Having completed his degree in electrical engineering, Ernst started his career in 1980, working for the semiconductor company Texas Instruments. Later he moved on to Eurosil/TEMIC in Germany and Kramer Westfield, an UK recruitment company.

In 1988 he was one of the founders of Hartmann & Lotz Unternehmensberatung GmbH and has been working in Personal Recuitment and Consulting for more than 35 years.