Want to move to SAP after 6+ years of experience in a completely different field?

Question

Hi and Good Day to all lovely people on SCN.
I have been following this site for quite a few months now, reason: I am hooked to the wonderful world of SAP.
I still haven't personally experienced it, and currently in dire need of suggestions from your expertise.
After completing my MBA in Finance & Marketing, I started working for a Multi-National Bank in its Back Office Operations.
Been 6+ years and now am planning to also explore and enhance my knowledge in IT field which would be relevant to my
current experience and help amplify the chances of improving my career.
Am confused, and unable to determine which modules should I start with to get the basics of SAP.
Hence request you all show me how to take my first steps and gradually move faster by strengthening my roots.
Request you all to show me a road map, which would help me overcome any hurdles on the way to my destination of
being certified in at least one module.
I support Foreign Exchange operations and have fair (but not in depth) technical knowledge of how two systems are linked together to get the
job done automatically. Since, basically am from Finance, I have good knowledge on different financial products. Hope this would help you to
determine which module in SAP would be well suited for me.
I request every one of you to, please help me out and guide me so that I can make most of it.
Anxiously looking forward to receive responses.
Thank you & Regards
Bilal Ahmed D

Answer 1

Hi Bilal
Honest question here: Why SAP? You appear to have zero exposure or experience, including not knowing what "SAP AG" is yet you are keen to completely change your career? How did you hear about SAP? Sorry, I do not mean to be unkind.
So far you have described your background and asked what module. You've received some recommendation on what module based on a very high level summary you have provided - back-end operations can mean a multitude of work activities.
I have also tried to provide you with an alternative approach to entering SAP. In my recommendation it is not about being hired because you do have or not have SAP skill set. It is about getting a job because you have industry experience and you just happen to now work for a company that uses SAP. Once you start working for the company you then start using SAP as an end user. You get more exposure to the system from that point of view. You may even discover that SAP does your head in (it happens to all of us at some point) and you are no longer interested.
I am not a functional person nor industry qualified so I can't say which module is right for you. But the reality is no-one in SCN is qualified to tell you what pursue. Particularly, when you seem to want to change industry as well - sounds like you are planning to go back to square one whether you intend to or not. If you were to change industry, how would you achieve that? Your approach in changing industry would probably include the same steps as changing product knowledge to SAP: research, hard work, networking, job application, etc and a bit of luck and opportunity presenting itself at the right time for you to capitalise on.
How intensely you should work will also come down your natural abilities and motivation/desire to succeed in my career path.
For education, search SCN for Learning Hub. You can obtain free access to some course material which would include introduction for you to have a look and see what it's all about and what takes your interest.
But please keep in mind (and search other posts here).. a lot of freshers seek training and certification with expectation it will lead to a well-paid job. They then come here and ask why no one hires freshers or why did they spend all this money on certification when experience is sought. You have experience, just a different flavour.
Regards
Colleen