Since SAP exploded in popularity in the last decade, every recruiter and their intern are calling themselves SAP experts. But are they really the SAP specialist they claim to be?

You might be scratching your head at this question. And we get it. Your recruiter told you they’re an SAP expert, so you ought to believe them. 

But the reality is not all SAP consultants are created equally. Some SAP recruitment specialists actually only have a basic knowledge of what SAP is. 

And if your SAP consultant doesn’t fully get SAP and its associated technologies, they’ll struggle to deliver the right talent match and meet your SAP recruitment needs. Not good. 

So, do you know you’re getting the real deal? To help you separate an okay SAP recruiter from an excellent one, we’ve put together a guide to choosing a true SAP recruitment expert and how to spot a fake.

Three signs your SAP consultant is “faking it till they make it”

When SAP recruiters are also smooth talkers, it can be difficult to spot when they’re pulling the wool over your eyes when it comes to their SAP talent capabilities.

To help you figure out whether your SAP recruitment agency actually knows what they’re talking about rather than just the basics, watch out for these three signs. 

#1 You keep receiving poor-fit CVs

Do you spend hours talking to your SAP recruitment agency about the type of SAP professionals you need, only to receive CVs that seem nothing like them? Maybe it’s because your recruiter doesn’t understand the complexities of the role or SAP technology itself. 

As an example, one of the customers RED Global supports has a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and many of the vendors are not skilled in SAP. The client was inundated with CVs that were not a fit and the amount of time wasted between screening resumes, having vendor calls, and conducting poor interviews led them to work outside of the MSP solution with RED. The amount of time saved by working directly with RED greatly increased their productivity and reduced the costs associated with hiring SAP talent. They were still able to use the MSP to manage onboarding, time worked, and spend but didn’t have to sort through dozens of poor candidates every time a job opened. 

#2 Your SAP consultant can’t answer questions

Ever asked your SAP recruiter a question related to SAP jobs or candidate experience, but they can’t give you a straight answer? Maybe they don’t know the names of specific modules or aren’t sure what the relevance is, for example. This indicates they may not know what they’re talking about.

Recently, one of our customers asked for SAP trainers for their greenfield SAP implementation and disclosed they were working with several other firms to find the resources. We drilled down on the typical processes implemented on a project (OTC, RTR, P2P, etc.) and then asked questions about their training environment & library, the availability of training content, class scheduling, and a number of other critical pieces of information we needed to find the right fit. The client quickly realised they needed more than just staff augmentation help and RED proposed a new approach that not only staffed the entire training team, but also provided a critical OCM lead and advised them on best practices to deliver the training. 

#3 They receive bad candidate reviews

Check SAP recruitment agencies reviews online to see what candidates are saying about them. If candidates are complaining that their SAP recruiter didn’t understand their role correctly or was putting them forward for poor-fit roles, you might be dealing with a fake SAP expert. 

We recently talked with an SAP FI consultant who received a call from a large staffing agency to discuss an SAP MM position. The consultant shared that the recruiter had tried to convince the consultant to send over their CV even though he was adamant that he was not a fit. “You’re the only SAP consultant I’ve found that is available so isn’t it worth a try?”. That recruiter won’t be getting many call backs. 

Want to expand your SAP recruitment know-how? Here are “6 mistakes VPs make when hiring SAP talent and how to avoid them.”

Feel the difference with a true SAP recruitment expert.

When your SAP recruitment agency doesn’t have the expertise to find the right person for the role or aren't connecting you with the right SAP jobs or employers, they can become a severe drain on your time, budget, and patience. 

Know what working with a genuine SAP recruitment expert feels like with RED Global. At RED Global, we know SAP. In fact, we’ve been the go-to SAP recruitment experts for the SAP market for more than 23 years, and here’s why. 

Singular SAP focus

Unlike other recruitment agencies that often pivot their niche in line with “what’s trending”, RED has been committed to SAP recruitment since day one. This singular focus on SAP and its associated technologies is what has allowed us to stake the “expert” claim. 

Extensive global network

By focusing all our efforts on SAP recruitment, we have grown an impressive network of more than 300,000 SAP professionals worldwide. This unrivalled database of talented SAP candidates means we already have who you need.

Intensive SAP training

Many recruitment consultancies will hire new recruiters and have them selling to clients almost immediately. At RED, however, we put our new hires through advanced training first led by as SAP trainer who has been at RED for 20+ years with a full SAP training programme. 

180 recruitment model

With most of our business units, we split our recruitment consultants into two teams – sales & delivery. While working together, our sales consultants works directly with our clients and our delivery consultants work directly with our candidates. We only allow our recruitment consultants to work with clients once they fully understand SAP and its related roles.

Proven recruitment results

We have successfully placed more than 40,000 SAP candidates in their roles worldwide in more than 70 countries around the globe. With RED, the proof is in the pudding. We know top SAP talent when we see it and where they’ll fit in best. 

Strategic data insights

Since we’ve been in the SAP recruitment game for over two decades, we can offer our clients unique data insights that other consultancies simply can’t. This rich data on candidate expectations, salaries, and more can help you make informed recruitment decisions. 

Satisfied candidates 

The benefits of working with real SAP experts extend to our candidates too. With us, you don’t have to explain the complexities of your role. We already know what you do. So instead of wasting time, we can get straight to work connecting you with exciting roles. 

Ready to work with a recruiter that actually knows SAP?

Partnering with RED to fulfil your talent needs means partnering with a true SAP expert. We know this technology. And we know who your business needs to implement it successfully, help you take advantage of it, and thrive.

Whether you're looking for permanent SAP recruitment solutions or contract SAP hires to fill the gaps, let our SAP specialists deliver the qualified candidates and deep understanding of SAP you need to win big.

Tap into the exclusive SAP and tech talent network, data-backed expertise, and incredible support of recruitment consultants who know SAP better than anyone else. 

Book a strategy call with our dedicated team at RED Global today.