The hiring landscape, particularly in SAP consulting, is competitive, and we’re constantly hearing that lengthy hiring and onboarding processes can be a deal breaker for top SAP professionals. To better understand the root causes, we recently conducted a poll on LinkedIn to find out the biggest factors delaying SAP hiring.
Here’s a breakdown of each response and the potential reasons behind it.
- Slow Internal Processes – 60%
- Budget Approval Delays – 20%
- Multiple Agencies Involved – 17%
- Other (comment below) – 3%
Let’s explore each response in detail.
1. Slow Internal Processes – 60%
The overwhelming majority pointed to slow internal processes as the primary cause of hiring delays. This result isn’t surprising, as many SAP professionals face lengthy hiring journeys due to internal bottlenecks.
Some of the biggest challenges contributing to slow processes include:
Extended Review Times
Often, multiple decision-makers are involved, from HR to team leads, department heads, and sometimes even C-suite executives. Each stage requires approvals, creating a cumulative delay.
Overloaded Hiring Teams
Recruiters and HR professionals handling multiple roles or high volumes of applications can struggle to keep up with screening, interviewing, and coordinating schedules. This can delay progress at each step of the hiring process.
Background Checks and Compliance
Especially within large organizations, stringent background checks, certifications, and compliance requirements can add time, particularly when multiple checks are required for roles with high security or data sensitivity.
When these internal processes drag on, the result is often frustrated candidates who may move on to quicker offers elsewhere.
2. Budget Approval Delays – 20%
Coming in second, budget approval delays accounted for 20% of responses. Budget approval is often a crucial step, especially in SAP consulting, where talent can be costly. Here’s why this causes delays:
Annual Budget Cycles
Companies operating on annual or quarterly budget cycles may have to wait for the next approval period before securing funding for new hires, causing hiring slowdowns until budget confirmations are received.
Justification Processes
SAP roles often carry a significant cost, and hiring managers may need to justify their budget requests to finance teams or executive boards. This can delay approvals, especially in companies with stricter cost control measures.
Unforeseen Budget Changes
Economic shifts, restructuring, or budget reallocations can impact hiring plans mid-cycle, meaning roles may go unfilled for longer as budget adjustments are made.
Budgetary constraints can make the hiring process unpredictable and lengthy, putting SAP candidates on hold until financial approvals come through.
3. Multiple Agencies Involved – 17%
With 17% of responses, multiple agencies involved was another significant factor impacting hiring speed. Engaging several recruitment agencies simultaneously can seem like a good way to reach a broad talent pool quickly, but it also has its challenges:
Candidate Overlap
Different agencies might submit the same candidates, leading to confusion or delays as the hiring team sorts out who submitted which candidate first.
The involvement of multiple agencies can often lead to logistical challenges, potentially alienating candidates who prefer a straightforward and responsive process.
4. Other Factors – 3%
A small percentage of respondents chose “Other,” highlighting additional possible causes of hiring delays. Some unique challenges include:
Role Clarification Issues
In some cases, roles may not be fully defined at the outset. If hiring managers are unclear on the exact skills and responsibilities required, the process can stall as job descriptions are revised mid-hiring.
Candidate Shortages
For highly specialised SAP roles, there may be limited talent available, requiring an extended search and lengthier evaluation periods for each candidate.
Geographic or Remote Work Considerations
Companies may face delays while they decide on whether the role can be performed remotely or needs to be based in a particular location, especially if they are implementing new remote work policies.
This category represents a range of specific circumstances that can add additional time to the hiring process.
Hiring delays are a critical challenge for companies looking to bring in top SAP talent quickly. Addressing these pain points—especially slow internal processes and budget approval delays—can significantly improve the speed and efficiency of hiring, enhancing the candidate experience and increasing the likelihood of securing the right professionals.
By understanding the biggest barriers to a fast hiring process and taking steps to address them, companies can better position themselves to attract the best SAP talent in a competitive market.
