Frank Edling

"Continental offers many opportunities for professional and personal development"

When did you start working for Conti?
July 1, 1999

How did you find us?
I sent in a traditional application, was invited to a job interview and, after a second interview, received a job offer. Before that, I completed my diploma project with another well-known competitor and while doing so was able to gain experience in the automotive industry.

What does a typical work day look like for you?
My job has a lot of different aspects to it. Right now, I’m setting up an independent department that works on systems engineering projects. Currently, I am in the process of attracting new customers and designing systems based on customer needs in collaboration with other internal departments.

What is your opinion on the career opportunities offered at Continental?
Excellent. The company offers plenty of opportunities for professional advancement, with, for example, Conti further education and training, or the ability to change your position in the company, either to different departments and even to international locations. Also, a good network is very important for advancing your career. 

Which skills and qualities are decisive for a successful career withContinental?
Technical knowledge and a sound education are of course the basic requirements. Also, you cannot do without excellent English language skills. Because: Many of the projects involve working with international teams, which is another reason why you should be willing – as a part of a particular project – to at least spend a few weeks abroad. You should also be a good team player and enjoy networking when working in an interdisciplinary project team. 

Why pick Continental as your employer?
With its almost 190 locations in 35 countries, the Group offers a wide range of opportunities for personal development and to advance your career. Here, you work on directly developing “high-tech for cars” – so the job you have is in an environment that is both exciting and innovative and, even people without a degree in engineering can be enthusiastic about.

How important is teamwork to you?
If you cannot work in a team, you will find it hard to get ahead at Continental. Even the top graduate needs the help of his colleagues in order to be able to build on his or her hard-earned knowledge. Not only that, but working in a team is simply much more fun than trying to go it alone.

Have you ever spent some time abroad in your life and howimportant is this kind for experience for working at Continental?
I spent three years in Japan working in the research and development department for Elektronische Bremssysteme. It's not that easy to adapt to the Japanese culture, but if you're well-prepared and are willing to show a certain amount of commitment once there, it is definitely possible. Experiencing different cultures is very beneficial to one’s own personal development, and, in my opinion, even the employer benefits greatly from these kinds of experiences. Sending employees abroad does cost money, but especially an international corporation like Continental needs to rely on the continuous transfer of expertise and an intercultural exchange of experience.

How do you balance work with leisure time and family?
For sure, the balance is not always easy, but when compared on an international level, it is definitely possible. Especially after what I experienced in Japan, I learned to appreciate the work hours and vacation time offered in Germany – even if you sometimes need to work a few extra hours. In addition, here in Frankfurt, you can live relatively close to the company and usually you can even get to your leisure time activities relatively quickly. 

How do you spend your time off?
I enjoy sports – I like to go snowboarding, skating and right now, I’m learning to paraglide. Otherwise, I like to play the piano and I even spend some time reading about history, politics and philosophy. Travelling is also one of my passions: I enjoy discovering different cultures.

How do you picture your professional future at Continental?
Over the next two years, I look forward to continue setting up my department. I can imagine that I would enjoy working somewhere abroad again.