Software Developer in Continental. Complex puzzle solver.

I like discovering solutions to puzzles, find out why the problem appeared in the first place, what could be improved or what could be done to surpass the puzzle and go to the next level. This offers me the chance to have diversity in my career and discover new and new challenges. I am glad that Continental gave me this playground. I am able to work at a wide range of projects, each one interesting, with its own beauty. I had projects from identifying that one line that needed to be improved to working at a complete code from start to finish.

So, in my point of view, the perfect playground is the one that offers you interesting technical projects and activates your passion for the job. In Continental I love that I am a part of something bigger, sharing technical experiences with true professionals and enthusiasts.

I appreciate the environment in which I am encouraged to bring forward my technical ideas for the projects. “Freedom to act” is one of the core values of Continental which I share and I could see it put in practice – I could directly interact with higher experts in Continental worldwide and specialists from across the globe about the solutions I was proposing.

By the way, although I know every company has its own values and some might ignore them, I do think that after you pass your 30s it is time to really identify and check if you share the company values.

Being a team player is important to me. In the teams I was a part of, we tried to rise constantly our level: when we were discovering problems of general interest, we would broadcast and when someone needed help, even if we didn’t have the answer, we pitched in and found the solution together. I believe there is always room for improvement and, by working together, we can contribute to the progress of the entire team. I constantly remind myself that, in the end, the team is more than the sum of its individuals.

Furthermore, the complexity of the products today, at least in automotive, is setting the ground for us to constantly collaborate to resolve its most complex puzzles.

I think the ones that want to develop their career as software developers should constantly tackle the complex puzzles. From my experience of 8 years I found a series of principles that guide me and might be useful to the ones that want to evolve in their own software developer careers:

> Try to make your ideas known upper in the management if you consider it will bring an improvement – don’t be afraid to do so. When your idea brings improvements, the satisfaction will be awesome;

> Be good with the colleagues in your team, don’t let them be tormented by the same problems and bugs you had – share your solutions;

> Don’t get overwhelmed by a task that seems impossible – just be patient and continue working. Don’t get stuck in the task – ask for collaboration from your colleagues, collaborate with the Internet Keep in mind that some tasks take more than a day and you will find the support and solution needed. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day;

> Have the drive to progress. Have the drive to do more difficult and complex tasks. With them, you will gradually progress and will constantly receive technical projects that will keep your passion on.

For me, progress is obtained when you do more than the objective you had, more than it was in your grasp. This attitude – to do more than your immediate goal – drives you to progress. Even if this isn’t demanded by your peers or your team leader, you can still do it. For yourself.

Furthermore, we need the technical progress as our society progresses fast.

For the senior software developers, I do have a challenge: what if they would have to do “That Task” once more, this time without the time pressure? How would the result turn out a new time around? What would be the enhancements in the technical projects? I myself have some assignments if I were to have the chance to do them once more, would be something…!

This article was written by our employee.