Robert Parkinson

For those who haven't jumped on the SAP consulting bandwagon, the window of opportunity could be narrowing. The past year saw a flood of new consultants enter the market, and Computerworld's annual Skills Survey revealed that managers aren't quite as eager to embrace the once-scorching skill.

But consultants who entered the SAP scene early can expect plenty of opportunity, and huge salaries, for some time to come. Computerworld recently spoke with veteran SAP consultant Robert Parkinson about how he sees the market now, and his outlook for the near future.

CW: What is your background in information systems?

PARKINSON: "I have an M.A., as well as a B.S degree in computer science. My 16 years as a technical professional include 4 1/2 years of SAP R/3 Basis experience, nine years of relational database experience, and 11 years of UNIX experience. I have worked for industry giants such as IBM and Oracle. In early 1992, I began to pursue the SAP phenomena, when few people in the U.S. had even heard of the German-based company."

CW: How did you acquire skills in SAP?

PARKINSON: "I first gained my R/3 experience as a senior project manager at Oracle. I'd worked with enough software packages to know a well-engineered, well-designed business application software when I saw one. Client/server technology was just coming into vogue, so joining SAP America was the next logical progressive step for me in my career. In mid-1994, I became a Basis consultant in SAP's Western Region and I received extensive training at SAP's headquarters in Walldorf, Germany.

"Since then, I have held prominent roles in bringing two Fortune 100 and three Fortune 500 companies 'live' on SAP. I am currently playing an integral role in the largest implementation of leading R/3 3.0 technology to date at a major high-tech company in the greater Silicon Valley."

CW: SAP has been all the rage for the past two years. Are opportunities for SAP consultants still as plentiful?

PARKINSON: "Basis consultants are still highly sought after, and my feeling is it will remain that way for some time to come. Although SAP is experiencing more competition, its competitors are still behind where R/3 is today, and SAP's marketing approach to smaller and mid-size companies will ensure the demand for consulting remains high."

CW: Are more or fewer companies adopting SAP, and of those that are, do they tend to be in certain industries or regions?

PARKINSON: "The demand for SAP implementations remains strong, but it has started to level off a bit. Because SAP can streamline the business operations of any company, its use is not restricted to any particular industry. I have participated in implementations at a variety of businesses, from high-tech corporations to newspaper publishers.

"I also don't find that SAP is geographically limited to any one area -- it has users around the globe. Companies seem to realize that the long-term cost-saving benefits of SAP far outweigh the initial investment. I believe SAP can maintain a superior market share through the year 2000 and beyond."

CW: What are the opportunities for those who aren't already doing SAP implementation consulting, but would like to get into it? How do they get started?

PARKINSON: "Hands-on experience is the best teacher of SAP. For those who do not have the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience, there are a number of good formal training programs available. SAP is not for the faint of heart; its complexity at times can even overwhelm a seasoned professional."

CW: Are there advantages to working as an independent SAP consultant versus working for a large consulting house?

PARKINSON: "There are two primary advantages of independent consulting: having the ability to choose customers myself and receiving higher compensation. One challenge of working independently, however, is ensuring that technology does not pass you by. It's important to seek out projects and clients that are progressive in the latest technology. My goal is to place myself in situations where I can contribute my current skills to the project at hand and also learn new things."

CW: How else do you keep your skills current?

PARKINSON: "Like any contractor, I must be open to attending training programs to enhance my skills, even though I may have to pay for the instruction out of my own pocket. I read as many client/server technical publications as I can get my hands on and I also look at the Internet as a valuable resource. I plan to make my own contribution to the educational material available on SAP by publishing an R/3 administration book."

CW: How typical is your current assignment in terms of stress and hours required in a work week?

PARKINSON: "My current project is fairly typical; it is high stress and there are long hours involved. My evenings and weekends are often spent carrying a pager and responding to difficult problems that arise or performing tasks that must occur when the system is not in use. I'm not surprised anymore when I get a call for help in the middle of the night. One of my responsibilities is handling off-hour emergencies. Consulting is not a 9-to-5 job."

CW: How are you treated when on site with a client? Do permanent employees resent your skills and fees, and do they try to absorb any of your expertise?

PARKINSON: "I am treated by the client with the same respect afforded their own employees, with perhaps a little more emphasis on quickly solving problems. I often am paired with permanent employees so I can pass along valuable R/3 knowledge that will remain at the company after I leave, and I sense an eagerness to learn rather than any resentment."

CW: What will be the career impact for you of having gained SAP skills and worked on these projects? What new projects can you expect?

PARKINSON: "Being involved with a hot technology such as SAP immediately adds credibility to the technical skills I already possess. Each new customer that I bring 'live' further enhances my value on future engagements. The scope and challenges of my future projects will be fueled by each new release of SAP. For example, SAP release 3.1 features Internet connectivity."

CW: What are the personal sacrifices required for this kind of work?

PARKINSON: "Consultants may have to make a number of personal sacrifices, including being separated from their families, feeling like they have a 'temporary' existence and being treated as an outsider on the job site. I personally haven't experienced any of those scenarios. In order to be happy as a consultant, and make yourself available to the greatest number of opportunities, you must be willing to relocate and assimilate yourself quickly into the client's environment."

CW: How do you market yourself as an independent SAP consultant to keep assignments coming uninterrupted?

PARKINSON: "For me, longevity is an important component to accepting a contract. My current engagement will reach the one-year mark next month. But, I'm constantly aware of the need to market myself to future customers. With that thought in mind -- as well as with the aim of facilitating an exchange of SAP information with other industry professionals -- I created a web site (http://members.aol.com/robertpark/) that has had more than 1,800 hits since its September 1996 inception.

"The web site has generated a lot of interest from both recruiters and other SAP professionals. Every month, I include new hints and tips about SAP, and I am especially pleased to hear 'war stories' from other consultants."

CW: What changes are you seeing in the SAP market, and what do you expect will be happening with SAP salaries in the year ahead?

PARKINSON: "I don't see an end to the need for experienced SAP contractors for some time, although I have already seen a subtle shift in the market. A couple of years ago, anyone who could spell SAP could demand high rates. Today, seasoned professionals who have proven their abilities typically receive the higher compensation packages. Because the demand for this skill is greater than the supply, the sky's the limit when it comes to compensation for a top contractor. I don't see a downturn in the rates in the foreseeable future. I believe the financial rewards of being an SAP contractor far outweigh the security of being a permanent employee."

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