 
At B2B Workforce, we are issuing a series of podcasts on the SAP consulting market that identify key SAP trends and provide tips for SAP professionals looking to stay on top of a changing marketplace.
On this page, you can browse through text previews of our podcast collection, and you can play or download the podcasts of your choosing.
Jon Reed Interviews Samantha Gammill on "Becoming an SAP Business
Process Expert," Presented by B2B Workforce.
"Becoming a Business Process Expert - One Consultant's Journey"
There's a lot of talk about "SAP Business Process Experts." SAP even
has an online community set up around this emerging skill set. But
what does this really mean to the individual SAP consultant? For the
first time ever, Jon speaks in-depth with a senior functional
consultant, Samantha Gammill, President of Osiris ERP Consulting,
about her pursuit of the "SAP BPX skill set." In this podcast, we get
the story of why a certified MM/PP functional consultant with a broad
SAP background and 14 years of SAP consulting experience decided to
pursue the BPX skill set, how she went about doing it, and what the
reactions of her team members were to this skills transition.
Jon Reed Interviews Robert Max, ASUG Evangelist, on RunSAP and
Solution Manager, Presented by B2B Workforce.
"RunSAP, Solution Manager, and the Skills Needed for End-to-End
Process Optimization"
Why is RunSAP creating so many opportunities for SAP consultants in
post-go-live SAP environments? And how does Solution Manager and
End-to-End Process Optimization fit into the picture? To get at these
questions and many more, listen in with Jon Reed as he interviews
Robert Max, ASUG Evangelist and formerly the SAP Infrastructure
Manager for a Fortune 500 Company. During this podcast, Robert
explains how SAP customers can achieve a greater value from SAP
support by maximizing the use of Solution Manager, RunSAP, and
end-to-end process optimization. He also talks about the skills
needed by project teams (and individual consultants) if they want to
take advantage of these emerging post-go-live opportunities.
Jon Reed Interviews Kent Sanders of CSC on the NetWeaver Job Skills
of the Future, Presented by B2B Workforce.
"The End of the R/3 Basis Consultant, the Basis to NetWeaver Skills
Transition, and eSOA Skills Tips"
In this landmark podcast, Jon speaks with Kent Sanders, Senior
Technology Architect for CSC Consulting, about the beginning of the
end for the traditional R/3 Basis Consultant, and how to make the
skills transition to "NetWeaver Engineer." Kent explains why
mastering NetWeaver is essential for getting involved with eSOA, and
why eSOA has moved from hype to reality. Loaded with practical skills
tips for consultants and project teams, Kent SAP professionals an
inside view on how they can round out their skills, avoid being
outsourced, and stay marketable in the NetWeaver era.
Jon Reed Interviews Sue Martin of SAP on SAP Certification, Presented by B2B Workforce.
"News and Insights on SAP Certification"
The value of SAP certification for SAP professionals might be the most frequently asked career question of all time. In this special edition podcast, we discuss the key issues in SAP certification with Sue Martin, Global Certification Portfolio Manager for SAP. During the podcast, Jon Reed poses the "hot button" SAP certification topics that he always wanted to ask, including Sue's take on the relevance of SAP certification to hiring managers, and the value of SAP certification for those trying to break into SAP. Sue also explains the new three tiered SAP certification program.
Jon Reed Interviews Kent Bettisworth on the Keys to SAP Consulting Success, Presented by B2B Workforce.
"The Keys to SAP Consulting Success, Sapphire 2008 in Review, and SAP PS Innovations"
Kent is a senior Project Systems and Fixed Asset consultant with a great view of what it takes to succeed as an SAP consultant. After you listen to this podcast, you will understand why Kent is one of Jon's "go to" people when it comes to analyzing SAP skills trends and staying ahead of the skills curve. During this back-and-forth discussion, Jon asks Kent for his reaction to the SAP keynotes and the trends Kent noticed in terms of SAP-for-the-BlackBerry, Business by Design, Role-Based Portals and beyond. A major focus of the podcast is a closer look at the so-called "SAP Skills Shortage" and how SAP professionals should respond.
Jon Reed Interviews David Foote on SAP Skills Trends, Presented by B2B Workforce. “A Closer Look at the Sapphire '08 'Skills Shortage Controversy' and What Skills are Hot in SAP Today.”
The so-called "SAP skills shortage" was one of the biggest topics of discussion at Sapphire again this year. David Foote of Foote Partners was at the center of this discussion, asking SAP executives about the extent of the skills shortage and how they plan to respond. Foote Partners conducts some of the most extensive skills-based SAP (and IT) salary surveys on the market today. In this podcast, Jon Reed gets David's views on the extent of the SAP skills gap, which skills are in demand (and which are not), the value of certification, and other SAP skills trends after Sapphire 2008.
Jon Reed Interviews Ralph Williams on SAP HCM Consulting, Presented by B2B Workforce. "The Skills Needed for Success as an SAP HCM Consultant"
SAP HCM is one of the hottest areas in SAP consulting. To get to the bottom of what's hot and what's not in SAP HCM consulting, Jon Reed sat down with Ralph Williams, Director HCM Solutions, B2B Workforce. SAP HR is changing from a back office product to a strategically important "HCM" solution that includes cutting edge Talent Management components. But what does that mean for the SAP HR professional? What skills are in demand now? In this thirty minute podcast, Ralph shares with Jon the specific areas of SAP HR that are heating up, and what he looks for in the HR/HCM consultants he and his team place on B2B Workforce projects.
Jon Reed interviews Thomas Woelfel of Click Technology Group on SAP Logistics Upgrades, presented by B2B Workforce. "A Senior SD Consultant Shares His Keys to Success as an Independent SAP Consultant."
What skills do you need to perform an SAP Logistics upgrade to ERP 6.0? And what does it take to succeed as an independent SAP consultant? To get a better feel for the functional skills needed to succeed on the ERP 6.0 platform, Jon sat down with Thomas Woelfel, a veteran SD consultant, and got his take on how the SD module is
evolving. Thomas gives his view on what SAP Logistics consultants need to know in order to keep pace with SAP. A major focus of the podcast is on the role of the independent SAP consultant on project teams, and Thomas' recommendations for success in that role.
Jon Reed Interviews Thomas Jung of SAP Labs on the Future of SAP Development, Presented by B2B Workforce. "A NetWeaver Project Manager Shares His View on How the SAP Skill Set is Evolving."
SAP development is changing rapidly, and this technical evolution is impacting both technical and functional SAP professionals. To get an inside look at the future of SAP development, Jon interviewed Thomas Jung, NetWeaver Product Manager with SAP Labs and an influential blogger on the SAP Developer Network. Jon asked Thomas about a number of “hot button” topics in the SAP development space, including the innovations of the CE environment and the modeling tools needed for eSOA-driven development, the impact of outsourcing and how to make your skills “outsourcing proof,” why ABAP development is alive and well, and how’s SAP’s SDN and BPX communities are affecting how SAP professionals interact with SAP and enhance their skill sets.
Jon Reed Interviews Peter Scott on NetWeaver BI, Presented by B2B Workforce. "An Inside Look at the SAP BI Marketplace and the Skills Needed for BI Consulting Success"
Jon Reed talks with Peter Scott of Traxion Consulting and gets his take on why the NetWeaver BI markeplace has picked up so much momentum. Jon asks Peter to explain how NetWeaver BI got so hot and the skills SAP BI professionals need to succeed in the BI field. Peter also shares the keys to staffing SAP BI projects and how SAP end users should approach their BI installs and upgrades.
Jon Reed Interviews Steve Strout, ASUG CEO, Presented by B2B Workforce. "A Frank Discussion of the Challenges SAP Users are Facing and How ASUG Can Help"
Jon Reed speaks with Steve Strout, CEO of ASUG, the SAP User's Group, about the key issues SAP customers are facing in the NetWeaver and eSOA era. Jon asks Steve about the different perspectives SAP customers have concerning upgrades and how ASUG can make an impact on SAP project team education and support during the upgrade cycle. Steve also talks about how ASUG is impacting SAP's product evolution and he shares his vision for ASUG in 2008 and beyond.
Jon Reed Interviews Marco ten Vaanholt, Global Director of SAP BPX, Presented by B2B Workforce. "The SAP BPX Community Leader explains the role of BPX and how SAP professionals can evolve to into Business Process Experts (BPEs)."
Jon gets Marco's views on how to become an SAP Business Process expert, and how SAP BPX can help with this transition. Marco explains the various components of the BPE skill set, and Jon and Marco discuss how quickly SAP consultants need to make these skills changes and what the next steps are. Jon also asks Marco to break down the BPE skills needed from two directions: SAP technical and SAP functional job roles. Marco goes into specifics about the tools that SAP consultants will want to master to stay marketable. He also ties in the emerging BPE role with SAP's Enterprise SOA initiative and the broader need for Web 2.0 skills.
Jon Reed Interviews Kent Sanders, SAP Enterprise Architect, Presented by B2B Workforce. "An inside look at how Enterprise SOA is Changing SAP Projects and SAP Skills"
Jon Reed speaks with SAP Enterprise Architect Kent Sanders, and gets Kent's take on the keys to attracting and retaining SAP talent, how SAP developers can stay relevant on projects and reduce the risk of being outsourced, and how Kent's project team has developed a different way of obtaining "buy in" for eSOA projects, building support "from the bottom up." During this thirty-five minute podcast, Kent talks about the tools SAP professionals need to master to stay relevant, and how his project finds the right mix between outside consultants and internal training.
Jon Reed Interviews Krishna Kumar on SAP Tech Ed 2007, Presented by B2B Workforce. "An SAP technical visionary gives his take on TechEd '07 and explains what's real and what's hype in SAP's eSOA push."
Jon Reed speaks with Enterprise Horizons CTO Krishna Kumar, and gets his views on the major news announcements of TechEd '07, as well as SAP's Business Objects acquisition. Krishna also breaks down the real opportunities in SAP Enterprise SOA (eSOA), explaining what aspects of SOA are over-hyped, where the real action is, and what skills will be needed to be a successful SAP consultant in the eSOA era.
Jon Reed Interviews Rohana Gunawardena of Exium, Inc, Presented by B2B Workforce. "A senior consultant looks at ERP 6.0 upgrade process and the skills needed for project success."
Jon Reed speaks with Senior Financials Consultant Rohana Gunawardena, and gets his first-hand take on upgrading to ERP 6.0 in a global rollout. In this broad interview, Rohana touches on outsourcing, NetWeaver hype, the new GL, and the ideal SAP consulting skill set.
Jon Reed Interviews Ori Inbar of SAP, Presented by B2B Workforce. "An Exclusive Look at the NetWeaver Job Skills of the Future."
Join us for the groundbreaking interview on emerging SAP job roles, and find out the skills that will be needed for SAP project success in the NetWeaver era. Ori analyzes the "SAP skills gap" and explains how to remain marketable in a changing SAP market.
Jon Reed Interviews Suresh Sreenivasaiah of YesJ Expert, Presented by B2B Workforce. "An inside view of the SAP Retail Consulting market"
Jon speaks with Suresh about his current SAP Retail project with B2B Workforce and the lessons he has learned from working on SAP Retail projects since 1998. Suresh shares his view on why the SAP Retail market has heated up and what skills are needed for successful SAP Retail implementations.
Jon Reed Interviews Daniel Lubin of Abiomed, Presented by B2B Workforce.
"An in-depth look at the human side of Abiomed's All-in-One Implementation"
Join us as Jon Reed talks to Daniel Lubin about how his company managed to implement SAP in 28 unforgettable weeks, and hear about the lessons learned along the way.
Jon Reed Interviews Rod Masney, ASUG President, Presented by B2B Workforce.
"A review of ASUG's major themes for 2007 and its impact on the user community"
Join us for the groundbreaking interview on emerging SAP job roles, and find out the skills that will be needed for SAP project success in the NetWeaver era. Ori analyzes the "SAP skills gap" and explains how to remain marketable in a changing SAP market.
Jon Reed Interviews Brian Trout, SAP Practice Manager, B2B Workforce.
"A 45 minute, no-holds-barred overview of the SAP consulting market"
Nobody breaks down the SAP marketplace like Brian Trout. Listen in as Jon and Brian cover the major issues facing SAP consultants in the NetWeaver era.
We hope you enjoy these SAP podcasts. We'll be adding to our podcast collection frequently, so bookmark this page and check back with us soon.
If you'd like to check out more of our career resources, you can read through our past consultant newsletters, or check out Jon Reed's answers to the SAP career questions of B2B Workforce consultants. Click here if you'd like to look at our latest SAP job opportunities or upload your resume.
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