DOs & DON’Ts for SAP Career (Certification) on the basis of my on going journey from an Accountant to SAP FI Consultant.

I am just a commerce graduate (15 years of education); I could not get through my post graduation due to some of my personal reasons & problems.

I started my career as an accountant and 16 years down the line I was working as an Accounts Manager in a company.

I was directly reporting to MD & Chairman of the company and there were 8 colleagues who were reporting to me.

I was enjoying very good respect, power, conveyance, freedom over and above a satisfactory pay package.

My life was going very smooth and I was very happy.

Day by day slowly & gradually recession serpents started swallowing my happy moments one by one.

Staff strength was reduced in the company by imposing more burdens on existing employees. Almost all extra benefits and freedom was withdrawn by the company. More qualified personal were available in the market that was ready to work for less money and it increased job insecurity also. Work pressure along with job insecurity started increasing day by day.

I started looking into improvement of my own education & qualification for survival in the market. It was very difficult for me to pass post graduation now as it has more than 15 years passed I dropped my studies.

With the guidance of my seniors & well wishers I selected field of ERP for further studies. And with the help of market research I decided to be a SAP ERP consultant.

I approached SAP Education partners, I consulted councilors, in view of my CV I was advised to opt for FI module and I was given JOB assurance also. Passing percentage in this exam as per past records was between 30 & 50. I did not want to take any chance; as a result with all the planning & calculations I resigned from my existing JOB, I spent full time and handsome amount of money for getting through the exam. I succeed exam in my first attempt and became a Certified SAP-FI Consultant.

It took around four months time and handsome amount of money on top of loss of earning during this period. But I was feeling some relief from the pressure through which I passed since last four months as now it was time to recover all those cost.

I was very happy. Again I started dreaming respect, power, conveyance, freedom, good pay package as before or may be more than that as over and above 18 years of domain experience I am a SAP Certified consultant NOW.

Next day morning I updated my resume and mailed it to the SAP education partner who had given me JOB assurance. In reply I was told that “We are forwarding your resume to companies, you may get interview calls but at the same time even you keep searching Job from your personal resources”

It is more than 3 months are passed post certification (and 7 months passed resigning my previous job), In spite of following up with SAP education partners for N number of times, there was not even a single interview call.

I got the message that the SAP education partners are stepping back from their word & I started exploring new opportunities at my own. All the JOB portals were flooded with Job opportunities for experienced candidates. Domain experience and end-user experience was not given any weight age. Those candidates were considered as fresher in this field. And surprisingly there was not even single opening for fresher.

One day I received a mail offering me working on SAP live project, please find it below

We are pleased to inform you that your profile fulfills the desired minimum Eligibility Criteria and hence has been short-listed to be a part in our On-Going SAP R/3 Live Implementation Projects on Client-Site.

We are looking out for Jr. SAP Consultants with Good Knowledge of respective Domain and relevant SAP Module, Good Grasping Power, Ready to relocate anywhere in India or Abroad.

These candidates will placed in our Client Team involved in Live SAP Implementation Projects in our company. This is an Opportunity for all those Candidates who wish to make their career in ERP-SAP Industry, need a proper break in Live SAP Implementation Projects, and have the ability to handle SAP Projects.

For first life cycle you have to pay Rs 55 thousand. You work under our senior team.

Company will be providing all the documents related to HR. You will not remain a Fresher, but a Genuine Experienced SAP Consultant after the completion of the Project, with all the necessary Documentation.

One another day I received an Interview call, I appeared for interview, I got selected, I was offered not even 33% of salary which I was getting previously. I accepted it as each day passes without JOB was giving more and more pressure. I just had to finish all recruitment procedure. Surprisingly I was asked to sign a 3 years bond with a bank guarantee equivalent to 18 months salary. And to avail bank guarantee it was required creating bank FD equivalent to 20 months salary.

Ooppssss!!!!!!

It broke all my confidence & back-bone. I was almost on my knees for survival.

I decided to give up and go back to Domain, I inquired with my previous employer for job again but obvious the position was filled and there was no vacancy.

Finally I got a JOB as a shadow consultant SAP-FI with almost 25% of pay than that of what I was getting (and that too on irregular basis some time late and sometime 2 month salary together). On the top I was used as an extra personal for replacement in case of absenteeism and leave of senior consultants.

Like wise I did 2 projects but in both the projects I was not given sufficient authorization on system even to surf through the configurations. Many times I was not even given sufficient infrastructure. I was not given any guidance; no seniors were willing to share their knowledge. I was just killing golden time of my life without any assignments.

Today after completion of almost 2 years from resigning my previous JOB and I have no option but to keep on censuring & scolding my fate.

With the grace of GOD, blessings of well wishers, on the basis of certification knowledge, my domain experience and with the help of some of my colleagues and many knowledge sharing forums, Blogs and Sites etc. I started understanding a little bit of SAP. I am confident of doing wonders if I get an opportunity and of course a mentor.

Looking forward to gain back the same happy moments in my life…..

My advice to my juniors…

DON’Ts

• Don’t ever resign from your existing job for studies. Today the world is very competitive so train your self to sail on multiple boats simultaneously.
• Don’t relay on any third parties job assurance.
• Don’t sign any long term bond without studying it properly and knowing all the paratroops.
• Don’t enter into the field heaving rozy picture in your mind.
• Don’t take hasty decision as there are all the chances of all your calculations and planning go fail.
• Don’t dive or dip into your investments nor into borrowings for investing into further studies your current earnings should be the source of investment into it.

DOs

• Do dream but always with open eyes.
• Do further studies or develop your self only with your current earnings.
• Do keep 51% reserve for your fate and do your best for rest of 49% as even after putting your best efforts there is no assurance of success as your luck always runs faster than you.
• Do study ground level reality, possibilities & probabilities before entering into the field.
• Do keep patience & persevere towards the goal once you enter into this field.
• Do hold your mentors hand. This field is like an ocean, it is impossible to sail across without a Ship (Mentor).
• Do keep on passing your knowledge. As no one on this earth has born with knowledge. Every one has gained knowledge from others in one or the other way. Therefore it becomes your duty / responsibility to pass it to your next generation.

As my journey is not yet finished, I request advice, guidance, direction, counsel from my seniors.

And appeal to juniors to learn a lesson.

Suggestion and comments on the blog are most welcome.

Regards

Chirag