Category: Off-topic

SAP is a business management software that is used by many companies around the world. To implement and use this software, companies need SAP consultants, who are professionals who offer services for the adaptation, optimization and execution of SAP products¹. SAP consultants are in high demand and well paid in the labor market, but they also face many challenges and demands.

One of the issues that can be observed is the shortage of older SAP consultants working. This may have several reasons, but some of the possible ones are:

• The constant evolution of SAP software. SAP software is always updating and incorporating new features and technologies, such as SAP S/4HANA², which is the latest version of the software. This means that SAP consultants need to be constantly recycling and certifying themselves in the new versions and modules of the software. This can be difficult and tiring for older consultants, who may have difficulties to keep up with the changes and adapt to the new tools.
• The high competitiveness of the market. As SAP consultants are highly sought after, they also face a lot of competition among themselves. Younger consultants may have advantages over older ones, such as greater availability, flexibility, dynamism and knowledge of new trends. In addition, customers may prefer to hire younger consultants, because they believe they have more capacity for innovation and problem solving.
• The lack of career opportunities. Many SAP consultants work as freelancers or by projects, which can generate instability and uncertainty about their professional future. Older consultants may miss opportunities for growth and recognition within companies or in the market. They may also have difficulties to find new projects or clients, especially if they do not have a good network of contacts or a good reputation.
• The demotivation and professional burnout. SAP consulting is an activity that demands a lot from professionals, both in technical and emotional terms. SAP consultants have to deal with tight deadlines, pressure from clients, constant travel, frequent changes of environment and team, interpersonal conflicts, etc. This can generate a high level of stress and dissatisfaction at work, which can affect the physical and mental health of consultants. Older consultants may feel more the negative effects of this situation and lose interest or passion for their work.

These are some of the possible explanations for the low presence of older SAP consultants working. However, this does not mean that older consultants do not have value or potential to work in this area. On the contrary, they may have a lot of experience, knowledge and skills that can be useful and differential for projects and clients. In addition, they can benefit from some strategies to improve their professional situation, such as:

• Seek constant updating. SAP consultants should always be attentive to the novelties of the software and the market and seek to train themselves in the new versions and modules of SAP. They should also expand their knowledge in other areas related to business management, such as finance, logistics, marketing, etc.
• Build a good network of contacts. SAP consultants should maintain a good relationship with their colleagues, clients, partners and suppliers, as this can generate work opportunities and referrals. They should also participate in events, forums, communities and social networks focused on SAP consulting, as this can increase their visibility and credibility in the market.
• Seek new challenges and opportunities. SAP consultants should be open to new experiences and possibilities of work, such as changing area, company, country, etc. They should also look for projects that are compatible with their interests, goals and values, and that provide them with learning, satisfaction and recognition.
• Take care of health and well-being. SAP consultants should have a balanced routine that includes healthy habits of eating, sleeping, exercising and leisure. They should also seek professional or personal support when they feel they are suffering from stress, anxiety, depression or other emotional problems.

In conclusion, older SAP consultants may face some difficulties to remain active and competitive in the labor market, but this does not mean that they cannot continue to perform their profession with quality and success. They should value their strengths, seek their updating and motivation and take care of their health and well-being.

“Once upon a time…” a Huge Client, hired a Huge Consulting company to run their cloud integration project. The consulting company did not have all necessary resources, therefore they hired a cloud consulting company, and since the cloud consulting company did not have integration resources available, another company was hired to run the integration part, between on-premise system and the cloud. Both data migration and replication were in the scope of the integration part. Adding to that, Huge Client had not a department, but an IT department that was turned into an IT company, and they were responsible to oversee the project on behalf of the Huge Client. Just so you don’t loose track of all stakeholders involved, I’ll list them below.

• Huge Client
• Huge Client’s IT Division
• Huge Consulting Company
• Cloud Consulting Company providing cloud implementation experts
• Consulting Company providing integration experts

With that in mind, project was initially started, with goal of 4 to 6 months implementation until the go´-live. I joined this project after 6 months it was started, and at this point debut date had been rescheduled once. Initial impression when I started was ok, everyone very engage. Two weeks later, in a daily meeting I got a little surprised, between PM of Huge Consulting giving a small speech that “hey, if you’re in the call and not talking, I don’t need to say that you must continue working in whatever subject you’re working”. From these day on, I started noticing small advices” from this PM that to my point of view were very unnecessary, adding more bad feelings than good, especially looking at the level of professionals involved. A few days later in there was a small discution between PM 2. In another “moral” speech it was said that team was lacking commitment to the project, how could the project could be delivered if people were responding timely all questions being sent by business users, etc. On this day, lead consulting of Cloud Consulting Company argued that her and her team had been fully dedicated for the past six months or so, working multiple weekends, therefore it was not lack of dedication, and they also needed to rest. PM2 took a step back trying to fix what she said, saying that they were in a key point of the project and a “final” push was necessary and so on. At the end of this meeting general feeling was bad, including for me who had just started.

Punch bag of the day

You never expect to be the punch bag of a meeting in a project like this, but it’s just a matter of time.

Weekend tension

Weekends started to be for me much more appreciated than ever. I would not know if I would be called to work until the end of Friday mostly.

They are also victims

PM1, PM2 and maybe PM3 are also victims of situation that seemed to spiral out of control. They were under immense pressure from the Huge Client, who was eager to see results and probably expected a seamless transition to the cloud.

The initial optimism had given way to a series of unrealistic expectations, combined with a complex web of subcontractors. Each company brought its own set of priorities, timelines, and resources, leading to a clash of interests. The project’s complexities had surpassed what anyone had initially anticipated.

To be continued…