Anyone Know About ERP?

[Techforcer]

Hi All,

I've been PM'ing for about 6 years now, with a lot of this implementing new clinical systems in the NHS. Some of these have been really big systems, which span whole organisations and departments.

In the future, I'm like to use this experience to get into ERP, but I'm unsure how to make that first break into ERP as a whole.

The jobs that come up seem really interesting, and you certainly can't argue with the rates available... As I say, the issue is getting that first bit of experience...

Is anyone working in this field at present, who can share how they got their first experience in ERP at all?

Many thanks!

[Murder1]

When you say you want to get into ERP what do you mean, are you hoping that your PM skills are generic enough to be able to manage a new SAP/Oracle/Sage implementation/migration project without having done one in the past?

Like with any other role/skill you either go permie to try and get the experience before going contracting, blag your way into a role despite having little to no experience and hope you don't get found out or you hope that your current role expands to cover this area allowing you to take that skill/expertise elsewhere.

[Techforcer]

Pretty much... With PM'ing being generally a lot of common sense and people skills, I'd hope to be able to work on ERP (maybe at a lower level at first), without being exposed to it first... But I don't want to go and blag a job, saying I've got ERP experience when that's not the case.

Most of the ERP roles I've seen say that ERP experience is essential, which makes breaking into this area a little tricky.

[Murder1]

Pretty much... With PM'ing being generally a lot of common sense and people skills, I'd hope to be able to work on ERP (maybe at a lower level at first), without being exposed to it first... But I don't want to go and blag a job, saying I've got ERP experience when that's not the case.

Most of the ERP roles I've seen say that ERP experience is essential, which makes breaking into this area a little tricky.

Working as a dev on a project that's running in parallel with an ERP migration I can see why the experience is required. Like with any other skill/niche the issue is how you get practical experience if you first need that experience to get the role - if you don't feel up for blagging I'd then say you're left with the other two options of permie job or hope to work somewhere that allows you to get your feet wet.

[SussexSeagull]

Fanfare for the Common Man was an epic tune.

[Techforcer]

Fair advice Murder... I suppose those would be a couple of routes in.

I've been looking at online training courses... Could they be worth a punt? It'd mean I could pop ERP training on the CV, even if the experience isn't practical/work based yet...

[northernladuk]

Training is a very poor second next to experience though. If you can't deliver the goods from day one you are next to useless to your client. Having the training may allow you to slide into any oportunities at a client that may pop but you are going to need a huge dollop of luck. You are only as good as your last contracts.

[rurffy]

If you have no knowledge regarding ERP then yea you could go for the training - but i think you could learn everything on the training on your own(Books and Video tutorials) - If "ERP" is homelab buildable - then get your home lab - practice practice practice practice - Look at ERP technical forums to have an idea of real life problems.
By the time you dedicate a considerable amount of time on learning - automatically that turns into few months experience

(just a general advice - getting into a new tech.)

[eek]

If you have no knowledge regarding ERP then yea you could go for the training - but i think you could learn everything on the training on your own(Books and Video tutorials) - If "ERP" is homelab buildable - then get your home lab - practice practice practice practice - Look at ERP technical forums to have an idea of real life problems.
By the time you dedicate a considerable amount of time on learning - automatically that turns into few months experience

(just a general advice - getting into a new tech.)

Um, do you even have the first idea what ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is and means......

[rurffy]

Um, do you even have the first idea what ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is and means......

NOPE! (thats why there are loads of "if"s in my comment). - And also my last sentence.