My Career in Motion or…How I have changed 5 positions in 7 years at the same company
Dalibor has practically "grew up in Continental", because he started his career at Continental just after passing the last exam at the Faculty. He started as a Setter in production to later advance to the position of Application Engineer Coordinator. As he has been leading a team of people for a long time, we asked him to share with us what is, in his opinion, an important trait of a successful leader.
My career development path within Continental was very dynamic since the beginning. Immediately after finishing my Master studies at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade, the possibility of employment at Continental appeared. I could not refuse such an opportunity. I didn't hesitate much even if it was a Setter's position in production area at that time. I do remember my first working day as it was now, but it was on 02.09.2013. In addition to some positive anxiety, there was also a great desire to work and improve. First steps were about training for the position I was employed for, in Karben (Germany).
After six months of working as Setter, I was promoted to the position of Shift leader. It was the first opportunity I got in order to prove my leadership skills. Working with a larger group of employees, organization of production, productivity, tracking scrap were just some of the challenges that awaited me. I worked as a Shift leader for a year and a half, when a newly opened position was published, and I applied for it, joining the Design department, as a Design Engineer. I always wanted to be involved in the construction of products and tools.
Although I was a beginner in this position, it meant a lot to me that I already knew a lot about work processes and products, which allowed me to find my way in the new role easier and faster. The position of Design Engineer enabled me to get to know in detail the "life" path of our product, from the creation of a conceptual solution to serial production.
The next step in my development path was the position of Design Supervisor. After two years of working as an Engineer, I got new responsibilities that brought with them new challenges. Four years of working in the position of Design Supervisor meant gathering a lot of experience on work organization, decision making, cooperation with employees and much more.
Since May 2021, I have been promoted to the position of Application Engineer Coordinator, which again carries some new key tasks. Although my career path may seem long, today when I look back on the past seven years, I see that it was the right and correct path to my current goal.
My current position requires much more responsibility, determination, and commitment, but it is certainly a privilege to work and improve in a company like Continental. When you have the right people around you and a good team, all tasks, challenges, and difficulties are easier to overcome. Being part of our team is a pleasure because the strength of our team lies in each individual, and the strength of each individual is in being part of the team.
In my opinion, a leader should be determined and competent in what he does. It is no longer enough to just talk; it is also necessary to react decisively. It is important to act in accordance with what you say, because credibility is built first by keeping promises and standing behind your words.
