Let's learn SAP

SAP offers more than 400 products and choosing the right one that is suitable for your needs can be a complex and confusing task. In this blog, I am going to discuss three simple steps through which you can clearly identify your area of interest in SAP, how to learn about the SAP topics that you are interested in and the steps you want to take to get the SAP job of your dreams.

If you are new here, my name is Aroon. I write blogs and make videos about SAP. I also offer one-on-one SAP career coaching for students and professionals.

Now let’s get in to the topic.

1. The first step is to identify your area of interest in SAP.

As I mentioned before, SAP offers more than 400 different types of software applications such as S/4HANA, ECC, CRM, SRM, Ariba, SuccessFactors, Analytics Cloud, BTP and so much more. On top of that there are hundreads of modules and sub-modules available in SAP such as finance, procurement, supply chain management, sales and distribution, product lifecycle management, payroll and so much more.

In order to not get confused or overwhelmed, you may want to identify an SAP area or SAP product that you want to learn, based on three things. The first one is your educational background, the second one is your work experience and the third and the most important thing is your passion or your interest.

If you can choose something that coincides with all three of these, then that is the perfect scenario.

For example, you have an accounting degree and you are really interested in numbers and financial concepts, and you have also got some work experience in the Finance field. Then you can choose SAP finance as your area of interest. The work experience doesn’t necessarily need to be in SAP finance but finance in general is sufficient.

Or, If you have a Bachelor of Engineering degree in IT and you are really passionate about computer infrastructure, databases, networks, installing software applications and troubleshooting issues, then you may want to choose SAP basis administration as your area of interest.

If you are really interested in programming, then you may want to consider learning SAP ABAP programming.

Some people might have a degree in one field but have a couple of years of experience in a different one. In that case, choose an SAP field based on your recent work experience. Say, for example, you are currently working as a warehouse manager for one of the logistics companies and you are thinking about making a switch to the field of SAP. Then you may want to learn S/4HANA Extended Warehouse Management or S/4HANA Logistics as your area of interest.

Or you have completed a marketing degree but you are more interested in becoming an SAP project manager. Then follow your passion and try to learn about the things that will help you in becoming an SAP project manager.

But. please do not choose your area of interest just because that is what everyone is learning or your friend mentioned about a particular SAP product which is the future and there will be plenty of job opportunities. Choosing to learn something that you are not interested in means you may lose the motivation quickly and it won’t be sustainable going forward. Instead, follow this simple method that I just mentioned.

So, now that you have identified your area of interest..

2. The second step is to learn as much as possible about that SAP area or the SAP product.

Say for example, you have a computer science degree and you are interested in the technical and system administrative side of things.

Then as a first step, it is important for you to understand the activities that are involved as an SAP basis administrator.

A basis administrator would usually perform tasks like

• Installing SAP systems
• Setting up disaster recovery systems.
• Performing system copies, client copies.
• Scheduling background jobs
• Troubleshooting issues and there are numerous other day to day administrative tasks that needs to be taken care of.

Create a list of tasks that an SAP basis administrator would need to perform and go through the list one by one and try to learn them.

You should also learn about the basics of SAP to get an overall holistic picture. I have made a two-hour video that gives a high-level overview of most of the SAP products.

You can use these five websites to learn about any SAP topic. Most of them are free and for some you may have to pay a subscription or a one time fee.

Let’s take a quick look at these websites one by one.

1. SAP Community:
   • It’s basically a Global Network for SAP Enthusiasts and Professionals
   • The SAP Community is an online platform where SAP users and experts worldwide come together to share insights, ask questions, and keep abreast of the latest developments in SAP technologies. Whether you’re new to SAP or an experienced user, the community serves as a collaborative space for learning and problem-solving.
2. SAP Help Portal:
   • The SAP Help Portal is a centralized repository for official SAP documentation, guides, and support materials. It provides a wealth of resources, including product documentation, implementation guides, and troubleshooting information. Aimed at administrators, developers, and end-users, the portal is a valuable source for understanding and effectively utilizing SAP products.
3. SAP Learning:
   • SAP Learning portal offers a variety of training courses, virtual classrooms, and certification programs designed to enhance your skills in SAP technologies.
4. SAP Training & Certification Shop:
   • The SAP Training & Certification Shop serves as the official platform for accessing SAP training courses and certification programs. It features a catalogue of courses covering various SAP solutions and industry-specific skills. Through recognized certifications, the platform enables professionals to validate their expertise and advance their knowledge in SAP.
5. The fifth one is the YouTube, where you can learn about anything for free. There are so many wonderful channels in YouTube which are run by SAP professionals who teach about SAP and it’s products on a day to day basis.

Apart from the YouTube, everything else I mentioned are official SAP webistes. While learning about SAP or any other technology, it is important to learn from a credible source. Do your due diligence before spending money on some course, especially if they are not offered by SAP officially.

Okay, so now, you have identified your area of interest and you have also learnt a lot about that SAP area using the previously mentioned websites.

3. The final step is to look for a job.

There are a bunch of steps that you can take while doing a job hunt.

• As a preparation, the most important point is to update your resume. You will be able to download a good resume template online. Update it with the latest skills that you have acquired and do not forget to mention the certifications that you achieved. Another important point to add to your resume is about the leadership qualities you possess. It can be in the form of being a class leader in the school, or being the captain of your sports team, whatever it is and doesn’t matter how small it is, mention it in the resume as that will show the recruiter that you are willing to put your hand up when it comes to leading a team and you possess the quality of a leader.
• Then update the same information on your LinkedIn profile. Make sure that whatever you have mentioned in the resume matches with your LinkedIn profile because recruiters will check that. I have seen so many resume’s which are completely different from what they have mentioned on their LinkedIn profile and it causes confusion.
• Then go to a job portal like Indeed or Seek or whatever is the most popular in your country and type the type of SAP jobs that you are after.
• Now, you need to do two things here. The first thing is to find an ideal job advertisement that you think is suitable for you. Then go through the job description and make sure that you have learnt whatever the tools and technologies that are mentioned in the job description. No one will know 100% of everything but make sure at least you have covered more than 70% of the things that are mentioned. Make sure your resume contains words and phrases that are mentioned in the job description.
• The second thing is to make a note of the companies that are hiring SAP consultants. Now go to LinkedIn and identify SAP consultants who are working in those companies and send them a connection request.
• Then find recruitment agencies in your city that specialise in SAP recruitment and reach out to them and let them know about the skills that you possess and the certifications that you have done. Let them know about the type of SAP roles you are looking for. Also, don’t be shy to ask the recruiters about their experience when it comes to hiring SAP talents. Ask them what are they looking for in a candidate, whether it is academic skills, SAP skills or soft skills. Ask for feedback about the resume you have prepared. Based on their inputs, you may have to update your resume.
• Then start applying for jobs using the job portal.
• Also, create a post on LinkedIn saying who you are and what type of SAP skills you possess and ask people to reach out to you if they are aware of any openings. If you don’t ask, you will never get it.
• You will have to repeat this cycle until you find the job that you love. It is a continuous learning, updating and adapting process.

If you require more personalised SAP career coaching, then please book a personalised SAP career coaching session with me!