2015 Aug 19 10:37 AM
Hi,
I can understand that the subject may be make people laugh. 13 years of experience guy asking about what to do??? To be honest..... you know or not there are many Senior consultants are on same boat.
With such a huge experience, people would have reached position of Team lead or working combining different technology like webdynpro, workflow, ale/idoc, Oops etcccc.. Some people would have moved to BI/PI/Some to HANA.
But all my question is, being junior ABAP consultant we can work as technical consultant without any problem. But once you reach certain experience the next level is you can become team lead. However I don't able to see the next level. People may call it as Architect but i am not sure how many such position really exist in all the company.
To put in a simple way, your experience should equal to the value addition you do to your company.
After 13 years of ABAP experience, i feel like no idea where to go further. Even if you enter HANA, FIORI even junior consultants can do the same job. Yes your experience shows difference however from billing perspective, junior guys are preferred.
Kindly through your light.
Your idea can change lot of senior people direction.
2015 Aug 21 4:50 PM
Thanks for CC, T-dubz.
It's not quite clear from the post why are you asking such question. Do you feel bored or looking for more money or more responsibilities?
Technically one can continue to be a programmer (in ABAP or any other language) their whole career. ABAP in particular is well suited for more mature demographics (ahem) because it has a lot to do with business logic and business process. Even simple life experience working in different industries and settings can be very helpful.
I can relate to not being willing to move into managerial positions, especially since mid-level management is the worse place to be IMHO (and usually one can't just jump over it and become a CIO at once ). Developers can make terrible bosses - we are not the "people persons", let's face it. Also there is actually better job security in development than in management. You can still support SAP without a manager, but not so much without people doing actual development or configuration.
You could try something outside of SAP universe but, as long as you want to keep with SAP, you'd have to pick one of the related technologies I'm afraid. Learn where ABAP "touches" other areas, e.g. UI, interfaces, etc. Integration is not going anywhere (actually I believe we'll see even more projects where we'd need to connect SAP with other systems), so that's where your practical experience will become handy.
Another growing area is Analytics, but that would be a shift from development, so you'd need to decide whether it's something you like.
Not sure where you work right now, but the easiest is usually to look for opportunities within the same organization. Otherwise you'd have to see what skills are in demand by other employers and go from there.
2015 Aug 21 7:19 AM
Hi Shirley,
I understand you perfectly (or almost kkkk), I do not consider me as a senior like you (because I have only barely 6 years of ABAP, completed recently (Yay \ o /)), but I feel the same ... And now, how to grow more?
We work in an industry that constantly needs to be updated, new technologies are always emerging and it is interesting being updated, even if it makes us be new "juniors". I think a little differently and would not use the word "junior" but "lifelong learners", I am always seeking knowledge, even here in the SCN (which has been my greatest source of study), spent hours reading and reading is so much good here (as HANA, UI5, SFIN, etc...).
With the knowledge gained through the years, it is only natural for us to become leaders and technical managers, but not everyone feels comfortable with the administrative side, there are those who like the front line. I do not think that has much competition with the "juniors", all have the opportunity, it is unfortunately the market.
My final advice would be for you to study HANA for that is the "boom" of the moment and do not forget about the hunger of study
Warm regards,
Raphael Pacheco.
2015 Aug 21 2:53 PM
shirley,
It is a relevant question for all those who have around 10+ years of technical experience and don't want to move to any "lead / manager" role. Can you continue to be an ABAPer for the rest of your career in your current company? (will company keep you, even if they give you minimal raise per year)
TW
your comments might help the OP
Message was edited by: TW Typewriter
2015 Aug 21 4:50 PM
Thanks for CC, T-dubz.
It's not quite clear from the post why are you asking such question. Do you feel bored or looking for more money or more responsibilities?
Technically one can continue to be a programmer (in ABAP or any other language) their whole career. ABAP in particular is well suited for more mature demographics (ahem) because it has a lot to do with business logic and business process. Even simple life experience working in different industries and settings can be very helpful.
I can relate to not being willing to move into managerial positions, especially since mid-level management is the worse place to be IMHO (and usually one can't just jump over it and become a CIO at once ). Developers can make terrible bosses - we are not the "people persons", let's face it. Also there is actually better job security in development than in management. You can still support SAP without a manager, but not so much without people doing actual development or configuration.
You could try something outside of SAP universe but, as long as you want to keep with SAP, you'd have to pick one of the related technologies I'm afraid. Learn where ABAP "touches" other areas, e.g. UI, interfaces, etc. Integration is not going anywhere (actually I believe we'll see even more projects where we'd need to connect SAP with other systems), so that's where your practical experience will become handy.
Another growing area is Analytics, but that would be a shift from development, so you'd need to decide whether it's something you like.
Not sure where you work right now, but the easiest is usually to look for opportunities within the same organization. Otherwise you'd have to see what skills are in demand by other employers and go from there.
2021 Mar 06 12:18 PM
Jelena,just reviewing your response as it starts with >>Do you feel bored or looking for more money or more responsibilities
Makes me believe you did not get the essence of the question the thread initiator is putting.Question is once you have 14 years and above experience in ABAP ,probability is you may be placed as a team lead or may be not.
From this point onwards ,what next growth level you can expect in industry ?
Will anybody make you a CIO of his company ?
If you remain in technical ,can you do programming at age of 50-60 when your brain needs more rest ?
If you stay in the role,beside justifying at your role you are expected to catch what is coming new in industry.
Can you leave sap altogether and still switch to a good paying domain ?
2021 Mar 06 12:38 PM
fwiw,
i have re-discovered ABAP though HANA after 23+ years but only because some of the newer, open source, code is expiring this month and maybe because i'm not a CIO 'material' and need my brain to rest and i need a life to learn.
cheers,
gm
2021 Mar 08 10:06 PM
adishar - There was a question mark at the end of the sentence, I was asking a question. Now that OP has been "formerized", we'll never know the answer, unfortunately.
I'm quite confused though what triggered a comment on a reply that was posted more than 5 years ago... If you'd like to ask a question on this then please do so by posting a new question.
Thank you.
2021 Mar 22 2:15 PM
I think I need not spend effort on it.
The way sap has been transformed making it complex and by far not in every body reach,many will ask you this question
2015 Aug 22 8:59 AM
To put in a simple way, your experience should equal to the value addition you do to your company.
shirley,
You have put it clearly! The customer should be satisfied with the value you bring on to the table, for the money they pay for you. In many cases, the "profit" for customers and employers is more with not-so-senior analysts. And as the experience grows, this balance (value/cost) can be difficult to attain.
This is not only for ABAP but for all modules (functional included)...
Even if you don't want to study something new because you will be amidst "younger crowds", you need to keep gathering. Bottom line is that the customer (employer) should feel more satisfied with you than some one with lesser experience, only then you will stay employed.
What you should learn...that is up to you, your liking and capacity...it can be several things like Jelena techno-(business awareness)functional or like Rahael says HANA etc. etc.
I can give some examples about Typewriter. I am concentrating on functionalities I have not worked on like rebates, ATP all this is in SD itself. So I choose to stay in SD and keep learning "new" things and revising topics in which I have worked.
In every meeting with customer (business or project manager) I try to add value - by doing a good job, asking questions, that showcases my experience, be self-sufficient, making the end user feel that his/her exact requirements are gathered and addressed (with clear communication).
So bottom line, we can stay in the same module as analyst for a life time, but need to keep giving more and more value, handling complex tasks (design etc.). Shifting from doing the easy to concentrating on doing the difficult. Have the belief that you can stay in the same module throughout your professional life...may be you would have to change organizations (a few times).
TW
2015 Dec 31 1:20 PM
Precisely the question I too had. Now, I have a bag of mixed experiences, so finding it difficult to seek out next path. Have been hands-on in ABAP for around 10yrs but not in recent years, did little FI functional role (attempted for certification too), high level idea on Fiori but in recent years I am managing teams and projects. Decision I take now with my years of experience has higher risk. Need help in brainstorming options... FI / HANA(ABAP or Simple FI) / Fiori / continue with PM role / any others?
2015 Dec 31 5:30 PM
Sridhar,
For how many years are you doing PM? During this period, have you missed/ longed for the hands-on technical work?
TW
2016 Jan 01 6:30 AM
TW,
Wish you happy new year to you!
I am in PM role for around 4 yrs now. Yes, I did long for hands-on technical/functional and now feeling I am drifting away from it, which is making me uncomfortable actually.
I am interested in FI functional role as well. My thoughts are that in the longer run, functional role has more scope, even if I am considered junior in functional role for now.
Do share your views...
Thanks,
Sridhar.