Career as SAP analyst/consultant

Hi,

I am exploring the option to build my carrier in SAP analyst/consultant field.

I have more than 5 years of experience of sales and business management in automotive industry. At the same time I have worked on or used SAP as a business user for these 5 years.

I am quiet conversant with the business process, material movement, orders/approval flows etc.

I have the desire and will but I am looking for some answers to convenience myself that it will be a good decision to move in this direction financially and in terms of career growth also. It would be a big help if you could answer the questions below, before I make my final decision. I would request you SAP Gurus to please guide me.

1. Some of the agencies (AtoS and some others) I have got in touch with to discuss this certification have suggested doing SAP SD or MM certification, keeping my experience in view. If I do it what is your guess how soon I could find a job with this certification.
2. What kind of salary will I be able to attract if I do get a job. Currently I am getting good salary by auto industry standards (around $15K). As per the information I have got the starting salaries in these roles are some times less than half of what I am getting now.
3. Finally how fast is the growth in this industry? Let us say I do the certification spend some $500 and join a company with salary less than half of my current. After doing this, as per your experience how soon will I be able to reach or exceed the salary I would have been getting otherwise (assume I perform fairly well in my SAP role ;-).
4. So finally should I go ahead with the certification?

Rather than an instinctive one, I want to make a well thought over, planned and fairly well estimated decision. I am looking forward to your valuable answers.

Thanks