards SAP as a career. With the help of my

experience & knowledge if I decode this trend, I can figure out following reasons:

• Glamour & Buzz around SAP Career• Money & Perks involved in SAP jobs• One of the way to enter into IT from your domain(sales, production)• Job opportunities availability

This trend can be well understood with the given reasons.

However I am observing that today’s youths are trying to enter into SAP career by keeping asidemandatory prerequisite. For the sake of entry into SAP, they are adopting shortcuts. However tobe successful in your SAP career, if you possess all theprerequisites, it would be in your favor &there are more chances of winning the game.

According to my beliefs & understanding, I will say following are the prerequisite to be a junior or entry level

SAP functional consultant:

1) Graduation Degree(Post-Graduation in Business Management like MBA is preferred)

2) Domain (functional) Experience of 3 years.

3) End user/core team experience of any ERP – Preferred4) SAP Certification (Not mandatory but preferred)

Today I will talk here about importance of domain experience & why I am quoting it as a must factor? I will

simplify my reasoning through 5 bullet points so it would be easy to understand for each of us.

1) Always remember, you are in consulting - Just refer the dictionary & try to find out meaningof word “consulting”. According to Dictionary.com, consulting means employed or involved ingiving professional advice to the public or to those practicing the profession.Meaning is verysimple.  For consulting you need solid experience. Consulting is an art or science which requiresextensive knowledge & wisdom which can be earned through genuine experience only. There isno alternative to that.

2) Knowledge of enterprise resources – My friends you are planning a career in SAP which is an ERPwhich simply means Enterprise Resource Planning. And if you do not know what are the resourcesrequired to run a enterprise then how you are going to plan it? Very

Career Center: Why Domain Experience is must to be a SAP Functional consultant?

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basic question. Planning enterprise resources i.e. man, material, machines, money cannot be done by just

reading any book. You need actual domain experience to do it swiftly & efficiently.

3) Business Process Expertise – What is the role of a SAP functional consultant in a project? Verysimple answer to this question is incorporating all existing business process of enterprise into SAPERP so that firm could transact on day to day basis in a very disciplined & controlled manner tobring productivity & efficiency.  Without actual process knowledge this would be a very dauntingtask. If you are SD consultant you must know important process related to Sales & Distribution. 

While speaking with client, you have to speak in business language & not SAP language.

You will not get to know business language in any business school. For that you need real time experience.

Business process knowledge will play very significant role while speaking with client. For example if you do not

know ARE forms, how you will map export process in SAP & how you will answer customer queries?

4) Integration between different functions – After selling any goods or service,customer account willget debited & company revenue account will get credited. Its nothing but integration betweenSales& Finance department. You will come to know this while working in an organization sellinggoods or services & collecting payment after that. At the time of follow up for payment you willlearn credit management & payment term configuration in SAP SD which is integration.

5) Suggesting Improvements – When you suggest improvements to your client, you have to beextra careful because you are pointing out something which is practiced by clients for years. Youcan suggest improvement only when you know the process thoroughly. You know pros & cons ofthe process. Again domain experience for this is inevitable.

Hence friends do not make rush, do not make any hasty decisions before entering into SAP career. Jobs will

not run away. Jobs would be always there for right skilled candidate. You can do following things to improve

your business knowledge:

1. Gain some meaningful domain experience.2. Understand the business process from its roots.3. Ask questions to seniors.4. Contribute to business decisions through your inputs.5. Learn from your bottom of your heart.6. Work hard & understand joints between different functions.7. Try to improve your existing processes with your business insights.

SAP world will welcome you with open arms. Then you will become the guy that SAP world needs. You can

contribute to SAP eco-system with your knowledge & wisdom.

Please do write to me with your feedback & suggestions. All the very best & god bless all of you.

Balaji Parsewar

Career Center: Why Domain Experience is must to be a SAP Functional consultant?

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Certified SAP SD Consultant6418 Views Tags: sap_consultant_career, domain_experience, sap_functional_consultant

Balaji Parsewar in response to Mohammed Basheer on page 39 Apr, 2015 4:53 AM

Thanks Basheer.

Always try to focus on business process & functionality.

For technical know how SCN is there.

Good Luck.

Mohammed Basheer7 Apr, 2015 9:31 AM

Dear Balaji,

Your Post is very useful. Luckily i got a SAP SUpport Consultant job 5 months before.

I want to excel myself as a SAP HCM Functional Consultant.

Please suggest me some ideas regarding this

Colleen Hebbert in response to G Lakshmipathi on page 423 Sep, 2014 1:51 AM

Thanks Lakshmipathi

It's always nice to learn more about how the world works

Back home (Australia) completing an undergraduate degree (Bachelor) for my generation seems to be the

equivalent to my parent's generation finishing Secondary (High) School. So now, a Master's degree (post

graduate study) is becoming a bit like a Bachelor's degree in terms of competition. Within SAP world, once

you're working on the system few employers look at post graduate education and focus more on your SAP

practical experience and SAP training. Some are starting to look for Certification as well (unless your reputation

in the industry is good). All my own opinion of course

Regards

Colleen

Colleen Hebbert in response to Balaji Parsewar on page 423 Sep, 2014 1:46 AM

Hi Balaji

Career Center: Why Domain Experience is must to be a SAP Functional consultant?

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If you are in a functional area then yes it can be a good approach. In my case, I work on SAP Security. I

could argue IT training was my foundation but I never obtained work experience with domain experience of IT

security before joining SAP security. My first job was SAP support,

I agree with most of your suggestion but feel that some advise in relation to "importance" will change

depending on country and field of expertise. Hence, I do not think an MBA would be necessary for a technical

person.

Regards

Colleen

Balaji Parsewar22 Sep, 2014 2:07 PM

Thanks Lakshmipathi G for necessary explanation.

Pavlo, Colleen I always feel Domain experience act as catalyst in your consulting career.

Its good to have thing.

Thanks for your valuable contributions to my post.

Regards

G Lakshmipathi in response to Colleen Hebbert on page 422 Sep, 2014 11:19 AM

In India, the normal duration for MBA course is two years. This can be regular or correspondence. Students

who enroll for regular studies won't be able to gain work experience since they need to attend colleges /

classes regularly. On the other hand, people who are already working in a firm and would like to get additional

qualifications, will do correspondence or part-time course.

Coming to domain experience, not in all fields, this is required in India. Only when it comes to SAP

Certification, it is a mandatory for functional consultants to have minimum couple of years experience. Not

sure, why SAP have made this as a mandatory only in India, if not for rest of the countries.

Pavlo Sydorenko in response to Colleen Hebbert on page 422 Sep, 2014 9:28 AM

Hi, Colleen

I don't know how it is in India, but to enter in most of MBA programs(not even so prestigious like Kembrige, but

also in CIS countries) it is the mandatory factor to have official management experience around 3-5 years (it is

like have finished school to enter to the university)

regards

Colleen Hebbert in response to Pavlo Sydorenko on page 522 Sep, 2014 8:59 AM

Hi Pavlo

Career Center: Why Domain Experience is must to be a SAP Functional consultant?

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When I see reference to MBA in the Careers space, I notice it is usually from members who are from India (I

could be wrong). It makes me wonder if their MBA courses - as well as what point in your career you obtain

one - is quite different other countries. In Australia, most people get a few years work experience behind them

before turning to an MBA. A SAP expert would not necessarily need an MBA but a SAP power user/business

person might.

Domain experience, again I'm noticing for India is a requirement for Education or Certification. I recall seeing a

blog on pre-requisite. This too might have been someone's attempt at coming up with a checklist approach to

obtaining skills to succeed.

Regards

Colleen

Pavlo Sydorenko22 Sep, 2014 8:40 AM

Hi, Balaji

Totally disagree with your 2 points of view:

"According to my beliefs & understanding, I will say following are the prerequisite to be a junior or entry level

SAP functional consultant:

1) Graduation Degree(Post-Graduation in Business Management like MBA is preferred)"

I really do not understand why MBA is preferred for SAP consulting?

It can be preferred for SAP management (like PM), but with SAP consultants/abapers it is just loosing money

and time!

MBA is really helpful after acouple years of management role, not earlier!.... For instance, if you are working as

PM(or architector) of SAP projects with couple of years - It would be helpful for you.......another sitiation - it is

just wasting time.....

the second point that I desagree:

"Today I will talk here about importance of domain experience & why I am quoting it as a must factor?"

In general, of cource, domain experience is preferred and would be helpful fo consultants, but not must or

mandatory factor!

I know a lot of experts that started without domain experience and has good results......

It is much better to work 3 additional years as SAP SD(your example) consultant instead as seller or SD user!

Most of domain experience you will not use because of different specific of SAP prohect.

For instance, you have experience as Seller in FMCG goods. Ok, good experience, but your SAP project will

be as SD consultant in automotive company. What experience will help you in that project? domain in FMCG

company or as SD consultant in previous projects?

Career Center: Why Domain Experience is must to be a SAP Functional consultant?

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regards

Vignesh Veerasamy22 Sep, 2014 8:25 AM

Dear Balaji,

Really a nice articel.

I was working in core domain of Production Planning with SAP as end user.As was interested in SAP,got a

chance to change the path from core to domain,changed carreer to SAP & currently working as support for

Business process like a link inbetween the plant and funcational team (normally it covers modules like MM/PP/

QM,other modules a little bit as FI/CO are with support of functional team).Being interested in PP,I would like to

move into consulting of PP with QM.

Also whether caertification will be required to move on ? or can carry with in hand experience?

Seeking your advice in the same.

Vignesh.V

Balaji Parsewar in response to Umesh Vaidya on page 619 Sep, 2014 9:50 AM

Thanks A Lot Umesh....

Umesh Vaidya19 Sep, 2014 9:33 AM

Dear Balaji,

This is a Very Nice article.......

Thanks&Regards

Umesh Vaidya

Balaji Parsewar in response to prashant balodi on page 61 Jul, 2014 10:00 AM

Suggest you to get some practical hand on experience in industry & later shift to SAP which will add value to

your career.

prashant balodi24 Jun, 2014 4:13 AM

Hey Balaji

i really appreciate your valuable feedback, i just have one question, i also want to shift my career in

SAP landscape but i am a bit confuse about how to go about things, as per my educational qualifications i am

a MBA graduate in IT& Marketing but i don"t have any domain experience so could please suggest me on what

should be my approach to enter into SAP landscape..?

Vinoth Kumar in response to Balaji Parsewar on page 7

Career Center: Why Domain Experience is must to be a SAP Functional consultant?

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13 Aug, 2013 7:45 AM

Thanks Balaji for your tips . As mentioned by you , I will seek professional help in deciding my career. Once

again, thank you.

Balaji Parsewar in response to Vinoth Kumar on page 79 Aug, 2013 5:13 PM

Vinoth,

Getting entry in SAP consulting without SAP knowledge is really difficult task.

As I explained in my earlier post, after 9 years of domain also, you can join as a Associate Functional

Consultant which would fetch 3L to 5L (may vary) salary.

At this age, it would be a bit risky decision to migrate to SAP.

Still will recommend to carry out a through market research & then only take a call.

Regards,

Balaji

Vinoth Kumar8 Aug, 2013 4:09 PM

Hi Balaji,

I have a personal question as well which may apply few other members as well.

I have been working in a manufacturing/Supply chain Industry for the last 8-9 years now and have no

experience in terms of software/technical knowledge.

With the strong business knowledge, is it worth getting a SAP functional certification and move my career into

SAP as a functional consultant? I am 35 now and want to make sure my next step in my career is a firm one.

Any help/thoughts is appreciated.

Balaji Parsewar in response to navdeep jaswal on page 77 Aug, 2013 12:08 PM

Navdeep,

1. Your sales experience will be considered along with SAP skills. But priority would be SAP skills.

2. Its very dificult to crack SAP job merely on the basis of domain experience.

3. SAP certified fresher - 3L to 5L

Regards,

Balaji

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navdeep jaswal6 Aug, 2013 10:58 PM

Balaji

I have a very personal question.....I am into IT sales for past 8 years....now want to get into SAP Functional

Consultant domain.....i want to know....after becoming FC,

1. will my previous sales experience be counted as 0

2 Do companies take SAP freshers like me....who have sales experience but no SAP exp...will the company

HR consider my sales experience

3. Lastly, the basic question...what is the average salary dat can be offered for my profile.....do reply from your

experience.....as this would be the basis on which I would make a career shift

Regards

Navdeep

Balaji Parsewar12 Jul, 2013 11:00 AM

Thanks A Lot Anthony & Dinesh for your good words.

Dinesh Kumar Agarwal11 Jul, 2013 7:00 PM

Nice Article Balaji ..

Anthony van Dal11 Jul, 2013 5:43 PM

Very much appreciated

Balaji Parsewar20 Jun, 2013 6:19 PM

Thanks Toyin & Vignesh.

Vignesh Veerasamy19 Jun, 2013 10:44 AM

Really nice to read this...makes more meaning.

Toyin Oyebanji18 Jun, 2013 1:22 PM

Thanks Balaji. Its encouraging and well detailed. Good job!

Balaji Parsewar in response to Phani Prasad on page 818 Jun, 2013 6:19 AM

Thanks Phani for your good words & encouragement.

Phani Prasad

Career Center: Why Domain Experience is must to be a SAP Functional consultant?

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18 Jun, 2013 6:12 AM

Nice article.Very carefully written taking every minute detail into consideration.Keep it up !!!

Phani Prasad