Ask the SAP Career Expert Archive

B2B SAP Career Questions, December 2008 I am an ABAP programming who has been asked to make a choice between the technical or functional side of SAP. I am from a technical background, so my inclination is to go toward technical work. But, when I read things about ABAP on the net, I found that people worry it will fade away soon and be replaced by Java. What do you think about this? Should I go for ABAP? Or should I try for the functional side or Basis Administration? JR:This is an excellent question and it speaks to the concerns of many SAP developers. First, you should know that I hear from folks across the SAP product line, both functional and technical, who are enjoying successful SAP careers. Therefore, it's not so much a matter of bailing out of a particular area in SAP. What's more important is to make sure you are getting experience with the latest tools and version releases that pertain to your skills focus. The knowledge that you can find a good specialization in almost all areas of SAP should provide some help, because with that in mind, you are now free to pursue the area of SAP that you have the most interest in. I have said many times that we have the best chance of success pursuing skills we are passionate about, and I think your own career will be served well with this philosophy. But having said that, we do need to take a serious look at your major area of interest, ABAP, and how that might work out for you. First, the rumors of the "death of ABAP" are not true. SAP is still very committed to the ABAP platform for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are the customer investment in ABAP and ABAP's proven high-volume performance. Yes, programming jobs are more prone to being outsourced and often pay lower rates. However, Basis work can be outsourced in some cases, and we will see more functional tasks outsourced also. So running in fear of outsourcing isn't the answer. What then is the answer for an ABAP developer? Well, first, you want to make sure you are getting object-oriented ABAP experience, such as ABAP Objects. Gaining skills with the latest ABAP tools, such as Web Dynpro for ABAP, is also advised. Then, it's also important to get the exposure to Java and SAP's web-based tools. No, Java is not taking over SAP, but SAP's Composition Environment (CE) is important to the future of SAP's SOA platform, and the CE is purely Java-based. Also, SAP's important recent acquisition, Business Objects, is also Java-based. No, ABAP isn't going away, but the SAP programmer of the future will have a combination of ABAP and Java/web programming skills. Now, as for your question about Basis or functional work, I recommend you stay focused on your area of interest and experience (ABAP). Particularly in this slow economy, it's not easy to make a move to a new skill area. Moving into Basis work won't necessarily make you more marketable, nor will moving into functional work, for the reasons I mentioned before. However, I do think that the best SAP developers do have some functional knowledge. In fact, the best ABAP folks I know have one or two modules they mostly program in, such as SAP Financials. I think this functional knowledge in a particular area of SAP helps the ABAP person to be more valuable to the team and better able to program what the client needs. This could also position you for a functional transition down the line if you decide that's the direction you want to go in. Getting more functional and business knowledge will also set you up well for the "business process expert" roles that may become an important part of the ERP world in years to come. Becoming an outstanding SAP programmer is a meaty topic, but hopefully some of these suggestions will help you along the way. I am an SAP functional consultant and I'm not used to being on the bench, but that's where I find myself now. I may look at new job possibilities, but what is the best way to handle time when you're not on a project? JR: I'm glad you asked this question, because this is a time in the market when even experienced consultants can find themselves with more down time than they are used to. It's easy to fall into a pretty discouraged or "wait and see" attitude towards new projects. But I believe there are valuable things you can do with such downtime, starting with a "personal skills gap analysis" where you look at the areas in your skills and come up with a plan, preferably in writing, for the areas you want to enhance. Here are some other tips I recommend: If you are the one responsible for marketing your services to new projects, take the time for further relationships with recruiters who are responsible for selling your services. For example, your recruiter at B2B might not be aware of a hot new skill you have just picked up. Sometimes consultants have the best view on which parts of their skill set are the most valuable on projects. Help those who represent you understand the best way to present your skills. Educate yourself on your own time as much as you can on the SAP marketplace by listening to podcasts, webinars, and trial software downloads. Also consider paid online training and book study. If you have the budget, obtaining a new certification in an area of SAP you are looking to move into could be a great use of your downtime. Continue applying to positions you may be qualified for. Most importantly: if you don't get the job, try to get feedback you can use to improve the areas of your skills where you are lacking. Sometimes the information from jobs you are not hired for can be invaluable. It's not always easy or possible to obtain this information but whatever you can pick up should help you. Get involved in online SAP forums like the SAP Developer Network and the Business Objects community, where you can make contributions, get to know others in your field, and get more visibility in the market as a problem solver. All it takes is some time and effort and you will see the benefit in the relationships you form from these activities. You may not get a project offer right off the bat, but you will get more insight into the skills you need to know and the market trends in your area of focus by participating in these types of forums. If appropriate, continue to talk to your current employer about how you can expand and deepen your SAP skills while making the best contribution to your current project. It's not always easy to initiate this kind of conversation, but if you can frame it in terms of your commitment to giving the most to your future projects, then you will come off as a "team player" and the conversation should be well received. There's no "one size fits all" answer to the challenges of project downtime. But one thing you can be certain of: business, like life, favors pro-active efforts over a fingers-crossed "hope things get better" approach. Ask the SAP Career Expert Archive