MOVE? YES, CROSS MOVE PLEASE!

My name is Geoffrey and I have already been working for Vitesco Technology/Continental for 28 years. I worked in the sales department for 20 years when I decided to do a cross-functional move to the human relations department one year before my retirement.

You might be wondering, why in the world would an employee with 28 years in the company and 20 years in his current role decide to do a cross move just a year before retirement? Why leave the known field of sales to move to human relations? Just think of all the risks and uncertainties involved: new subjects, completely new territory, starting out as the junior partner after being a senior partner for so many years and working for a new supervisor with a different leadership approach.  

I started my initial talks with human relations at the end of 2019. I have been reading a lot about Competency Management and how Vitesco Technologies was expanding the program after introducing it in engineering. Besides this, over the past years I had become more and more involved with training and lecturing. This experience ranged from being a regular instructor for the Automotive Team Training Program to teaching the electrification quotation process. I was often requested to hold keynote addresses on e-mobility both internally and externally. My focus had been slowly shifting to the area of competency already and I found that I really enjoyed it. Why not make this my main job? 

After very constructive talks with my supervisors at electrification sales, the pandemic put the brakes on my plans (we planners hate that), but as autumn approached things started to get settled and I was able to officially transfer to human relations as a Competency Manager in November 2020. 

Being somewhat familiar with the competency concepts, the learning part went quickly, but there were very many changes in my day-to-day work. These included, but were not limited to, the following: moving from operational business to a central function, switching from external business to internal business, moving from technically-driven projects to ones which focus far more on soft skills, working with higher level counterparts more than before, moving from a male dominated to a female dominated group and finally, having a female supervisor again after 28 years.

Best time for a cross move? "Do it today rather than tomorrow."

And how did it go after 5 months? As with all changes, there were some bumps getting started. Not having a background in human relations, I had to ask a lot of questions, but my colleagues are always very helpful. It turns out that already knew many of the people at human relations from previous contacts. The mindset shift to human relations topics still requires some work on my part, as well as the focus on strategic topics versus daily operational business. 

The cross move also allows me to bring that operational mindset to the human relations world and apply my broad experience to the competency field. Many of the things I’m learning today can also be applied to projects I am planning after my retirement. With the excellent support from my previous supervisor and my new one, Vitesco Technologies allowed to me to fulfill this career wish as I prepare for retirement. 

When it is the best time to do a cross move? I can only answer: do it today rather than tomorrow!
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