SAP Certification: the path to success!

[TammyPowlas]

I know there are many disagreements on SAP Certification - is it needed, is it useful?  All things being equal between one candidate and another candidate, would you select the one who is certified?  Will SAP certification help me in my job search?

 

Frankly, I don't think that should be an individual's motivation for SAP certification.  In my former life as a consultant (10+ years ago)  I asked my partner if I could attend the SAP Academy.  He said "why don't you go ahead and take the exam, and then we'll see if you need training".  So I began studying for the FI certification exam.  I read the help, and crammed big-time consolidations, which I have no experience.

 

Surprise surprise, I passed the exam!  And what do you know, all the notes I took studying for the exam I still look at today if I have an FI question.  Shortly after that, I also took and passed the CO certification.

 

A few years later, in my next job, my boss sent me to SEM academy, taught by the excellent Peter Jones, SAP.  Wow, boot camp big time!!  This was the only time I've ever been to an SAP academy and it was intense - evenings, weekends, then the exam the last day.  It might have been easier just to study and not go to the Academy!!  Fortunately I passed; I e-mailed Peter to thank him and tell him that I passed - and he said "good, only 50% of the class passed anyway".  Wow!

 

In 2008, I attended a TechED certification session; SAP rearranged the way they did their certifications.  I was in a BW position, but only attended 1-2 BW classes.  I still managed to be able to model, extract, and report on BW without the classes. SAP was offering a 50% discount on certification exam to TechED attendees.  I thought, "why not"?

So I began studying, and what do you know, as a result of studying for the exam, I was better able to debug Data Transfer Processes; respond to my Security Admin's questions on BW Authorizations; and better explain the various modeling methods.  I wasn't on a job search, but without classes, this forced me to learn everything about BW and perform my current job better.

Fortunately, I passed!  So what certification is next on the horizon for me?   I am considering ABAP, the foundation of the SAP system.   Will I take a class?  Likely not  - there's only funding for our company to send us to one class, and I'll select something else.  The target of a test is always a great motivator to learn something I didn't know before.

 

Often times I hear (particularly from those who do not have a SAP certification) that no one looks at SAP certifications and they don't matter.  I can tell you my certifications matter a great deal to me and I am very proud to be SAP certified!