The talent scout

Regional manager Thorsten Ziebold

The cactus on the window is still the same. But everything else has changed in the office in Porsche Street in Brunswick, from the furniture to the computer. In summer 2000, Thorsten was a young mechanical engineer sitting in exactly the same chair that he offers to job applicants today – from the other side of the desk. Thorsten Ziebold , now 41 years old, is a Regional Manager for TÜV NORD in Brunswick in charge of 140 staff.

The 2,700 employees of TÜV NORD Mobilität, a subsidiary of TÜV NORD GROUP, carry out the vehicle inspections and driving tests required by law. Thorsten Ziebold also started off as a test engineer “in the field”, travelling between different car dealerships and workshops in the Brunswick area. Later, he became an officially recognized expert and TÜV Station Manager in Brunswick, finally gaining the position of Regional Manager. Vehicle inspections are no longer on the agenda. Instead, he is involved in negotiations with large customers and in many personnel evaluation meetings.

Thorsten Ziebold also often holds job interviews: “I am not necessarily looking for dedicated engineers as such, but for people who have real people skills. Technical activities only account for one third of what we do,” insists Thorsten. “One third is knowledge of laws and regulations, and the last third is psychology.“ “I try to make it possible for every test engineer who is capable and ambitious to achieve the status of Recognised Expert."