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Describe your career path at ThyssenKrupp until now.

My career path with the ThyssenKrupp Group began in 1998 at a company called UDM Anlagenbau. As a process engineer, I designed ammonia systems used in fertilizing and managed other projects. Staying true to my process engineering roots, I traveled abroad to meet with clients and jointly commissioned and started up these systems before the official handover. Over the next eight to eight and a half years, I moved away from process technology, during which time I found a new home in sales. Today, I’m a project manager in offer management. I’m in charge of putting together quotes for fertilizing systems, calculating costs and times, and getting in touch with customers. As a result, I am on a lot of business trips and stay in contact with our international customers. 

What do all the different ThyssenKrupp businesses have in common, do you think?

One of the things that all the ThyssenKrupp businesses have in common is the “team approach” to working. 99% of what we do is project work, so every member of the team is called upon to meet objectives together, to come to agreements together, and to just work productively together. Another issue which I personally think is very important is the professional development that focuses on you as a person and how you tick, and the fact that the company’s really behind it. ThyssenKrupp offers so many seminars that are tailored to where you work and what kind of person you are – they even meet with you to review and individualize your course! There are just so many opportunities to grow as a professional.

Do you have any advice for applicants with years of professional experience?

I think applicants who are already seasoned professionals and would like to make something happen at ThyssenKrupp need to think like team players. It’s the medium-sized to larger teams which see projects through, not the lone wolves. But you also have to be able to – and want to – work independently within your team because there’s no one game plan on how to get projects done. You need to decide what’s right with the responsibility that’s been given to you.

Another important point is how international this job is. We don’t just work in Germany or Europe – we’re in every corner of the globe. That means you have to be able to interact with other cultures, be open to different ways of thinking and meeting new people. What’s more, you represent the company abroad and must be able to see projects through to conclusion while you’re on site. In other words, gauge your wanderlust when thinking about joining ThyssenKrupp.

How do you make a career at ThyssenKrupp and build up a solid track record?

If you go about it the right way building a career at ThyssenKrupp and developing a solid track record, can really take care of themselves. Do your job properly, be open to honing your skills constantly and learning from everything you do. And the teamwork is such that you’ll have plenty of contact with other people, so they’ll also be aware of the things you’re doing. One more thing: if you come with the right qualifications, people will notice that – and help you move in the direction that suits you best. That’s the best way to advance, one step at a time.

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