I sometimes receive an email from members regarding whether to do SAP or not.
What is your advice for SAP FICO. Should I go for it ?
Which are good training institutes to avail the courses ?
What are the job prospects ?
Which one is good SAP or Oracle Financials ?
The
first answer you have to explore yourself where you want to take your
career ? Do you want to be a ERP Consultant for few years and then move
on Accounting or continue to be in IT industry. Then other questions
can be answered
SAP or Oracle
Both
ERP solutions are dominant today in the marketplace. However SAP is
number one in ERP application. I am SAP Certified Consultant and also
trained on Oracle Financials. If you ask me, I will always recommend
you to go for SAP since the customer base for SAP is more than Oracle
and the opportunities are more. You need to check on salary of SAP
& Oracle consultant since once you get into one of the ERP, you
don't look for the other.
SAP TrainingThere
are two way route for certification. The first you get your training
from some small institute and work in SAP Consulting or End user
company for an year and then go for certification. This will be
cheaper. The other is join a SAP academy and take up the training
course and enrol for certification. This is very expensive. In the
first case, you will have to put more efforts to get a job into SAP but
with training academy connections, your job path will be easier. Please
contact
SAP Education in the country where you reside for training and certifications. In either case, it pays off.
Job ProspectsThe
job prospects are very good for people who know SAP. There is a overall
shortage of SAP FICO Consultants. However entry level, you may find
difficultly in getting into but with experience you will be able to get
anywhere. If you want to work in consulting companies, then they would
prefer project implementation experience over support. Secondly you
should be open to travel. Generally a full life cycle project will
stretch from 9 months to 2 years, so be prepared to spend most of your
time away from your family or take your family with you. High salaries
come with a price.
The other option is to work with a end user company. The salary level will be less with little or no travel.
Salaries and RatesSalary
is pretty good, if you are in right consultancy. Permanent employment
offers stability. You may also consider contracting. Rates are very
good. The downside is the assignment will range from 2 weeks to 3
months. If you don't get new assignments, then you should know what to
do with idle time.
How will know which companies to approachWatch
out for newspapers which SAP consultancy has got the project. Then
approach them directly. Register with the job sites and receive the
alerts for SAP. You will find loads of email notification coming into
your mail box.
Any more questions, please comment.
Cheers,
Santosh Puthran