Finding SAP Developers: How to Fill Vacancies in 5 Days
Is your SAP position vacant for over 130 days? Each of these days costs you more than 400 Euros in lost value. Discover a proven strategy to find qualified SAP developers and receive initial candidate profiles in just five days.
The topic in brief and concise terms
An unfilled SAP position costs companies over 400 euros daily due to lost value creation.
With a structured 3-step process (kick-off, search, presentation), the first candidate profiles can be available in just 5 days.
The best SAP developers are passive and are most effectively reached through active sourcing and specialized networks, not through job portals.
<p>The search for qualified SAP developers often feels like an impossible task. According to Bitkom, 149,000 IT positions in Germany are vacant, with a significant portion in the SAP sector. This gap slows down your projects, jeopardises release deadlines, and incurs considerable costs. However, there is a way to reduce this process from months to just a few days. This article introduces you to a straightforward, three-step process that helps you stop searching and start hiring the right SAP experts. We use a method that has already proven successful in placing 120 tech specialists.</p>
Quantifying the cost of an unfilled SAP position
Content
The 5-day action plan to fill your SAP position
A lengthy recruitment process can be a project killer. We have adapted our proven process, through which we've already placed 120 Java specialists, for the SAP market to present you with carefully selected candidates in just five days. This approach transforms a months-long marathon into a five-day sprint.
This is how the process works in detail:
Day 1: The Kick-off Call. In a 60-minute conversation, we define the exact requirements profile, from the necessary SAP module skills to cultural fit.
Day 2-3: The Targeted Search. Our team uses a network of over 5,000 pre-qualified contacts and active sourcing methods to identify suitable experts who are not actively job-seeking.
Day 4: Candidate Validation. We conduct structured interviews to assess the candidates’ technical and social competencies and ensure they meet your requirements 100%.
Day 5: The Presentation. You receive a curated selection of two to three precise profiles, including a detailed analysis of why these candidates provide the greatest value for your project.
This structured approach eliminates downtime and ensures that you only engage with the most relevant candidates.
Defining the ideal candidate persona for SAP roles
Success in finding an SAP developer starts with a precise requirements profile. Many companies make the mistake of focusing solely on hard skills, even though soft skills are equally crucial for project success. A candidate who is technically brilliant but cannot communicate within the team will quickly become a burden. A clear profile should cover at least five dimensions.
Consider the following points in your definition:
Technical Expertise: Which SAP modules are indispensable (e.g., FICO, MM, S/4HANA)? Which programming languages (ABAP, Fiori) are required?
Industry Experience: Has the candidate already worked in your industry (e.g., Automotive, FinTech) and understands the specific processes?
Project Experience: Are you looking for someone for a Greenfield implementation or for optimizing an existing system?
Soft Skills: How important are problem-solving skills, communication, and the ability to present complex issues simply?
Cultural Fit: Does the candidate fit with the working style of your team (agile, remote, hybrid)?
A detailed profile forms the basis for not only finding any SAP headhunter but finding the right one for your needs and accelerating the search.
Effective recruitment channels beyond job portals
The best SAP developers are rarely actively looking for jobs. In January 2024, there were over 32,000 open SAP roles on LinkedIn in Germany alone, leading to significant competition for visible talent. To reach about 90% of suitable candidates who are passive, you need to think beyond traditional job boards. Active sourcing through specialised networks is the key to success. An experienced recruiting partner accesses a talent pool built over years, which remains unreachable through classic job ads. These experts have often already spoken with potential candidates before your request and assessed their motivation and qualifications for a change. As a result, the process from identification to presentation is reduced from an average of 134 days to less than a week. Investing in a partner who masters these channels pays off in terms of speed and quality.
The Interview: Assessing Technical Skills and Cultural Fit
A successful interview is more than just a collection of technical knowledge. It is a dialogue that ensures a candidate is a good fit for your team both technically and personally. A good structure combines technical case studies with behaviour-based questions. Provide the candidate with a real, anonymised problem scenario from your daily project work and ask them to outline a solution approach. In doing so, you not only observe the result but especially the approach and communication skills. Ask specifically about past project challenges and how the candidate dealt with them. This helps identify problem-solving skills and resilience. A well-structured 45-minute conversation often yields more insights than three unprepared interviews. At the end of the process, you have not just a new employee, but a real team member who will drive your projects forward.
Start your successful search now
Finding the right SAP developer doesn't have to be a months-long gamble. With a clear requirement profile, a proactive sourcing approach, and a structured selection process, you can reduce vacancy time by over 95%. Nova Search has perfected this process for demanding tech roles. We deliver the first precise candidate profiles to you in five days. Book your free and non-binding strategy consultation now to fill your vacancy quickly and efficiently.
More useful links
Hays provides a specialist index for information technology professionals.
Heise provides information about the salaries of SAP developers and SAP consultants in Germany in 2025.
Bitkom addresses the shortage of IT professionals in Germany.
The Federal Employment Agency analyses the labour market for ICT occupations in the context of transformation.
The IAB is the Institute for Employment Research and Occupational Studies.
Destatis, the Federal Statistical Office, provides a glossary definition of IT professionals.
FAQ
Why is it so difficult to find SAP developers?
The shortage of SAP developers is significant, as demand driven by digital transformation and S/4HANA migration exceeds the supply of qualified professionals. In Germany, there are approximately 149,000 open IT positions, of which 30-40% are SAP-related, intensifying the competition for talent considerably.
What is the advantage of a specialised recruitment agency like Nova Search?
A specialised agency like Nova Search reduces the recruiting process from months to days. We access an active network of pre-qualified candidates and present you with initial profiles in just five days thanks to an efficient 3-step process. This saves time, costs, and internal resources.
How does Nova Search ensure the quality of candidates?
Our process includes a thorough validation of every candidate. We conduct structured interviews to assess not only technical skills but also soft skills and cultural fit. This ensures that you're only speaking with experts who can truly advance your projects.
What costs are involved in the collaboration?
We operate on a pure success basis. This means that costs only arise for you when you decide on one of the candidates we present and the employment contract is signed. The initial consultation for strategy planning is completely free and non-binding for you.
Do you also provide SAP freelancers?
Yes, our network includes both permanent experts and qualified freelancers. This allows us to respond flexibly to your needs, whether it’s for a temporary project or to bridge capacity bottlenecks.
