SAP Community - Careers

New Heights: My Next Career Chapter at SAP

2023-11-15T18:28:09+01:00

There comes a time in everyone’s career or role that no matter where you are, you feel you’ve hit your ceiling and capped your potential. What’s important to keep in mind is that it doesn’t reflect badly on you or your team, you’ve just reached the time to do something scary and nerve-wracking: change. Change is one of the most difficult things we face, but change is inevitable. One reason we don’t like change is because we get comfortable where we are. Even if it’s not perfect, we tend to accept it because it’s familiar. So, I did the one thing that you do when you fear change…I called my mom.

Like all moms, she always knows the right things to say when you need it the most. Something she has always said to me since I was in high school is “Take the leap and the safety net will appear”. After some self-reflection over the summer, I knew it was time for me to make a career change. I didn’t want to leave SAP, so I started to explore the Corporate Portal and Job Postings to find my next role. After careful review, I found the position that I wanted to apply for.

A few weeks later I received a phone call from an HR rep at SAP who told me that the team was extending an offer for me to join SAP Fieldglass as a Solutions Advisor Specialist. I had a rush of feelings and thoughts overcome me. “Did they call the wrong number?”, “Are they sure they want me?”, “Am I confident in taking this job in something I know nothing about?”. I asked the recruiter for a day or two to think things over, which everyone should do when contemplating a change. I kept replaying in my head what my mom always says, “Take the leap and the safety net will appear”. The next morning, I informed the recruiter that I wanted to accept the position.

The first few weeks of my new role have been an experience. I have been overwhelmed with how much information there is on SAP Fieldglass and how much content exists! The first few meetings with my new team felt like switching schools. I didn’t want to ask any dumb questions, I was worried I would forget my name when introducing myself, and I didn’t want to look unprepared. However, after the first week, I have never felt more comfortable. I am diving into different trainings, asking questions, and getting more and more familiar with the product and my team. The constant reassurance I have from everyone that if I have any questions or need something repeated is helping me gain more confidence in my abilities and skills in this new role and in my career.

Change is inevitable, but recognizing when it is time for one, is the first step to challenge yourself and grow in your career and your life. Take the leap and the safety net will appear! Don’t forget to call your mom.

Coach's Corner - The Practice of Making Cheese

2023-12-05T17:59:04+01:00

When you are directly affected by change, do you fight it or do you accept it?

Many years ago, I read Spencer Johnson, M.D.'s bestselling book, "Who Moved My Cheese?" to my children (there's even an illustrated children's version). I was hoping some wisdom about change management might get adopted by my kids when they need to switch from playtime to bedtime.

Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash

This book tells a story of several characters who lived in a maze, and are very happy where they are because there were plenty of cheese to eat. One set of characters was constantly looking for other places where new cheese might be, while the other set of characters was content to stay at the station where cheese gets replenished day after day. One day, the cheese station was empty and it never got refilled again. When this happened, the first set of characters were already moving on to find new cheese, while the second set of characters were surprised, in disbelief, and upset that the cheese disappeared. The story ends by asking the reader whether this set of characters will eventually move on to look for new cheese like the others did, or will they continue to stamp their feet and demand for cheese to return the way it was before.

After reading the story to my kids, my daughter asked, "Instead of looking for new cheese, why don't they make the cheese themselves?" Brilliant! (Of course I'm biased.) She may not have been the first to come up with that suggestion since the book was published in the late 1990s, but this unexpected and inventive perspective is exactly what we need to adopt in these days of change. My favourite aspect of this approach is that it flips the situation from what's outside our control to what's within our control.

Before I jump into sharing my recommendations for making our own cheese, I want to acknowledge a few things when it comes to controlling our own destiny (aka 'making our own cheese'). Even though we're talking about taking (back) control, I recognize and accept there are things in our environment that will remain outside our control, like external political and economic events, technology, and timing. There are also equally important factors closer to us such as old systems and existing cultures that can arguably make it as difficult for us to initiate change - take bias and marginalization of certain people as examples. I am advocating we take a more proactive and creative perspective to the inevitability of change. One of the great benefits of doing this is a switch from reacting to change, to creating the change.

How to make your own cheese:

Know what you want
What fulfills you and makes you happy? That's your cheese. You might already be making your cheese. Conversely, what doesn't fulfill you but just keeps you in a static state may actually be stale cheese. Until you know what you want for yourself at the present and for the future, you may not know how good or how bad you have it.

Recognize and overcome self-limiting beliefs
Our limits are usually set by our own thoughts and beliefs. In a previous post, I shared some examples of these self-limiting beliefs as well as recommendations on how to manage our thoughts. Until we can prepare ourselves to break these mental chains, the opportunity to create our own cheese will elude us.
The power of self-awareness affords us the opportunity to check ourselves and start devising our action plan to start thinking the way my daughter did. What's holding you back? How can you challenge the status quo?

Develop a continuous learning and curiosity mindset
People with a growth mindset don't set limits on their potential to learn new things. They find a coach to learn from themselves and their own experiences, and they find mentors to accelerate their own learning, especially from mentors who have created their own cheese. The biggest asset I've seen in those who can make their own cheese is their ability to let go of old-beliefs and have taken steps to unlearn things.

My intent with this blog post is not to convince you to adapt to change - we all know this is necessary, yet each person needs to take their own time and path to adjust to change. Changing ourselves for the sake of change is also not advisable. You may be very content with your current situation. Perhaps you've found your dream job or your "life's calling," and therefore should take the time to enjoy your cheese. If you find yourself assured, comfortable and secure about your future, it's probably because you proactively prepared yourself and made the right decisions, rather than relied on chance or luck.

So I ask you again, when you are directly affected by change, do you fight it or accept it? Or do you have a plan to create the change yourself? (Let me know in the Comments section below.)
Making cheese is an internal decision, but not a solo journey - please get help.

Related posts you might be interested in:
How to Weather Change
Focus on Focusing
Reframing for a Happier Life

Check out more blog posts in this series: Coach's Corner.

From a Failed Exam to a Successful Career: Sandra's Inspiring Journey in Tech and SAP

2023-12-11T10:06:19+01:00

Sandra was 10 years old when she knew what she wanted to become: A successful woman in tech. It was when her uncle bought his first computer, and she found the urge within her to know how the machine worked. "In that moment, I knew that I wanted to write programs for computers", the ABAP developer and systems engineer from Mexico explains.

Free learning resources on SAP Learning site

But getting to this point wasn’t always an easy path for her. Sandras's boss encouraged her to take an SAP ABAP certification. “All my coworkers passed the exam, and I failed it. It was bad because I felt like I wasn’t a good programmer”, Sandra says. So, she started to look for more learning resources on the topic – and found SAP Learning site and SAP Community.

“There, I have met many people who have a passion for SAP and we can share and learn together”, she describes the biggest benefit. However, it’s not the only platform where the certified ABAP developer shares her knowledge. In her very own YouTube channel “Mundo ABAPer”, the SAP Devtoberfest 2022 winner publishes short and information-packed videos, summarizing her years of experience to help Spanish speakers to reach their learning goals faster. “Programming is what I love to do”, Sandra says. No doubt about it!

Start your own success story

Did you feel inspired by Sandra’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more great success stories!

Mastering "Tell Me About Yourself" Answer for Technical Interviews in 15 minutes

2023-12-13T17:27:08+01:00

I'm an IT professional with over two decades of experience in North America market.

As an ERP Solutions Architect, specializing in SAP technology, and a Microsoft Certified Trainer I have worked with major industry players , providing cloud solutions and trainings.

In my career, I did 100s interviews and as a someone who has sat on both sides of the interview table, I understand the challenges professionals still face in delivering a standout response.

A crucial aspect of interview preparation is mastering the 'Tell me about yourself' question or any variation of that in a TECHNICAL interview .

Instead of a generic answer,, I'll show you how to draft a concise, impactful response that truly showcases your suitability for the job you are applying for.

I've structured this video into three parts.

1.Key Aspects Breakdown: Learn the essential considerations when crafting your response.

2.Real Job Posting Walk through: We'll analyze an actual job posting together, providing a sample answer and in-depth analysis for inspiration.

3.Common Questions Addressed: I'll tackle those lingering questions you may have.

So, whether you're stepping into the IT realm or exploring other industries insights I provide are universally applicable.

let's embark on this journey to make your next interview a success!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qkJTg0e8VI

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Give us a like and share on social media if you feel it was useful!

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Thanks!

An Inclusive and Flexible Environment for Working Moms

2023-12-15T15:52:32+01:00

A mother’s love is immeasurable and takes an infinite variety of forms. At SAP, we are surrounded by hardworking women who also double as hardworking moms, each bringing their unique experiences in accomplishing a healthy work-life balance. We had the privilege of meeting with North America Cloud Success Services Customer Success Partner and mother of two, Remya Janakivallahbhan, to learn about her inspiring journey back into the workforce through SAP’s Returnship Program. SAP’s paid Returnship Program provides mid-career professionals who’ve taken a career break for caregiving, relocation, or military service with a smooth transition back to the workforce.

Remya first established her career in India, where she accumulated eight years of project management in software engineering and telecommunications. Driven and intelligent, Remya was a master of her field, something she would carry with her while she and her husband relocated to the United States, where Remya first worked as a Technical Recruiter before spending two years as a CSM for a Digital Marketing Agency. Soon after settling in Washington, they welcomed their second child to the world, and Remya decided to sacrifice her professional aspirations to dedicate her full attention to raising her children.

Remya recalls this being an easy decision, appreciating the beauty of witnessing and assisting in her kids’ growth. During this three-year break, however, she never stopped learning, constantly taking advantage of online courses to expand her skillset. She expressed the necessity of learning to stay up to date with the industry, motivating her to receive an additional certification in Google Project Management and adding to her qualifications before returning to the workforce. “Even during my break, I always had a clear understanding that I wanted to resume my career and set a positive example for my children by being a role model, showing them the importance of dedication and hard work,” Remya shares.

In 2022, Remya began her job search, prioritizing companies that not only aligned with her skillset, but also promoted an inclusive and flexible environment. A company is nothing without its people, so Remya read through comments from former and current employees of each company, finding helpful insight from firsthand experiences while simultaneously exploring stories of moms returning to the workforce. The positive reflections on SAP’s diversity focus, work-life balance, and health and wellness priority inspired her application to the Returnship Program.

After joining the SAP family as seamlessly as the program promises, Remya’s experiences affirmed the reviews. Role-specific training was met with skillset development opportunities and relationship-building practices, aligned with the tools for a manageable workload. She gratefully recalls the time and space she was given to ask questions: “I’m glad the environment was so conducive for me to be able to learn quickly. The people around me were encouraging, supportive, and understanding of my background. By joining SAP,” she continues, “you become part of a global organization that values individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, and recognizes the significance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Here, we can contribute to projects that drive digital transformation, improve business processes, and make a positive impact on organizations worldwide.” As a Customer Success Partner, Remya plays a key role in driving SAP's cloud transformation efforts.

Remya encourages other working moms to recognize the value of transmittable skills they develop during the break from work, explaining their role in the process: “As mothers, we are trained to multitask and balance. Focus on networking, as this can provide valuable guidance during your transition. Stay determined, persistent, and committed to your goals. Most importantly, never give up. You’ll come across scenarios where you feel like nobody’s taking notice, or you won’t get back into the workforce at all. Let those feelings come and let them go. Things will change if you keep working towards your goal.”

Unlocking Success with SAP: Syed's Inspiring Journey to DemoJam Triumph

2024-01-29T17:46:41.044000+01:00

Syed couldn't imagine what it would feel like to be on a big stage. He couldn’t image the wild clapping and shouting coming from a crowded room of tech enthusiasts. He couldn't imagine the feeling he would have in his stomach when the six important minutes began – his team’s six important minutes. “I just thought, how can I be so lucky?” Syed was thrilled. He was driven by the excitement of the room – and his own.

Syed used the SAP Learning site to quickly gain new skills.“It was my first time in a competition”, the 30-year-old from Bangalore recounts. With his colleague Navin, Syed presented their innovative solution addressing a supply chain problem in India: the issue of counterfeit drugs. And they did it on stage the SAP TechEd DemoJam in 2023. Six teams were given six minutes each to present their solution to a problem – live in front of hundreds of people. No mock-ups were allowed, their demo had to be flawless. “My mentor Chandramohan Sankaran, alongside my colleagues such as Kesavan and Vipin, actively contributed to my DemoJam journey. Their diligent efforts and valuable feedback significantly elevated our demo story, pushing it to new heights.” And they secured the first place in the competition.

Newfound knowledge helped clinch the victory

However, it didn’t come along that easy, the Senior Product Specialist at SAP Labs Bangalore explains. With only 15 to 20 days to prepare the demo, the duo turned to the SAP Learning site to quickly gain expertise in technologies such as SAP Cloud Application Programming Model, SAP Build Apps, SAP Build Process Automation, SAP Mobile Start, SAP S/4HANA Extension, SAP Adobe Forms, Integration and more. “The knowledge acquired played a pivotal role in delivering the best solution within the tight timeframe, ultimately leading to our success”, Syed says and adds: “I am grateful for the valuable resources provided by SAP, which significantly contributed to our achievements.”

But Syed’s dedication to staying informed about the latest technologies and innovations does not only define his professional life as a Senior Product Specialist, where he strives to staying at the forefront of SAP advancements and contributing to the development and success of SAP Business Technology Platform. It has also long permeated into his private life as well, where the father of a 3-year-old daughter feels equally excited by cheering when he's in the kitchen. “I enjoy exploring new cuisines and trying out different recipes in my kitchen”, he says, stating that he is a Biryani expert who knows his way around the famous South Indian rice dish. It’s again a testament to his love for continuous learning.

Broader skillset and industry recognition

“Learning something new has always brought about significant positive changes in my life”, Syed says. “And acquiring knowledge and skills, particularly through platforms like the SAP Learning site, has enhanced my professional competence. It fostered a mindset of continuous improvement and problem-solving, enabling me to address challenges creatively. It has broadened my skillset and positively influenced various aspects of my professional life, including networking opportunities and industry recognition. In essence, continuous learning has played a pivotal role in my overall growth and success in the dynamic field of SAP technologies.”

And for those who are still thinking about whether to make their appearance on a big stage and showcase their newfound skills, Syed has a clear message: “If I can do it – you can do it too.”

Start your own success story

Did you feel inspired by Syed’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more great success stories!

Breaking Barriers and Fighting Sexism: Lin’s Journey from a Salesgirl to an SAP Consultant

2024-01-31T12:05:12.557000+01:00

“We never had a woman as project manager because we all have to travel frequently to construction sites. It is a very exhausting job and will be difficult for you”, her former supervisor told her when she asked about advancing her job from sales support to project management. The words still echo in Lin’s head, and so do the indignation and disbelief that such gender-bias and sexism are still prevalent in the workplace. “Even though I understood that in my home country China, women are typically discriminated in senior roles in traditional companies, I did not expect that in Germany, where gender equality was better promoted.” Being judged by her gender, and not by her performance, was a shock – and a turning point for the 33-year-old.

Thrilled by SAP’s digital skills initiative

Lin, who came to study business in Germany some years ago, worked for almost two years as a sales support associate in that manufacturing company, before she decided to pivot into project management and asked for guidance from her supervisor. “But after that talk, I saw no hope,” she recounts. “I felt so frustrated, disappointed, and helpless.” After all, Lin already travelled overseas for work, visited construction sites in Africa and Asia and knew what challenging conditions she would be in for (“Some construction sites don’t even have restrooms for women as they are not considered necessary”). So, she opted for the only way out: a new career.

Lin now works as an SAP Consultant.“I observed that in our IT department we had many talented female managers,” Lin explains, “so I reached out to one of our SAP inhouse consultants. She warmly welcomed me and showed me what she was doing – I was instantly intrigued!” When Lin did more research on the topic, she quickly stumbled upon SAP’s digital skills initiative, where SAP gives away 10,000 free certification vouchers and provides free learning resources to upskill. “I was excited to find out SAP actively supports underrepresented groups and believed it was a perfect opportunity for me to accelerate my career transition.”

SAP Certification opened doors to job interviews and offers

Lin signed up for the initiative and starting learning for free on the SAP Learning site, while simultaneously sharing her story on a Chinese app to motivate others. “After a few months of self-learning, I successfully passed the certification exam thanks to the free attempt from the initiative!” And did the certification help Lin switch careers? “It did help me”, she happily reports. “It indeed opened new doors and helped me get noticed by recruiters. I got several interviews from major SAP consulting firms shortly after handing in my application. In the interviews, I highlighted what I learned and expressed my confidence in accepting challenges for rolling out SAP S/4HANA. In the end, I got an offer and gladly started a junior role at a consulting firm which actively implements SAP S/4HANA projects.”

Now, a couple of months after switching careers, and a promotion later, Lin says she feels grateful. “My new team and supervisor are extremely supportive, and I am still constantly learning new SAP skills. I feel more positive and confident than ever, not only professionally but also personally, because my efforts are seen, my ideas are heard, and my contributions are recognized.” It is with the greatest joy that Lin now embraces her future in Germany, instead of with gender bias and lack of support.

In the spirit of female empowerment, Lin has an important message to share too: “I want to encourage all girls who fear that it is too late for them to change careers. Do not be afraid! It is never too late!” Her wish for the upcoming months and years is clear: “I want to be part of the generation that brings SAP to the cloud. This is my story, my vision, and my career goal, to grow with SAP, and to help others along this new journey.”

Start your own success story

Did you feel inspired by Lin’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more great success stories!

How to Boost Your Career with SAP’s New Learning and Certification Offerings

2024-02-06T18:00:41.218000+01:00

It's no secret that the need for skilled IT professionals is skyrocketing, with the U.S. Department of Labor alone predicting a substantial 23% increase by 2031. To help you keep up with the pace of innovations, and boost your career, SAP launched a new guided, premium learning offering and announced an enhanced certification program.

Sounds exciting? It is! So here is what you need to know to get started on your next learning adventure – and career advancement:

You can pursue role-based certifications to get a more sustainable skillset

The tech industry is transforming at a blistering pace and specialized cloud skills are very much in demand to support business transformation. Recognizing this need for always-up-to-date skills, SAP is transitioning to a role-based certification model and making continuous assessments a priority. A handful of role-based certifications are already available, the latest one for SAP S/4HANA Cloud implementations consultations was just recently launched. This new certification will focus on key skills that are applicable to multiple cloud solutions from SAP and can help your career through superior role-based competencies. Learn more in this blog post from my colleague Dieter.

“The pace of change and the talent shortage call for a new approach to identifying future-focused skills and roles. Instead of focusing on traditional aspects like degrees, job histories and titles, professional competencies become more important,” says Andre Bechtold, senior vice president and head of solution and innovation experience at SAP. “By transitioning to role-based certifications that focus on core skills and competencies, the skillset of a learner becomes more valuable and gains sustainability and more relevance for longer periods of time.”

To learn more about the new approach, turn to this blog post from my colleague and expert Raja.

You can benefit from a new premium learning offering to reach your goals faster

It might have a familiar name, but the enhanced SAP Learning Hub is our next level guided, premium learning offering. Available since January, the redesigned SAP Learning Hub provides everything anyone needs to learn, innovate, and achieve more with SAP software.

A subscription to SAP Learning Hub provides access to a vast number of guided learning resources and management capabilities, such as:

Expert-led live sessions covering deep dives and preparations to stay certified
Access to hands-on practice systems and sandboxed SAP environments prefilled with data and exercises to experiment with solutions
Four SAP Certification exam attempts per year and access to enablement and assessment to keep certifications valid
Learning analytics and management capabilities

With seamless access to both self-paced and guided learning resources, learners can follow learning journeys tailored for specific roles and skill levels to upskill in SAP solutions and topics in a self-paced way. With access to guided learning resources and certifications, the redesigned SAP Learning Hub everyone to become and remain certified.

Available with two editions, anyone can subscribe to SAP Learning Hub on the SAP Store, or to SAP Learning Hub, partner edition (available for SAP PartnerEdge members) on the SAP Partner Portal.

As a learner with an SAP partner, you can get an exclusive experience on top

Acknowledging the challenges and embracing the power of SAP’s partner ecosystem, SAP has also launched an enhanced partner experience on the SAP Learning site specifically tailored to the needs of partner learners. This new experience features curated SAP Learning Journeys, exclusive access to events and subject matter experts, plus the opportunity to earn valuable credentials.

Whether you're opting for a role-based certification, a deep dive into the enhanced SAP Learning Hub, or all the above mentioned cool new offerings, you can start the future of learning right now – an investment in your SAP education today could provide a significant return for your future career. So, what’s stopping you now? Start learning anytime, anywhere. Secure your future by growing your skills with SAP!

Learning Her Way Up: The Inspiring Growth Story of Anu in Norway

2024-02-15T09:00:00.023000+01:00

Roughly 4300 miles and 5 time zones away from home, Anu’s life suddenly turned into something very different. “In 2012, my husband got a job in Norway, so we moved here from India and started settling into our new life”, the 36-year-old recounts. “And my life has changed a lot”, she emphasizes. “I had no friends when I came here, I didn’t know any Norwegian.” But she soon realized that she would need to learn the language to get a job and truly connect with people. “Learning Norwegian was important for me to fit in, so I went to a local school to learn the basics.” Her perseverance paid off quickly - within one year, she was fluent enough to apply for jobs and secure a new position.

And passed her SAP Certification exam after 4 weeks of studying, posted her badge on LinkedIn, and got immediately recognized by her manager.However, Anu felt like she was missing something. “I've had a job, but I've felt like my career wasn't moving forward”, she explains. “It wasn't because I wasn't working hard. It was because I had a lot of family responsibilities. Living in a different country, taking care of two young kids, and working full-time made things busy.” And then she realized: “My colleagues and even my spouse were focused on growing their careers – but I wasn’t.” That’s when Anu decided to act and immediately found the right path thanks to LinkedIn.

“It made me see how important it is to stay updated”

In fact, it was one post from SAP Developer Advocat Thomas Jung that caught her eye. He was promoting SAP’s digital skills initiative, where people from underrepresented groups in tech can benefit from free digital learning and apply for a free certification exam voucher for an official SAP Certification. Since Anu started working with SAP solutions back in 2008 while she was getting her master's degree in software engineering, she already had SAP experience and thought this was the right path to follow.

“When I was getting ready for certification, I found out about many new topics that I didn't deal with in my regular work. It made me see how important it is to stay updated, especially in a time when technology is growing really fast”, Anu recounts. “When we work on projects, we usually concentrate on one particular area. But it's always good to have an idea about what's going on around us.” Knowing about Anu’s perseverance, it comes as no surprise that she made use of every second she had to study for her exam – on the train or while the kids were asleep. And after 4 weeks of diving deep into the world of ABAP programming, she passed the exam on her first try. “It was the first thing I told my husband that day – I was really proud.” So proud even, that she immediately uploaded her certification badge to LinkedIn, where her manager saw her credentials and reacted himself.

Certification resulted in increased confidence in skills

“Since obtaining the certification, I have seen positive changes in my professional journey”, Anu says. She believes that both her employer and customers have gained increased confidence in her abilities. “The knowledge and skills acquired through the program have proven invaluable in my day-to-day tasks. The certification has not only enhanced my proficiency in ABAP programming but has also opened doors to new opportunities within my current role.”

It’s Anu’s understanding to always learn new things. “I want to teach my kids these values through my actions”, she explains. And again, it doesn’t come as a surprise that she already has a next goal in mind: “I want to complete the certification in ABAP cloud programming, and I have already started my preparations for the exam.”

Start your own success story

Did you feel inspired by Anu’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more great success stories!

Beating the Odds: How SAP Skills Shaped Luca’s Career Despite a Struggling Economy

2024-02-27T09:00:00.031000+01:00

Luca loves a good challenge, whether it’s reaching the next level in his favourite video game, finishing a heavy book, or learning a new skill. “I try to challenge myself whenever possible, to try something new or do something in a different way,” the 30-year-old from Buenos Aires explains. “And sometimes I learn a little bit about myself. And that’s always a pleasure.” However, the circumstances in which he does this are not always the easiest: According to the national statistics authority, the inflation rate in Argentina rose to more than 200 percent last year. With gross domestic product fallen by 2.5 percent last year, and the peso fallen to a record low against the US dollar, the economic prospects in his home country of Argentina look bleak – once again in just a few years.

Job market for SAP skills is growing

Thankfully, Luca loves a good challenge. So, when he hit a roadblock with his first job in an office – he completed administrative tasks, “nothing a manager would do”, he says – he decided to do something about it. “There was not much space to grow, so I searched the internet for new job opportunities.” He wanted to combine both of his passions: Interacting with people and leveraging technology. And Human Resources could give him that.

Luca loves the interactive approach of SAP's learning journeys.“As I searched the web for new job opportunities, I found many positions required SAP skills. I did not know anything about SAP at that time, but realized the job market for SAP solutions is growing, so I searched the term online,” he explains. “I found a vast library of information, an online academy, fellow students asking questions, and teachers having fun teaching on many platforms. It was fascinating.” He wanted to become part of that world, part of that community. And he wanted to break into the world of SAP’s HXM. But how could he get started?

SAP Certification as “a big plus” for his CV

That’s when Luca came across the digital skills initiative, where SAP gives away 10,000 free certification vouchers and free online learning resources to help people upskill and pivot into tech jobs with an official and in-demand skill validation. He immediately got started. “The learning journeys on the SAP Learning site helped a great deal; their interactive approach is way more manageable and fun than just reading a document,” he says. He claimed his certification voucher shortly after, took the exam, and got his first SAP Certification as an SAP Certified Application Associate - SAP HCM with ERP 6.0 EHP7. And that’s when his starting position suddenly improved.

“Let me put it this way,” Luca explains, “from the moment I got my certification, I began to apply for relevant positions. I wanted to show that I had the skills they were looking for and if not, I had the capacity to learn them. Two months later I was hired for an entry-level position as a Trainee Functional Consultant.” Luca believes the certification was the most important factor and added a big plus to his CV. “SAP Certification makes a difference. Learning SAP skills and getting certified opens new doors for you.” And since he likes challenges, Luca has already identified his next goal, of course: Getting certified in SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Core and Payroll.

Start your own success story

Did you feel inspired by Luca’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more great success stories!

SAP Learning Journey – Building OData Services with SAP Gateway

2024-02-29T15:30:09.480000+01:00

Since it was announced at SAP TechEd 2021, SAP offers digital learnings free of charge to everybody interested in SAP products on https://learning.sap.com. In this blog post, I want to present to you the learning journey Building OData Services with SAP Gateway and keep you up to date on the latest additions.

If you are more interested in a customer course for SAP Gateway, please read my blog post:
Customer course GW100 (SAP Gateway – Building OData Services) available for SAP S/4HANA 2021

Latest Additions

2023-11 Learning journey available

Introduction

This learning journey is based on the customer course GW100 (SAP Gateway – Building OData Services). The course structure was reworked to provide a clear path following the learning goals of each unit. Many animations and videos support the digital learning experience inviting you to interact with the material.

Nearly every lesson provides at least one exercise showing steps in a written form. Some can be performed directly by using some public resource like the SAP Gateway Demo System, but most exercises are based on SAP S/4HANA 2021 FPS02. In addition to the written form, these exercises provide a simulation of the steps in an SAP Learning system.

The units in the current version are the following:

SAP Gateway Overview
OData Overview
SAP Gateway and CDS Views

Content

1. SAP Gateway Overview

Unit 1 first describes SAP Gateway in general showing examples of where and how it is used in todays SAP solutions. The second lesson digs deeper in the releases and the components of SAP Gateway culminating in the deployment options for on-premise and SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP).

The following is exercised:

Prepare the SAP Learning System

2. OData Overview

Unit 2 covers the OData standard from the perspective of SAP Gateway. A short introduction to REST is followed by a comprehensive explanation of the OData protocol, how to perform OData operations and how to handle OData queries.

The following is exercised:

3. SAP Gateway and CDS Views

Unit 3 jumps to the world of Core Data Services (CDS) and shows the four ways an SAP Gateway service can be generated based on CDS views. This includes a short excursion to the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP) but without getting into the details. The focus is to provide SAP Gateway services first by mapping or referencing a CDS view as data source in the SAP Gateway Service Builder (SEGW). Publishing a CDS view as SAP Gateway service or defining business services are performed in the ABAP Development Tools (ADT).

The following is exercised:

Summary

If you have read so far, it seems that you are really thinking about consuming the learning journey. Don’t hesitate and jump right in:

https://learning.sap.com/learning-journeys/building-odata-services-with-sap-gateway

If you are more interested in a customer course for SAP Fiori, please visit https://training.sap.com. The GW100 (SAP Gateway – Building OData Services) is a 5-day-course offered as physical and virtual event:

https://training.sap.com/course/GW100

For any other questions around the offerings of SAP Learning Services, please jump to our community page and get in contact with us:

https://pages.community.sap.com/topics/training-certification

Happy learning
Stefan

Customer Course GW100 (SAP Gateway – Building OData Services) Available for SAP S/4HANA 2021

2024-02-29T15:33:56.276000+01:00

Now that I finished the course development of the GW100 (again), I thought it is time to summarize all the new and updated topics in a central place. I decided that a blog post here would be a good way to share this to fellow ABAP developers. So welcome to my first blog post about the customer training GW100 (SAP Gateway – Building OData Services).

If you are more interested in a digital learning for SAP Gateway, please read my blog post:
SAP Learning Journey – Building OData Services with SAP Gateway

Introduction

Starting in 2014, this is now the seventh incarnation of how to develop OData services with SAP Gateway. The course shows all parts of SAP Gateway, which are available since SAP NetWeaver Application Server 7.0 (SAP Gateway 2.0), as well as parts added up to SAP S/4HANA 2021. The whole bandwidth of SAP Gateway covering all releases is shown.

The units in the current version are the following:

SAP Gateway Overview
OData Overview
SAP Gateway Service Implementation
SAP Gateway Service Generation
SAP Gateway Service Redefinition
SAP Gateway and CDS Views
SAP Gateway Hub Functionalities
Advanced OData Options
SAP Gateway Security
Further Information

If customers are interested, they can order a customer specific version of the course including only those topics suitable for their release or purpose.

System Landscape

Let’s start with the system release: SAP S/4HANA 2021 FPS02. Our system landscape – we call it universal target – is used in many technology courses and offers full access for the participants from the SAP Fiori launchpad (FLP) in the browser down to SAP HANA on the SUSE Linux Enterprise server (SLES). Everything is set up following the newest guidelines of SAP so that it can really act as a template for customers.GW100 System Landscape (Screenshot from System Setup Guide)

In addition, we offer an instance of the SAP Business Application Studio (BAS) to show the consumption of OData services. If you want to know more about this topic, check out our courses for SAP Fiori development.

OData

The unit explaining the OData foundation was greatly increased to cover all aspects of the protocol including OData V4. Many more slides were added to visualize the structure of an OData service. Here is an example about function and action imports:Function and Action Imports (Screenshot from GW100)A new section covering ?sap-ds-debug=true was added to explain the features of this debugging query option. Although it was always part of exercises, there was only one slide showing it. Now the following one is just the first one:SAP Debugging Query Option for Any Browser (Screenshot from GW100)The lesson about performing OData requests was enhanced in its visualization and some additional slides were added like this one for batch processing:OData Option $batch (Screenshot from GW100)

Implementation

The structure of the units covering code-based implementation got refined to better fit the current state of development. This includes more graphical explanations of how the source code is structured in the system like this one:Data Provider Base Class – Source Code (Screenshot from GW100)Other slides were enhanced using semantical colors consistently throughout the material. In this example, you see blue used for ABAP code, gold for HTTP requests, and green for (successful) HTTP responses:Create Operation Essentials (Screenshot from GW100)But of course, at the end of the day, it is all about source code. There are now more code snippets outside of exercises and the code is explained in more detail on slides:Implement Paging (Screenshot from GW100)

CDS Views

The evolution of CDS views was driving SAP Gateway from the beginning. That is why there is an own unit keeping track of all possibilities to generate SAP Gateway services based on CDS views:OData Service Development with CDS – Comparison (Screenshot from GW100)The decision, which generator is the right one for your project, does not only depend on the release you are using. Especially in a brown field approach, the data source reference in the SAP Gateway Service Builder (SEGW) is still a viable option for reusing existing source code in SAP Gateway services based on CDS views: How to Reference a Data Source (Screenshot from GW100)The newest generators are Business Services, which are part of the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP). They are recommended by SAP as soon as they are available in your system and include the generation of OData V4 services:How to Create a Service Definition and Binding (Screenshot from GW100)

Summary

If you have read so far, it seems that you are really thinking about attending the course. Don’t hesitate and check out the physical and virtual events we offer:

https://training.sap.com/course/GW100

If you are more interested in a digital learning, please visit https://learning.sap.com. Some parts of the GW100 are already available free-of-charge:

https://learning.sap.com/learning-journeys/building-odata-services-with-sap-gateway

For any other questions around the offerings of SAP Learning Services, please jump to our community page and get in contact with us:

https://pages.community.sap.com/topics/training-certification

I hope even if you won’t attend the GW100 in any kind, you found some useful information around SAP Gateway in this blog post.

Happy learning
Stefan

Celebrate Female Empowerment This International Women’s Day

2024-03-05T14:01:57.428000+01:00

This year, we are proud to invite you to join a very special International Women’s Day celebration on March 8 – a virtual live event in our beloved SAP Community! Get ready to learn about SAP and how to start a career in tech, and hear from familiar faces. Our SAP Learning Insights podcast host David Chaviano and his guests will help you understand SAP and its ecosystem, share inspiring career profiles and stories, and open up the stage for you to ask questions, get engaged, and network.

Join us on March 8 as we honor the remarkable achievements of SAP women worldwide, share empowering stories, and discuss meaningful initiatives that could push forward our collective journey towards equality. And to give you a sneak peek of our guest speakers, why don’t you head over to this blog post and learn more about Lin Fan, a young Chinese woman who faced sexism in her old job and turned her life around as an SAP Consultant with the help of SAP’s digital skills initiative? And if you’re interersted in ABAP development, check out Sandra’s inspiring story in the SAP ecosystem. We’re very much looking forward to have these amazing role models join our event as guest speakers!

And if all of this wasn’t enough positive excitement already, you will get the chance to ask questions, engage in discussions, and network with likeminded fellows. Plus, our speakers will also share valuable tips and tricks to boost your career, point you towards some great resources to get started, and help you understand SAP, its ecosystem, and key roles better.

Joining our event is easy! Simply let us know you’re coming by RSVPing to the event. On the event page, you will also find the link, meeting ID, and passcode to join the Zoom call.

Event at a glance:

International Women’s Day Intro to SAP and your Future Career

Mar 8, 2024 3:30 PM - 8 PM GMT

Event URL: https://sap-se.zoom.us/j/94016816749?pwd=ODNtMm9qa05jN21tZEh2WTVONGxQUT09
Meeting ID: 940 1681 6749
Passcode: SAPcareer

Let’s bring International Women’s Day to life and benefit from an exciting, engaging, and inspiring way to learn more about SAP, it’s ecosystem and key roles. Your next career boost is just around the corner, so join the conversation and meet some new people along the way!

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Empowering Dreams Through Digital Skills: A Glimpse Into Karla's Tech Journey with SAP

2024-03-14T09:00:00.043000+01:00

As a child, Karla would secretly venture into the computer room of her school to follow her curiosity. She simply wanted to explore the computer and learn how it works, the 34-year-old from Portugal explains. “I have always nurtured the dream of working in the field of computer science.” And when she finally saw an opportunity to do so, she couldn’t let it pass. And that opportunity was SAP’s digital skills initiative, where SAP sponsors 10,000 free vouchers to get certified in SAP solutions.

“When we do what we love, it’s not work, it’s fun!”

Of course, Karla still remembers the time she first encountered SAP. It was May 2022, and she was still finishing her postgrad studies in software development, when she joined an SAP ABAP Academy with her current employer Softinsa, a Lisbon-based company specialized in management services and application and development. “It was at that moment that I discovered exactly my professional passion.” Karla was hired as an SAP consultant for SAP Fiori and couldn’t be happier about it: “I don't call it work. When we do what we love, it's not work, it's fun!” And fun for her is working with people, serving people, she says. “Life is about how positively we impact wherever we go, how much we help others. That is what is important!”

Never gave up on her dream: Karla Lima from Portugal.However, to reach her goals, Karla knew that she had to invest in her training. “I realized that investing in my career in this area was crucial. Even coming from a humble background, I never gave up on my dream.” Her wish to continuously evolve and develop, paired with her curiosity helped her a lot in advancing, Karla explains. And this was when she came across the opportunity she couldn’t let pass: SAP’s digital skills initiative. “I enrolled and started learning for free on the SAP Learning site and achieved the certification I aimed for.” In fact, Karla is the only digital skills candidate from Portugal who achieved a certification.

Digital skills initiative helped her triumph

But what sounds so simple doesn’t always of course have to be simple. “Learning something new is challenging, uncomfortable because we step out of our comfort zone,” Karla knows. “There are always difficulties, but after each step, seeing each application being built, step by step, it is extremely satisfying and pleasurable to see everything working, rewarding.” And when Karla means rewarding, she knows what she’s talking about.

The change she saw in upskilling and getting certified via the digital skills initiative was significant, she says. “I could have given up in the face of all difficulties, but I chose to triumph. Overcoming obstacles, I achieved not only recognition in my work but also from clients. Today, I can serve them with excellence and total confidence. I believe all the efforts were worthwhile, and recognition is what makes us believe that. I love what I do!”

Start your own success story or hire go-getters like Karla

Did you feel inspired by Karla’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more great success stories!

Are you looking to hire people like Karla? Reach out to the digital skills initiative for information on how to get in contact with her and other people like her who are entering the SAP ecosystem with a fresh cloud-first mindset. We are happy to connect any partner or customer with our candidates to provide a mutual growth opportunity for new talent and the organizations supporting our ecosystem.

Areeba's Journey to Learn SAP Skills: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Pakistan

2024-03-29T09:00:00.031000+01:00

Every single day is a fight for Areeba. As being the young, and a daughter on top, the 19-year-old faced many troubles due to her age from the beginning in her home country Pakistan. “There is a specific mindset in my hometown and the entire sub-continent when it comes to girls and women,” she explains. “I’m an introvert person, but I can share everything with my mother, because she’s the reason for my success today,” Areeba says. And a frequent topic they talk about is how hard it is for girls and women to work and grow professionally – even if they have perfect grades and a smart mind.

“I wanted to become financially independent and strong”

Of course, Areeba falls into this category. “I got 90% A+ Grade in my matriculation”, she says, “and at the age of 15, I was granted a scholarship in ACCA based on my result.” Areeba always considered herself a multitasking person and a quick learner, describing herself as someone who’s eager to learn new skills and successfully complete complex tasks. She’s not keen to waste time. “I wanted to become financially independent and strong,” Areeba explains. And after passing 11 exams of ACCA, she got her Higher School Equivalency (A-Levels Equivalent) and was being offered a Teaching Assistant position in my ACCA institute from where I studied.

“I don’t want to waste my cloud skills,” Areeba explains why she is now looking for a new position outside of Pakistan.“I applied and got selected for a government initiative for digital skills training where I got to know about Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and their applications. This is when she heard about ERP for the first time.

At age 17, she started as a Trainee SAP Financial Accounting and SAP Controlling Consultant in one of the top Big4 Consulting. This is when a new phase of my life started. I had to deal with people older than my age and having more experience than me, I had to prove my skills every day. Gradually I developed my interpersonal and SAP skills more to answer all the biases. “Despite all the mocking and stereotyping based on my gender and age, I focused on my goals,” Areeba says. She got hands-on experience, led a team, worked with many local & global clients, and got certified in SAP Financial Accounting at the age of 18, became the youngest certified consultant. I was also involved in other ERP projects like Microsoft Dynamics etc. When she started exploring SAP Cloud solutions, she stumbled upon SAP’s digital skills initiative, where SAP sponsors 10,000 free certification exams for people who are considered underrepresented in tech. “I got certified in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition – Financial Accounting at the age of 19 and became Pakistan’s first SAP Certified Associate – Implementation Consultant in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition - Financial Accounting as I hold this title”, Areeba says with pride.

Looking for positions to use her in-demand cloud skills

Since she applied for the initiative “I feel like being surrounded by people of similar interests and goals,” Areeba shares. “As I got to connect with many peers around the globe through SAP Community, we all help each other in understanding SAP better. There are numerous free of cost resources available to get you started like learning.sap.com.”

When she got certified, Areeba was immediately recognized by employers, and was offered a position as a Trainer in an initiative of Ashreitech in collaboration with the National Aero Space Science and Technology Park, Pakistan Air Force, where I trained more than 30 students, end-users, and consultants in SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud in Finance. “I was selected as a trainer because I am the first certified SAP-certified Implementation Consultant in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition for Financial Accounting.” The training ended successfully with most students getting hired immediately.

“I don’t want to waste my cloud skills,” Areeba explains why she is now looking for a new position outside of Pakistan, where she says there are only little opportunities for her. She’s hoping to find a job in Europe or the Middle East soon, leaving behind the invisible systemic barrier and glass ceiling that prevents her from rising to higher positions. She not only has the skills, but also the right experience and certification to demonstrate her expertise, don’t you think?

Start your own success story or hire go-getters like Areeba

Did you feel inspired by Areeba’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more remarkable success stories!

Are you looking to hire people like Areeba? Reach out to the digital skills initiative for information on how to contact her and other people like her who are entering the SAP ecosystem with a fresh cloud-first mindset. We are happy to connect any partner or customer with our candidates to provide a mutual growth opportunity for new talent and the organizations supporting our ecosystem.

SAP Certification Transformation: How You Can Get and Stay Certified

2024-04-05T11:13:50.321000+02:00

It’s no secret: Technology is changing faster than most businesses can manage. Well-trained talent is increasingly scarce, and digital skills gaps keep getting wider. To keep up with the ongoing changes in talent and technology, both learners and organizations need to be agile and adaptive to keep pace with the competition.

At SAP, our mission is to create opportunity through learning and development for all. And with the need for fast and comprehensive upskilling, we are transforming our SAP Certification program, making continuous learning a priority. That way, you can always prove you’re up-to-date with the latest innovations.

Here’s what this means for you:

Get certified with trusted certifications, tailored to your role.

Transforming our certification approach means making things easier for you. Demonstrate intermediate or advanced skills with out of over 80 globally recognized role- and product-based certifications across key SAP solution innovation areas. Focusing on the core skills and competencies, our role-based certifications, like this one for SAP S/4HANA Cloud implementation consultants, make your skillset more valuable as it gains sustainability and more relevance for longer periods of time.  
Good news: the enhanced SAP Learning Hub includes four certification exam attempts per subscriber per year and all learning resources to prepare for the certification exams.

Stay certified and keep your skills up to date with the latest innovations.

As a second step in our certification transformation, we are focusing on opportunities for you to keep your skills sharp. As of this April, certified learners need to continuously keep their skills up-to-date and certifications valid with evolving products by completing mandatory assessments before their certification expires. With an SAP Learning Hub subscription, you can prepare for and take the stay certified assessments at any time during the validity period of your certification.

The standard validity of certifications is 12 months, with an initial validity end date of March 31, 2025. Every time you complete an assessment to stay certified, the validity period extends by 12 months. Easy enough, right?

For sure! So, this is how you can keep your certifications valid:

Log into the ‘My Learning’ page with your SAP Universal ID (Note: your SAP Universal ID must be linked with a secondary email account from another email domain provider)
With a click on “Certifications” section you will find your passed certification(s) with the respective validity date.
Access the enablement materials that are linked to prepare for the stay certified assessment. You need an SAP Learning Hub subscription to access stay certified assessment.
Take the stay certified assessment linked to your certification. Once successfully passed, the new validity date of your certification will be updated.

If you are already certified in an SAP solution, you will receive a personalized email informing you about the required next steps to ensure that you don’t miss your certification expiry date. So don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

We truly believe that the redesigned SAP Certification program will make it easier and faster for you to get and stay certified, to identify next career steps and goals, and ensure you have the latest skills and valid credentials on the newest SAP innovations tailored to your role and responsibility. With a subscription to the enhanced SAP Learning Hub, you can have access to all the learning resources you need to get and stay certified in one place. So why don’t you set yourself up for success?

For more information, please visit the SAP Certification transformation page. 

Please share any feedback or questions you have!

#SAP Certification #SAP Learning Hub

Get Inspired by Baiba's Success Story with SAP

2024-04-12T23:18:18.304000+02:00

Discover the inspiring journey of Baiba Blumberga, a determined young woman who navigated the challenges of an economic crisis and found her true calling in the tech industry – thanks to SAP. From studying European economics to becoming a skilled ABAP developer, Baiba's story is a testament to the power of resilience and adaptability. Read more about her experiences, the importance of continuous learning, and the impact of SAP Certification on her career. And get ready to be motivated and start your own success story with SAP today!

Ashvini's Journey: Reimagining Success through SAP in a New Country

2024-04-15T09:00:00.028000+02:00

When Ashvini Kulkarni arrived in the US in December 2022, the skies over Boston were mostly grey. They might as well have been telling the story on the ground. The country was facing the widely expected recession following the pandemic. The news tickers on the airport TV were running headlines about tech layoffs, climbing mortgage rates and an uncharacteristically warm winter. “Quite a welcome!”, Ashvini thought.

Feeling empowered to stand shoulder to shoulder with professionals who have years of industry experience: Ashvini.Hailing from the former princely city-state of Bhopal in India, it was not the first time Ashvini had flown far from her nest. Watching her father work on SAP kindled her interest in the Enterprise Ressource Planning (ERP) software. “My decision to pursue a career in SAP was heavily influenced by my father who happened to be an SAP user at one of the world-renowned multinational companies,” the 38-year-old explains. “His insights were invaluable, and they helped me realize the vast potential of SAP in the business world.” She soon found herself in Pune, working on SAP Business Planning and Consolidation (SAP BPC) for a Europe-based manufacturing client, was invited by her customers to go to Sweden, and later to Australia. Until things took a turn.

Building a new professional identity from scratch

Ashvini got married and relocated to Boston in the United States, where her husband already lived. “In this new environment, I faced the challenge of building my professional identity from scratch,” she recalls. And despite her open work permit, the hiring freeze many companies put into place didn't help. With 12 years of experience in the field of SAP Business Planning and Consolidation consulting, Ashvini had a lot to show: a track record of various clients from diverse industries across the globe, many successfully completed implementation projects, numerous awards and appreciation from employers and clients, and a cosmopolitan mindset that only frequent travel could get you. But it wasn’t enough for Ashvini.

To understand why, you need to know how Ashvini ticks. “I am deeply committed to continuous growth and self-improvement,” she says, “education and skill development remain a central focus, as I aspire to acquire advanced knowledge in my field and expand my skill set to excel professionally.” While traveling and exploration hold a special place in her heart, and immersing herself in new cultures, creating lasting memories, is important to her, personal growth and self-improvement are ongoing goals. “I aim to nurture my emotional intelligence, develop a deeper sense of empathy, and cultivate a growth mindset to enhance both my personal and professional life,” Ashvini summarizes.

SAP's digital skills initiative helped her get certified

And this is why she decided to SAP’s digital skills initiative. “Relocating to the U.S. prompted me to invest in continuous learning and skill development. Pursuing SAP software skills aligns with my goal of adapting to a new job market and building a strong professional identity in a new country.” So, she opted for a certification in SAP Analytics Cloud Planning – successfully passing the exam.

Keen to try her hand at her newly acquired skill, the hunt for SAP Analytics Cloud roles and opportunities began. “A company named Forage was offering a simulation project with compelling exercises and technical challenges,” she says. Sensing an opportunity to keep her skills warm, Ashvini spent the next few weeks working in the simulation environment, exploring and testing SAP Analytics Cloud from every conceivable angle.

Feeling empowered

Ashvini immediately sensed the extent of her decision to take the exam. “Obtaining the SAP Certification has been a remarkable milestone in my career. It has not only enhanced my technical knowledge but also boosted my self-confidence, particularly as I find myself navigating a new country and job market,” she says. “In a place where I'm starting fresh, this certification serves as a testament to my commitment to excel in the field of SAP.”

Feeling empowered to stand shoulder to shoulder with professionals who have years of industry experience, she says she now feels confident to take on any challenge. “I am excited to explore new opportunities in the U.S. with this valuable SAP Analytics Cloud Planning certification as a key asset in my arsenal.” Knowing that employers value the verified skills she has, Ashvini is restarting her career. “Having an SAP Certification on my resume has made me a more attractive candidate to employers and increased my employability.” And it all started with her father laying the foundation for her success so many years ago.

Start your own success story

Did you feel inspired by Ashvini’s story? Then kick-start your own success story with SAP today. Benefit from tailored and self-paced learning opportunities that meet you when and where you learn best on SAP Learning site. Get certified to demonstrate your expertise and boost your career. We are looking forward to many more remarkable success stories!

Are you looking to hire people like Ashvini? Reach out to the digital skills initiative for information on how to contact her and other people like her who are entering the SAP ecosystem with a fresh cloud-first mindset. We are happy to connect any partner or customer with our candidates to provide a mutual growth opportunity for new talent and the organizations supporting our ecosystem.

Como Iniciar uma Carreira SAP com dicas essenciais

2024-05-03T09:42:28.644000+02:00

Você já ouviu falar sobre SAP e está interessado em iniciar sua carreira nessa área emocionante e em constante crescimento? Você veio ao lugar certo! Neste blog, vamos explorar algumas dicas essenciais para profissionais que desejam dar os primeiros passos na carreira SAP.

1. Conheça o Mercado de SAP

O primeiro passo para iniciar sua carreira em SAP é entender o mercado e suas demandas. O SAP é um dos principais sistemas de software empresarial do mundo, utilizado por milhares de empresas em todo o globo. Isso significa que há uma grande demanda por profissionais qualificados em SAP, desde consultores até desenvolvedores e analistas.

2. Educação e Certificações

Investir em educação e certificações é fundamental para se destacar no mercado SAP. Existem vários cursos e certificações disponíveis, que abrangem diferentes áreas do SAP, como FI (Financeiro), MM (Gestão de Materiais), SD (Vendas e Distribuição), entre outros. Certifique-se de escolher um curso que seja relevante para suas metas de carreira e que seja reconhecido pela indústria.

3. Experiência Prática

Além da educação formal, a experiência prática é crucial para se tornar um profissional SAP bem-sucedido. Procure oportunidades de estágio, projetos acadêmicos ou mesmo voluntariado em eventos e palestras, é o principal, atuar profissionalmente em empresas que usem o SAP. Isso lhe dará uma exposição valiosa ao sistema e ajudará a construir seu portfólio.

4. Mantenha-se Atualizado

O mundo do SAP está em constante evolução, com novas atualizações e tecnologias sendo lançadas regularmente. É importante que você se mantenha atualizado com as últimas tendências e desenvolvimentos do SAP, participando de cursos de reciclagem, conferências e grupos de discussão online.

5. Networking

Por fim, não subestime o poder do networking na indústria SAP. Participe de eventos, conferências e grupos de discussão online para conhecer outros profissionais da área, trocar experiências e aprender com os melhores. O networking pode abrir portas para oportunidades de emprego e parcerias comerciais no futuro.

Em resumo, iniciar uma carreira em SAP requer dedicação, educação e experiência prática. Ao seguir essas dicas essenciais, você estará no caminho certo para se tornar um profissional SAP de sucesso. Boa sorte em sua jornada!

Saibam mais sobre essas e outras dicas de como se tornar um consultor SAP com o vídeo Abaixo:

https://youtube.com/live/vHpCZ6Vc-i8

Se você tiver alguma dúvida ou gostaria de compartilhar suas próprias experiências sobre iniciar na carreira SAP, sinta-se à vontade para deixar um comentário abaixo.

Building trust: The foundation of effective leadership

2024-05-07T10:04:00.001000+02:00

Image: SAP Image Library

A leader becomes a key factor during changing times, driving organizations, and creating a sense of safety across their teams. A trusted leader creates a collaborative environment where people generate value sustaining the corporate strategy and making the work environment creative, supportive, and transparent.

A leader who acknowledges their weakness and development needs become closer to their team and creates a sense of flatness, where the appointed person supports the individual contribution and drives their team to accomplish the unit´s goals via collaborative decision-making. When the people in their team feel that a leader is closer to them with needs, aspirations, and challenges, they are open to sharing their requirements and then creating a strong and trustworthy relationship. Hence, getting closer to the team´s needs supports individual growth and improves confidence in individual members, a trusted leader is aware of their team´s feelings, needs, and dreams. Trust is the basis of leadership, and keep consistency about values behaviors, and performance.

"Getting closer to the team´s needs supports individual growth and improves confidence in individual members."

A trusted leader is consistent with their actions, supporting their reliability and predictability, hence the team becomes comfortable when their leader´s decision-making, establishes a sense of safety and consistency. The persons are prone to perform better where their work environments are healthy and feeling less internal pressures support a high performing activities, at the same time decreases the probability of stress-related sickness, whose consequences could be mental or physical illness, in the long run a healthy environment also produces company benefits in terms of productivity and people´s attainment, reflected on less rotation and better work-life balance positioning in the industry.

Leadership growth shall be observed as a process, where learning opportunities are available from different sources, it is fundamental to align the company expectations, the values and behaviors, and expected performance. Leadership awareness becomes fundamental to skill up trustability, especially when challenging situations that measure and snapshot a manager´s behavior. Since each action over the team creates individual career fingerprints, it is important to be consistent with all team members, avoiding preferences or differential reactions because a manager could create a distorted perception about the abilities of each person in their team.

Besides self-awareness, self-regulation becomes a natural consequence, where the leader´s adaptability to different situations produces reactions that require wearing the other´s shoes to avoid over-reactions. When a manager becomes exposed to the same situation and their reaction does not improve, their lead capabilities decrease and negatively affect the people´s interactions. Therefore, evolving conscious about the circumstances and improving the reactions, creates a sense of trust in the teams and stakeholders, for course acknowledging errors and being transparent about the corrective actions makes a leader closer to the team.

Building trust requires a bi-directional action, where the leader and their team members must be transparent, coherent, and trustable about their activities and actions. This combination supports the corporate strategy and ultimately contributes to the team´s performance, which is always perceived as a puzzle where everyone contributes to the common results, without higher weight and the leader is the person in charge of presenting those results as the unity for their team and not as a personal result while the leader is being accountable, each person is responsible for their contribution.

A trustworthy leader is a person who is always present, especially when there are issues or failures, passing the failure token to the team shall not happen. In difficult times the leader is the visible face of the team, hence confronting the situation and assuming responsibility is the natural action, without avoiding the confrontation, a corrective plan must be proposed, and the corresponding action to improve the situation. Recognizing achievements are public actions while addressing errors are private discussions with their team members.

Building trust requires an additional effort, while a manager holds several responsibilities, among those is the commitment to improve their team´s cohesion and sense of belonging, including diversity and inclusion. The natural process requires practice, observation, and continuous learning, where the leader´s awareness about their needs drives the learning path to set up specific skills development.

A leader who allows open communication and becomes approachable creates trust among their team, peers, customers, and stakeholders. While acting with integrity, the actions and performance reflect the company's values and behaviors. An empathic leader allows open communication with a strong sense of authenticity, avoiding despaired behaviors with upper management, pairs, and teams. A trustable leader openly communicates the expectations creating a sense of task ownership and the expected future accomplishments across their team members.

Nurturing an organic feedback process increases performance management while addressing requirements to achieve small victories, a leader promotes a trusted and consistent environment, where the team openly shares their toughs and challenges. The result of an organic feedback process becomes the foundation of realistic improvement plans with detailed and measurable actions in the short term.

A leader´s commitment makes people better and helps them develop further abilities required to accomplish their tasks via appropriate delegation and autonomy development through an accountable decision-making process. And, to help them to prepare for the next career movement. The coaching process requires empathy and a common understanding of the expectations, capabilities, and development willingness. A trusted leader takes care of the people and team, understanding their limitations and how each person in the group complements the requirements to make it successful.

Finally, to create a competitive company a trustworthy leader creates an appropriate environment to grow their team supported by transparency and accountability, where a shared vision nurtures continuous improvement to support personal growth while supporting organizational goals.