Interview with Magdalena Dawidowicz, Senior Manager at Accenture
Out of so many systems on the market, why is SAP a good option for someone who plans a career in IT?
After 13 years of working in Accenture on various SAP projects I would mention two reasons – flexibility and scale.
If you like programming – great – be an ABAP developer. If you prefer more functional expertise – fantastic – become an SAP business consultant. You can make your choice of whatever specialization path you wish to follow – logistics, production, finance, controlling… make your choice. You can mix and match 😉 SAP is present in companies from all the industries, various size – from global corporation to local firm and is used across entire organization– from warehouse operator to top management. This also creates for you unlimited possibilities to shape your future career.
SAP has been on the market for a while, is it still developed, or you work with set number of modules?
Indeed, SAP as an ERP system is already years on the market, but what I was implementing 13 years ago is not what we implement now. New functionalities, new tools, different user experience. Especially with the latest releases of S/4HANA – new has started.
What’s it like to work as a SAP Consultant?
Not only SAP consulting, but consulting world overall is for someone who enjoy changes and variety.
This type of work is driven by projects. Starting usually by gathering requirements, building solution, testing and making it live. I simplified a lot – there are far more things happening around SAP implementations.
Projects will vary one from another – different client, different scope, new people, new city or even new country. Meaning every few months you have opportunity to jump into new environment and learn. From my Accenture perspective – my average SAP projects were lasting about 12-18 months. Of course there is no rule. Can be from few months to few years. It all depends on what is scope of work, how complex are changes, if this is implementation or maintenance of existing system etc.
Many women fear working in consulting because they don’t know if they can manage having a child and growing their career at the same time. What would you advise them?
I think in any other work dilemmas might be the same, so probably it is not only about consulting type of work.
I would advise – try. Don’t assume it is not for you. Consulting offers flexibility that you can benefit of.
This kind of work – project driven – allowed me to pause for two maternity leaves and come back to the place I was before leaving. I came back and immediately started new project – setting up a new team, working for a new client. Just like I would have no break.
It is interesting you asked about women. Wonder if men have the same type of fear?
What would you advise to a person who wants to start working with SAP?
Just do it! Many consulting companies offer internship programs.
The most important be eager to learn and start on your own – do not wait someone will finger point you the best path.
If you want to see what SAP is – go to meetups, check online courses and tutorials, e.g. on YouTube, go to SAP forums. This will be still theory that would need to be cross checked with project reality, but you will be one step ahead.
