Career

Tell us a little about yourself! Where did it all start?

I grew up in Halimba, Veszprém county, but I live in Győrzámoly since 2008. I graduated as a mechanical engineer at the University of Veszprém and worked briefly in the logistics center of an international food retail chain early in my career. I joined Audi Hungaria in 2006 and started my career as a design engineer at the Tool Shop.

 

During my years at the Tool Shop, I had the opportunity to learn about several areas: I worked as an equipment designer and then as a project manager. I was involved in the design of production lines with different capacities. My former position was more technical, with less human contact, while as a project manager, daily negotiations, calculations and extensive communication became part of my job. It was also during this period that I took part in my first posting abroad: I spent 1.5 years in Neckarsulm, where I got the chance to spend a few weeks in Changchun for a project in China. It was here that my relationship with China began and I knew already back then that I wanted to return there for a longer assignment. I have learned and grown a lot professionally thanks to these opportunities.

In 2019, I joined the engine factory design team as a design engineer for the V6 Otto engine production line. The engine factory was a big change for me—the way work was structured and process-oriented there impressed me immediately. Especially the team I had the chance to work with. I felt very comfortable in that environment.

What motivates you in your work? What is your drive day by day?

Of course, facing different professional challenges can keep you motivated in the long run, but I think that after a certain period of time you need a bigger change, where you can do something completely different. For me, that was the change for the engine factory that I mentioned earlier. Fortunately, at Audi Hungaria, we have the opportunity to find new professional perspectives in-house, during our careers. The other thing that always keeps me motivated is meeting new people, especially when I get to work with colleagues with different cultural backgrounds, because it always gives me new perspectives. It was fun to see the differences between how people think and solve problems in Europe and in Asia. 

 

How did you get the opportunity to be posted abroad?

I am currently working as a design engineer in the Bodyshop Process Planner department. To put it simply, I’m responsible for meeting deadlines, controlling costs and, of course, quality, when designing the lines that make the sidewalls of cars.
 

In China, personal relationships play a much bigger role than they do here. The important things are agreed over lunch rather than at meetings. In this respect, there are more similarities with the Hungarians than with the Germans. However, the structure of the organization is much more hierarchical: decisions tend to come from higher levels, so there is less room for individual maneuvers, especially in engineering. These are the main differences, because in everyday life they work pretty much in the same way, in the same structure as we do.

The biggest challenge for me was that not every “yes” means actual consent—because of the so-called loss of face. Due to cultural differences, it is sometimes difficult to know what their real intentions are. However, these are the situations from which we can learn the most.
 

China is a very special case. It is important to go on a posting with a stable professional background. Whether you are going with the purpose of learning or to join an already running project, the responsibilities and expectations are very different. While a posting for scholarship or study focuses on learning and development, an employer-led project requires you to contribute to the results immediately. Good interpersonal skills, empathy and openness are particularly important here. Patience and flexibility are essential—you need to be able to let go of familiar patterns and adapt to local norms.

Work is a team effort, and the key to success is building trust. Cultural differences are often a challenge. For example, the concept of personal space or data protection is very different from ours. It is natural for people to take photos and videos, even without asking—you have to learn to deal with it. It can be strange at first, but you get used to it. But in return, you can live in a safer place than perhaps anywhere else.

If you are planning a posting, I recommend talking to people who have lived or worked in China, preferably with recent experience. The digital world is changing very fast here, which has a significant impact on everyday life. It is therefore important to rely on the most up-to-date information. But if you are drawn to this adventure, do not hesitate. I’m sure it will be the experience of a lifetime.

I embarked on this exciting adventure together with my wife and our two teenage children.
 

We spend most of our free time exploring Asia—so much so that we haven’t visited Hungary for the past two years. My favorite site is the Zhangjiajie National Park where you can see the mountains that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar. The other breathtaking scenery was the “sugarloaf” mountains of the Guilin-Yangshuo region, but it was also impressive to see the Terracotta Army in person, and we are now preparing for a 2-day desert trek.

As a personal challenge, I regularly participate in running races in various national parks. One of my most special experiences was running on the Great Wall of China.

As I mentioned earlier, China is a very divisive country. Some people are passionate about it, others find it harder to adapt to. Luckily I’m one of the former, so I can absolutely see myself working here again in the future. And Germany is almost like coming home for us—we feel very much at home there too.