Employment Trends:
What is SAP and How to Become an SAP Consultant?
Businesses that require IT assistance or a system reconfiguration more often than not seek the services and advice of IT or technical consultants, such as SAP Consultants. To be a SAP Consultant requires that professionals equip themselves with the role and learn about the custom software development industry. Businesses looking to hire sap consultants need to at least research custom software developer salary and employment trends and processes in 2020.
IT consultancy services businesses are on the rise, which is crucial for those in the job market to be aware of. Candidates with a robust understanding of the systems and software that businesses use will be in hot demand. Additionally, those with experience in data analysis and interpretation will also be sought after by employers.
The IT consultancy services industry is growing rapidly. As businesses require more IT assistance, the demand for consultants has increased.
SAP Consultants offer a wide range of IT consultancy services and play an important role in businesses, from small to large organisations. They can provide valuable insights and recommendations regarding system changes or improvements, software implementation, project management, and data analysis.
Demand for SAP Applications and Services
Why should businesses hire sap consultants for IT system and services needs?
SAP is the leader in providing a wide array of industries enterprise software tools and solutions for their operational and sustainability needs. With its global reach, SAP has over 250,000 clients all over the world in nearly 200 countries. SAP also holds multiple ISO certifications – ISO 9001:2008, ISO 9001:2008, and ISO 27001:2005 to name a few. SAP is mostly associated with developing Enterprise Resource and Planning or ERP business software tools and solutions. SAP applications range from SAP business software, database and technology applications, Analytics tools and services, as well as mobile and cloud tools and platforms.
Because of its reach and marketability, SAP employment trends have seen an increasing number of opportunities for SAP consultants. Computer Support, which includes SAP Consultants, has increased by at least 12% over the past few years. Over 850,000 job opportunities are estimated to open by 2024, as estimated by the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics alone.
What is an SAP Consultant?
What sets SAP consultants apart for the usual professional with SAP certifications is their drive to build on their certification and training and continuously learn the ins and outs of the products and services that SAP offers the industry. SAP Consultants offer their expertise and knowledge to identify the best possible tools and services that fit the needs of their clients.
SAP consultants are diverse but can be mostly identified as either Functional or Technical. SAP Functional Consultants are professionals that are experts in certain industries, such as Finance, Operations, or Retail, and focus on learning and understanding the functional needs of the client. While SAP Technical Consultants are experts in the technical and technological aspects of the SAP tools and services, such as software development, programming, and software design, and develop or configure these products and services to meet client needs.
Role and Responsibilities
Design and Implement SAP Solutions
SAP solutions are not one-size-fits-all tools. SAP Consultants work with clients to identify the software tool needs and develop a set of tools that best fit their needs. SAP Consultants require expert knowledge of the various SAP solutions and tools and how they can be used together to best serve the clients. They also need keen analytical skills to best understand the problem and formulate a set of tools and solutions that best address the needs of the client.
Propose Solutions
Clients encounter challenges with their current technological tools and platforms, they then look towards the SAP Consultant for possible solutions. SAP Consultants analyze the technological structure and situation that a client has, then refers to the tools and services that are available and come up with a proposal for a system or a set to tools to address challenges or enhance the technological system of the client. SAP consultants need to be up-to-date and have a working knowledge of the numerous SAP tools and services to provide an effective solution to their clients.
Manage Personnel
SAP Consultants can also work in teams. This promotes team dynamics, improves individual and group skills, and makes working with large clients more manageable. Teams enable Senior SAP Consultants to supervise the work of Junior SAP Consultants and help build their career paths. With this, SAP Consultants not only supervise their teams but are also tasks with hiring certified and qualified professionals, and training such individuals. SAP Consultants ensure that these junior SAP Consultants have the necessary customer service skills to best communicate and work with clients.
How to Become an SAP Consultant?
Knowing the roles and responsibilities of a SAP consultant, what would it take for professionals to be a SAP Consultant? Aside from certifications and training hours, there are other essential skills and experience that professionals will need to venture in this SAP career path and become a fully-fledged SAP Consultant.
Skills and Expertise
- Strong experience and knowledge on programming and analytics
- Expert knowledge in SaaS Environment
- Strong experience and knowledge of SQL and networking technologies
- Technologically savvy and up-to-date
- Strong problem solving skills
- Able to understand and explain complex problems to different types of people
- Strong soft skills such as :
Customer service skills
Interpersonal relation and communication
Accounting
Reports and documentation development
People management skills
Project and program management skills
With these skills and expertise, certifications and training, and expert working knowledge of the numerous SAP applications and SAP ERP software tools. Tools such as the common SAP Consultant tools are necessary for these professionals to succeed in this SAP career path:
- Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM Software)
- SAP Materials Management
- SAP Sales and Distribution
- SAP Financial Accounting and Controlling
SAP Career Path
Given the demand for SAP Consultants, there are expectations that job seekers and potential clients may have to the type of career and designation these consultants may have, as well as the salary that comes with the job. SAP Consultant salary can range between $29,000 to around $85,000 annually, sometimes more, depending on level, expertise, location, and experience. In the US, an average SAP Consultant salary is around $82,600. Below are some of the average annual SAP consultant salary and SAP Consultant hourly rates in a number of countries all over the world.
| Junior SAP Consultant | Senior SAP Consultant | SAP Consultant Hourly Rate | |
| United States | $54,917 | $109,217 | $70.74 |
| Singapore | S$52,500 | S$89,520 | S$50.57 |
| Australia | AU$54,000 | AU$122,736 | AU$75.00 |
| United Kingdom | £22,957 | £57,522 | £58.96 |
| France | €40,000 | €53,448 | €87.50 |
ERP Business Software and SAP Applications
To sum up, to become a SAP Consultant takes skills, expertise, and experience. It is a balance of both technical know-how and client communication and collaboration. SAP applications and SAP CRM software, for example, are most effective when SAP Consultants work with clients in determining that these tools are when they do need and are tailored to their needs. And SAP Consultants are the professionals responsible for ensuring that we do have the necessary information to provide the best possible solution to customers.
