I recently read about a Stefano Domenicali interview. Up until a few years ago, he was the Ferrari racing team’s team principal. He currently serves as Lamborghini’s CEO. Even if you aren’t interested in cars, you’ll be able to see that he not only achieved great success in his field but also leads a highly devoted subset of it. Domenicali reached his destination after a successful career that began with his first job out of college—at Ferrari.
In the interview, Domenicali was questioned about how he got his first position at Ferrari. He said, “I sent my CV to Ferrari while I was a student, and they hired me.”
I initially considered the response to be a disappointing. I was hoping for some insight into how he got that great first job because I’m a bit of a car nerd. What was it about his resume that had the power to unlock doors? What brave move did he make to gain their attention? Did he wait for the CEO or race director in a posh location and come up with a cunning method to strike up a conversation? He wasn’t really telling us what it required for him to get that job, in my opinion, so that was my first impression.
But after giving it some thinking, I understood Domenicali had informed us, but I hadn’t paid close enough attention. He responded by saying that he had the audacity to make his request. He had made a “unreasonable” request. (For an explanation of what I mean by “unreasonable,” see my piece from a few weeks ago, “Why It Pays Not to Read Your Clients’ Mind”; in a nutshell, it advises not to overthink all the potential reasons why something can fail.)
Domenicali acted with zeal because he had a burning desire. He wasn’t deterred by the reasoning that said, “You should gain experience at a “regular” automaker before applying for this one,” “You’re not good enough,” or “You’re not ready for it.” nothing comparable. Instead, he made a conscious decision to pursue his goals and then took concrete steps to achieve them. Idea, judgment, and action. How easy was that?
Sadly, human thinking typically proceeds as follows: idea – consideration of potential roadblocks and reasons why it won’t work – inaction. Just how annoying is that? How often do you let your own doubts that something won’t work prevent you from pursuing your ambitions? How many of your objectives and aspirations have already been diminished, compromised, or abandoned as a result of your excessive self-talk?
Stop thinking about reasons why something won’t work as soon as you notice yourself doing so. Rather than asking yourself, “Why won’t it work?” Change the focus of your inquiry to “What can I do to make it work?” then do that action.
In This Article...
About
Since the beginning of the sport, Ferrari has been at the forefront of innovation and engineering brilliance.
Some of the best racing cars ever made were created in Maranello, which is regarded as the center of Italian motorsport. Ferrari is one of the most recognizable brands in the world thanks to the Italian flair and passion that have drawn a large international fan base.
Ferrari is the most successful team in Formula 1 thanks to their long and storied record in motorsport, which has seen them win 15 Drivers’ Championships and 16 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championships.
Ferrari competes in numerous racing series, including as the Blancpain GT Asia, WEC, and IMSA. These series require a committed team of individuals to work diligently in order to produce the finest possible results.
Ferrari is aware that the best individual and team performance can only be attained when workers feel like they are in the correct setting.
Ferrari also holds the view that the lives of those who work at its plant cannot be divorced from the caliber of its automobiles. The welfare of our employees and the environment in which they operate are therefore our top considerations.
Some of the most advanced facilities in the motorsport industry are located at Maranello, enabling staff members to work to their full potential with the best tools available.
How can I become a mechanical engineer for Ferrari?
Obtaining employment with the organization is no joke. Qualifications in terms of education: The applicant must have earned at least 65% of the possible points in mechanical engineering. Additionally, the candidate should be well-versed in their field and possess strong communication abilities.
How much education is required to work at Ferrari?
- Automotive mechanics handle everything from oil changes and windshield wiper replacement to suspension upgrades and exhaust system repairs.
- In addition to other premium brands, skilled technicians also diagnose and carry out repairs on many types of Ferrari automobiles.
- High company standards require precise and timely completion of repair orders, the acquisition of necessary parts, and final vehicle inspections to identify any additional needed work.
- When hired, employees are required to go through manufacturer-approved training programs and continue their education as their careers advance.
- Associates must also adhere to occupational safety and health regulations and keep their vehicles and shop premises clean.
- Depending on amount of education and expertise, starting hourly salaries are around $15.
- Candidates with associate’s degrees or two years of prior work experience along with technical training are preferred.
Is working at Ferrari challenging?
50% of job applicants say they had a great interview experience at Ferrari. Candidates rate their job interview at Ferrari with an average difficulty rating of 2.8 out of 5 (where 5 is the maximum level of difficulty).
Could you repair a Ferrari by yourself?
It helps that my car is a pretty simple Ferrari to fix. If you have the patience and time, I suggest learning how to perform simple repairs on your car. You may do it yourself and feel more accomplished while saving a little money.
Does working for Ferrari require you to be Italian?
The issue of diversity and inclusion in Formula One has received particular attention in recent years, and following the release of the Hamilton commission’s report, a photo of Scuderia Ferrari competing in the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix sparked an online debate about the lack of diversity in the Italian team. What are the underlying causes of the issue and how may it be resolved?
First two caveats: the image isn’t entirely representative because it only shows a portion of the Ferrari staff. Second, the issue of lack of diversity is multifaceted, and despite the efforts made in this explanation to make it understandable, there is no simple solution.
For instance, Ferrari recently received the Equal Salary Certificate for offering equal pay to men and women and has received three stars in the FIA Environmental Programme. Ferrari has always been highly conscious of supporting change in the business and how it operates. Additionally, Ferrari claims that its workforce is made up of people from 57 different countries. Why then does it appear that the F1 team has such a low level of diversity?
In Maranello, Italy, there is only one industry related to Ferrari. Every car is built there, and the F1 team maintains its headquarters there as well. Although speaking Italian fluently is not a requirement for employment at Ferrari, their job postings state that “a decent level of Italian is a benefit for the best local integration.”
Italians working for the Scuderia are easier to discover since it is simpler to locate someone who is prepared to go to Maranello for work and who knows the language well, and this is where the issue becomes more challenging.
The first issue is obvious when looking at the Italian population: Italy lacks the same level of diversity as France or the United Kingdom. Italian POC exist undoubtedly, but they make up a lower proportion of the population (92% of Italians are of one race or another). Furthermore, just about 5 million Italians are ethnically varied, which is a small proportion given the size of the country.
When we take into account that a high level of education (i.e. a degree) is necessary to be hired in highly technical professions, such as for Ferrari, the problem gets more challenging. Given that only 18% (or about 11 million) of Italian adults have a college degree and that only 25% (or about 3 million) of them have degrees in technical or scientific fields, Italy does not truly have a large population of persons with advanced degrees.
Given that there is still a sizable disparity between the percentage of white people and people of color who have access to higher levels of education globally, including in Italy, the situation becomes even more dire. The Italian National Institute of Statistics reports that compared to 11,3% of people from the same ethnic group, 36,5% of people from ethnically diverse backgrounds drop out of school.
Going back to Ferrari, it’s also important to note that, while being the most well-known brand worldwide, it still has a rather tiny market share in comparison to other automakers. Ferrari actually employs “just” 4556 people worldwide, compared to, for instance, 173,000 at Mercedes. Because only 1,8% of the red workers are included in the picture, which only shows about 700 individuals who work directly for the Scuderia and 80 who travel to races.
How is working with Ferrari like?
It feels small (only about 80 workers), and the personnel are pleasant to work with, but the infrastructure is difficult. For instance, because the HQ systems are not user-friendly, it is difficult to obtain financial reports or even accurate sales and marketing statistics. This may negatively impact a productive workplace.
How many people works for Ferrari?
Ferrari had 4,556 people working for it in total in 2020. The luxury sports vehicle manufacturer with headquarters in Italy employs 2,200 workers, over 2,000 middle managers, and 137 executives.
The company shipped 10,131 cars in 2019, up 9.5 percent from the previous year. The EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) area, which accounted for over 50% of sales, drove demand. In 2019, consumers in the UK and Germany purchased more than 2,000 vehicles, an increase from 1,784 the previous year. Despite a decline of about 3.3 percent year over year, demand in American markets remained high at 2,900 automobiles.
Ferrari keeps up its research and development spending so that it can always provide its consumers with superior products. Ferrari made a little less than 700 million euros in R&D expenditures in 2019.
Does Ferrari’s Formula One team just employ Italians?
After all, regardless of national flag, Ferrari has (or has had) no problem hiring the best drivers of their generations. Thus, Argentinean driver Juan Manuel Fangio, British drivers Mike Hawthorn and John Surtees, Austrian driver Niki Lauda, South African driver Scheckter, German driver Schumacher, and Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen joined Italian drivers Giuseppe Farina and Alberto Ascari in the pantheon of Ferrari champions. Why do team principals and senior employees not fall under this philosophy?
Is it just a coincidence that five of the top team members—joined by a Frenchman and a Spaniard—listed under “team” on Ferrari’s website are Italians? True, “foreigners” have occasionally worked as technical directors (or other positions of a similar nature), but locals considerably outnumber them. Take into account that all but one F1 engine director—Simon, a Todt hire—has been an Italian. Coincidence?
Now think about the other teams: the (German) Mercedes F1 team, which is currently in the lead, is led by an Austrian, supported by British technical and engine directors, and previously employed an Italian engineering director; the (Austrian) Red Bull has a British team principal and technical director; the CEO of McLaren Racing is American, the technical director is British, and the team principal is German.
The executive director and technical director of Renault are both Poles, and the company is led by a Frenchman. Alfa Romeo inspired Sauber, a Swedish-owned, Swiss-based company, but the French team manager. Similar to the situation at the Canadian-owned Racing Point, there are many other instances of this kind.
The choice of whether to step outside of its bubble, like Montezemolo did over 30 years ago, or stick with its principles will be the most difficult one for Ferrari to make going forward. Ferrari makes a big deal about its past, yet it seems steadfastly committed to conceal its most prosperous era rather than draw lessons from it.
The fact that Ferrari, and hence Italy, ruled supreme in Formula One at the turn of the millennium is what people remember most about the team, not the fact that it was managed by a Frenchman.
It is not in the best interests of Ferrari, its hordes of supporters, or Formula One as a whole to continue down this “Italy-first” route. It’s a strategy that denies both the squad and the nation it represents in the world the success they so desperately want.