Katja Dürrfeld

"At Continental I have always been able to find the challenges I was looking for"

Since when have you been employed with Continental?
April 1, 1997

How did you find us?
I completed my dissertation at Continental. The topic focused on the optimization of production lead times at ContiTech Schlauch GmbH.

What does a typical work day look like for you? Is there such a thing?
When I get to the office in the morning of a typical workday, I can never be 100% sure what awaits me. Obviously, a controller always deals with typical tasks that come up all the time, but the external and internal demands that are always different provide for new work content and challenges daily.

What reasons would you suggest should an applicant chose Continental as an employer?
Simply because we are a great company. Because of our high-tech products, we offer our employees a challenging work environment. The open entrepreneurial culture and team spirit are even more reason to choose Continental.

What skills and knowledge should job applicants seeking an entry position bring with them?
Excellent English language skills are the basic requirement for being successful at any international group such as Continental. In addition, we place high value in a person’s practical experience.  
Also, so called soft skills such as curiosity, openness, passion and being enthusiastic are very important in my opinion.

What is your opinion on the career opportunities offered at Continental?
Continental offers many opportunities to get ahead professionally. With us, everyone is manager of his own talents. If you want to achieve something and are willing to apply yourself accordingly, all doors are open.

How important is teamwork to you?
I lead a team of over 20 employees and, of course, I believe teamwork is of utmost importance. For me, teamwork means including my employees in the processes, involving them in the decision making and being closely in tune with them.

Why is it still so rare to see women in executive positions? How did you gain acceptance?
The old understanding of gender roles is surely a reason for the limited number of women in leadership, but this should not be overrated. Being a woman also has its benefits. You stand out, which at times makes it easier to be heard. In any case, I have never found it to be a disadvantage to be a woman.

Can you please describe your management style?
I try to practice an involving management style. What I mean by that is that I prefer to persuade rather than to command.

Which was your most exciting task thus far?
I had already held several positions at Continental and each field had its own highlights, whether dealing with the range of development projects with customers or being involved in implementing SAP. It is quite difficult to grade this.

How do you balance work with leisure time and family?
When you are in an executive position, of course, there's simply no way around making compromises, although I am still very satisfied with my work/life balance.  

How do you spend your time off?
I do a lot of sports – jogging and riding. Otherwise I like to read a good book or enjoy cooking something special.

How do you picture your professional future?
These days it is difficult to pursue a specific career plan. Up until now, Continental has always given me the opportunity to experience new and interesting things.