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 Training

There 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 Prospects

The 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 Rates

Salary 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 approach

Watch 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

Further Reading:

1. SAP Interview Questions
2. Oracle interview questions

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