In Jon's first-ever podcast appearance, Jon is interviewed on a podcast hosted by SearchSAP.com. (Original version can be heard on SearchSAP.com). This 18 minute "State of the SAP Job Market" podcast features Jon's take on where SAP consulting is headed as we begin the "upgrade era." The focus of the podcast is an in-depth look at the changing SAP job market. Jon's portion of the interview begins at the three minute mark. During the 15 minute discussion, Jon comments on: - How the SAP job market has evolved since the year 2000 and how SAP has overcome the challenges it has faced since Y2K. - How SAP triumphed over the best-of-breed market in CRM and other area and why that's good news for SAP consultants. - Why the era of "enforced upgrades" should be a good one for SAP professionals and why software markets are at their healthiest when there is a carrot (new functionality) and a stick (fees for extended maintenance). - The potential impact of SOA and Web Services and how consultants can anticipate these technology trends. - Why the "death of ABAP" is premature and why SAP is still invested in the future of ABAP. - What the "SAP Programmer of the Future" will look like. - What the impact of outsourcing will be on technical (and functional) areas of SAP. - Why RFID hasn't taken off as an SAP consulting niche and how consultants can position themselves in this emerging area. - The impact of CRM On-Demand Solutions and whether there will be a good consulting niche in this area. - Why Sarbanes-Oxley and "Compliance Consulting" has not been especially popular, and how SAP consultants can incorporate compliance and regulatory skills into their skill sets.