SAP Interview Tips

Interviews are stressful in general and require good preparation as well as presentation for success. Following are some interview tips that will help you in your SAP job interview.

• Research
  This is the first part of the SAP interview preparation. You should focus your research on three main points.
  First is the job. Find out what the job entails, required qualification, project specifications, work environment, future prospects etc. This will help you find out whether it is the right job for you and the areas you should focus your preparation on.
  Second is the company. You should have some basic knowledge of the company you are applying for, such as its mission statement, major products or services, clients and competitors, role in the industry etc. Lack of such knowledge creates an impression that you are not really interested in the company and are using a scatter gun approach of job hunting.
  The last but not the least is the interview itself. If at all possible you should find out in advance the structure of the interview or interviews as the case may be. This may include finding out who is taking the interview, whether it is a single interview or has multiple round, what kinds of questions are expected, etc.
• Revise Resume
  Although you can use a single resume for all the jobs you apply for, it's a much better idea to create a new resume especially for the job you are applying for. Make sure that it emphasizes your skills and experiences that are relevant to the job in question.
• Prepare for Expected Questions
  You can easily find many SAP interview questions online. Create a list of them and prepare your own personalized answers. The questions should be of personal, technical and behavioral types.
  • Personal Questions
    The objective of personal questions is to test you interest, dedication and willingness to take the job. For such questions avoid the generic readymade answers at all cost as they do not tell the interviewer what he actually wants to know and may create the impression that you are interested not in the job but the package. Prepare the answers of such questions but take time to think before answering, when asked and answer them is a spontaneous manner.
  • Technical
    Technical questions are for testing your technical knowledge and skill and while being tough they are simple in that either you know their answer or not. While answering technical question whenever possible cite examples from your own work experience and not the generic, bookish once.
  • Behavioral
    Behavioral questions are about your past work experience. For example 'Tell me about a time when you where late meeting a deadline?'. When answering such questions be honest and try not to make up imaginary scenarios. Have some examples ready that displays your team working, leadership, conflict resolution, stress management and other similar skills. Just as in case of personal questions, never use generic, ready made answers for these questions.

• Prepare Questions
  In most interview the interviewer would ask at some point that if have any questions. Never say no. If you have done your research properly and paid attention during the interview, you should have enough intelligent questions to satisfy the interviewer; but let's not rely on 'should' and have some questions prepared in advance. You can find 'questions to ask during the interview', on the internet. Choose from them those that represent your actual concern and present them in your own words during interview.
• Experience
  In jobs related to SAP in particular and in most jobs in general experience count far more than simple theoretical knowledge. Mention any previous experience you have that is relevant to the job and be prepared to answer questions about your previous job experiences.
• Prepare Notes
  Prepare note about the important points that you would like to remember. The purpose of these notes is both to help you refresh your memory before the interview and to help you with future interview preparations. Keep the notes short enough for a quick review but not so short that you can not understand them some months afterward.
• Actual Interview
  The interview tips so far were concerned with the preparation for the interview. An actual SAP job interview is not much different from any other job interview. You should take care of following points when appearing for a SAP job interview.
  • Arrival
    Never be late for the interview. Plan ahead and arrive before appointed time as this will give you a buffer against unexpected delay and also give you time to prepare yourself for the interview mentally.
  • Attire
    Dress professionally and think corporate. If in doubt about attire, find out how the people in the company usually dress and take your lead from them. In general it's better to err on the side of to formal rather than too casual.
  • Introduction
    Always introduce yourself with both your first and last name. Be polite and on your best behavior during the interview. Simple things like knocking before entering, waiting till invited before sitting, having a firm handshake, smiling, making eye contact when talking, etc goes a long way toward making a good first impression.
  • Bad Manner
    There are some things like checking time during interview, use of employee canteen between rounds, smoking before interview, chewing gum, interrupting interviewer when he is talking, tapping your foot or drumming your finger, use of slang or swear words etc, which are considered bad manners. Avoid them at all costs.
  • Listen
    Pay attention to what the interviewer is saying as well as his body language. Try to understand what exactly he wants to know and why. Only once you have understood this can you give a proper satisfactory answer. If you have any doubts about the question ask for clarifications.
  • When Answering
    Fully understand the questions before answering. Avoid lengthy explanations. If you have long answer list the high points first and ask if they want more explanation. Keep your answer short precise and without irrelevant personal details. Do not answer in yes and no. Add enough details so that the interviewer would understand that you know what you are talking about. Answer in clear and grammatically correct language. Cite from your professional experience whenever appropriate.
  • Closing
    Closing is an important and often neglected part of the interview. Make sure to ask the interviewer if they have any concerns or doubts regarding your fitness for the job and do your best to alley them. Also enquire about the next step and thank them for their time and the opportunity they have given you. After the interview send a thank you note or a polite email

The SAP interview tips above cover both the technical and personal aspects of a job interview. The actual questions being asked would depend on the job, company and your own personal experience. These tips are general purpose and will help you with all SAP related job interviews