From the Desk of B2B Workforce President, Tim Shearer: The First Quarter in Review- a Time of Contrasts

The first quarter of 2008 was a time of turbulence and contrast in the marketplace. With the credit crunch still in full swing, high oil and energy prices, a weak U.S. dollar, and the Fed providing economic stimuli on multiple levels, the general business climate was volatile with different industry sectors performing differently. The impact of this economic turbulence filtered down to the ERP consulting industry as well. The three primary trends that have emerged are the significant variance in business by industry, the overall IT spend by the end customers and the contraction of rates our customers are willing to pay.

The overall economic climate has made winners and losers of certain industries. The sub-prime melt down and its implications on the capital base of major money center banks and investment banks has caused those companies to dramatically curtail or eliminate capital spending on new and existing IT initiatives. This has resulted in B2B seeing quite a few less job requirements in this industry than our historical norm.

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IT Survival Guide for B2B Field Consultants: Keys to Success for Your Laptop and You

By Mark Parker, Director of IT

Your relationship with the B2B Workforce IT Staff should start with the interview. When you're given the opportunity to ask questions about the job, the company, and the work environment, don't limit yourself to questions like "How many coffee breaks do I get in a day?" and "Will the work space you provide me include electrical lighting?" Make sure you ask what type of computer the client will provide for you to use.

This will usually result in a moment of stunned silence, followed by something like "We don't have a computer for you. Don't you have one?" To which you can reply, "I do, but what specs do you require?" They may not know the answer to this, but you can smooth this over by suggesting they send them to your B2B Workforce recruiting contact when they have a few minutes. Don't leave it to them to do this.

During the follow-up with your recruiter, be sure to mention that they should expect to hear from the client about computer specs. Tell them a little bit about what you have available and ask them if they can help you out, should the specs call for a mini-Cray instead of the X-box you've been carrying around for a year or two.

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SAP in the news

SAP and Business Objects to build business-wide dashboard infrastructure: Click here

SAP Customers and Partners to Gather at SAPPHIRE(R) 2008 Event Series to Explore "Business Beyond Boundaries": Click here

Google, Salesforce Partnership Owes Legacy To Microsoft, SAP, Oracle: Click here

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

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Ask the SAP Career Expert

Q:I have been an SAP techno-functional consultant for the past 10 years. I have worked in various modules. I wanted to move to completely functional. Although I don't have direct experience in configuration, I know practically most of the settings. I am basically an Industrial Engineer and love Manufacturing. (I have been mostly in manufacturing industries) I wanted to move into SAP SCM/APO - the 5.0 version seems to be the latest and greatest as a functional. I was planning on doing the certification as well next month. I wanted to know if there are opportunities out there for people like me...little experience on paper, but hands on project experience on PP and various modules.

JR: This is a great question because it raises so many different issues that are of importance to SAP professionals: the technical-to-functional transition, the marketability of supply chain management, the value of certification, and the importance of configuration skills.

Let's take a look at each one of these. You are not unlike many SAP professionals in that your "end destination" is different than your current role. Whenever you are trying to move into a role that is different from the one you have now, you may be talking about more than one job change. For example, moving from technical to functional as a PP person is one job change, moving from PP to APO is another job change. You might be able to make both those moves at the same time, but if you have trouble, then break them down and make one move at a time

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Oracle in the news

Review: What to make of Oracle 11g: Click here

Oracle Issues 41 Security Fixes in Latest CPU: Click here

Oracle Moves Towards 'Universal' Archive: Click here

Health Tip from WebMD

Spring-Clean Your Refrigerator and Freezer

Tips for keeping foods fresh, safe, and tasty

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

Hopeful signs of spring are everywhere, with birds chirping, tulips and daffodils showing off their colors, and plenty of activity on the tennis courts and baseball fields. For many of us, all these things are also a sign that it's time to get started on the annual spring cleaning.

This year, along with the yard work and baseboards, resolve to add the refrigerator and freezer to your spring-cleaning list. Lurking deep inside them could be a scary "science experiment" or an ice-encrusted mess begging to be thrown away. And cleaning out your freezer and fridge means more than just a tidier-looking kitchen. Food kept too long or at improper temperatures can become contaminated with bacteria, which can cause illness.

Most people, it turns out, don't understand the dangers of improper food storage. The American Dietetic Association found that only 40% of consumers knew that eating food that has been stored in refrigerators warmer than 40 degrees Fahrenheit can increase the risk of food-borne illness.

Indeed, food poisoning and other food-borne illnesses are very common. Last year, there were an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne illness in the United States, according to the CDC.

To view the full article on WebMD.com: Click here

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