SAP BW Consultant: How to reduce the vacancy period from 7 months to 30 days
Is your SAP-BW position vacant for over seven months? This downtime can cost you up to 15% productivity every sprint. We will show you a process to find suitable candidates in record time.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Filling a SAP BW consultant position in Germany takes an average of over 7 months, which significantly delays projects.
A modern SAP BW consultant requires specific knowledge in SAP BW/4 HANA, data migration, and native HANA modeling.
A misplacement in an IT key role can cause costs of over €100,000 due to productivity losses and re-recruiting.
<p>The German IT job market is swept clean, with 149,000 IT positions vacant by the end of 2023. For a key role such as an SAP BW Consultant, this means an average vacancy period of 7.7 months. This delay hinders your data strategy and costs real money. However, there is a way to speed up this process. This article provides you with a clear guide on how to identify, qualify, and hire the right experts before your projects lose momentum. We show you how a structured approach makes the difference.</p>
Market Analysis: The shortage of SAP experts is costing you 196 days
Content
Requirements Profile: How to Define the Ideal SAP BW Consultant
A contemporary SAP BW consultant needs more than just traditional knowledge. The switch to SAP BW/4HANA has altered the requirements. Your ideal candidate must bridge the gap between traditional systems and the new in-memory technology. A lack of understanding of migration will result in at least 20% more time being spent during the project. When selecting, focus on specific skills that ensure the success of your data warehouse project. A clear set of requirements is the foundation for a successful search and helps separate the wheat from the chaff. Here are the core competencies:
In-depth knowledge of SAP BW/4HANA and its data modelling objects (e.g. aDSO, CompositeProvider).
Experience in migrating from older SAP BW versions.
Strong analytical skills to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
Knowledge in SQL and ideally ABAP for implementing transformations.
Understanding of native SAP HANA modelling to create hybrid scenarios.
Hands-on experience with SAP Analytics Cloud for data visualisation.
With this profile, you can actively search for experts who not only manage but actively advance your data strategy. The next step is an efficient recruitment process that also attracts such talent.
The 4-step recruiting process for niche talents
A standardised process does not work for highly specialised roles like an SAP BW consultant. You need an agile approach that combines speed and quality. Many companies lose 40% of their top candidates due to slow processes. A clearly defined plan prevents this. The principles for filling tech roles are universal, whether it's an SAP headhunter or a Java developer. A structured approach, like the one we have perfected at Nova Search for Java teams, delivers initial candidates in just five days. This is what an efficient process looks like:
Kick-off (Day 1): A 60-minute deep-dive call to fully understand the requirements profile and cultural fit.
Active Search (Day 2-3): Targeted direct contact with passive candidates in specialised networks, not just on job portals.
Presentation (Day 4-5): Presentation of two to three handpicked profiles that fit professionally and culturally.
Contract Phase (Week 2): Quick feedback and transparent communication to complete the process within 14 days.
This focus on speed and precision minimises the risk of losing top talent to the competition. But what happens if you hire the wrong person?
Cost Analysis: A wrong hire costs you more than €100,000
Hiring the wrong SAP BW consultant incurs enormous costs that go far beyond the salary paid. A single wrong hire can cost your company between 30,000 and 140,000 euros. This sum is comprised of various factors. The hidden costs due to productivity loss in the team are often twice as high as the direct recruiting costs. Consider the following points in your calculations:
Direct costs: Effort for re-recruitment, advertisements, and interview time (approximately 15,000 €).
Salary costs: Salary for the unproductive employee for six months (approximately 35,000 €).
Loss of productivity: Delayed projects and additional strain on the team (approximately 40,000 €).
Damage to reputation: A poor cultural fit can lower team morale and increase turnover by up to 10%.
These figures show that careful selection is not a “nice-to-have.” A specialist partner drastically reduces this risk.
The Nova Search Approach: How Specialisation Makes the Difference
The challenge of finding a top SAP BW consultant is symptomatic of the entire tech market. It's always about quickly identifying niche experts. At Nova Search, we focus exclusively on German-speaking Java developers. Our promise: the first handpicked candidates in just five days. This focus allows us to maintain a talent pool and network that provides our clients with a critical speed advantage of up to 80% in the recruitment process. Our founder, Melina Nova Skorwider, has successfully placed over 120 talents in seven years. We prove daily that a specialised and personal approach works. If you want to fill the gap in your Java team as quickly as you wish for your SAP position, then talk to us. Book your free strategy consultation now.
More useful links
Die Bundesagentur für Arbeit analyses the job market for ICT professions in the context of transformation.
Die Bundesagentur für Arbeit offers statistical information about IT professionals.
Statista provides comprehensive statistics and information on the subject of the skills shortage in Germany.
Statista visualises in an infographic how long IT positions remain unfilled.
PwC provides information about the transition to SAP S/4HANA and the new IT landscape associated with it.
FAQ
What are the key skills of a SAP BW consultant today?
In addition to classic BW knowledge, today skills in SAP BW/4HANA, data modeling with ADSOs, SAP HANA native modeling, SQL, and the integration of visualization tools such as SAP Analytics Cloud are crucial.
How long does it really take to hire an SAP BW consultant?
Statistics show that the average vacancy period for IT positions is 7.7 months. For highly specialised roles, this can be even longer. However, with an optimised process, this time can be reduced to less than 30 days.
What is the difference between SAP BW on HANA and SAP BW/4HANA?
SAP BW on HANA is the classic SAP BW running on the HANA database. SAP BW/4HANA is a newly developed solution exclusively optimised for the HANA platform. It offers a simplified architecture, faster data processing, and more modern modelling objects.
How can I become more attractive to SAP talents as a company?
Offer clear development paths, the opportunity to work with the latest technologies such as BW/4HANA, flexible working models (Remote/Hybrid), and a competitive salary. A swift and transparent application process is also a crucial factor to attract top candidates.
