Do’s and Don’ts of Job Interviews
Sep 01, 2020

​Whether you’re a recent graduate applying for your first position or a mid-career professional looking to advance to the next level, job interviews can be nerve-wracking. 


So that you shine at your next in-person job interview, keep the following do’s and don’ts in mind:


  • Don’t forget to research the company. A lack of knowledge about the company is a huge red flag for hiring managers. Make sure that when you walk into the interview, you know the company’s history, current services or products, market share, competitors and number of employees. 


  • Do prepare questions. This shows you’re truly interested and have given the position a lot of thought. Examples of good questions are, “Can you tell me about the career paths you offer?” and, “What do you think is the most challenging aspect about this position?” 


  • Don’t be late. Hiring managers are busy and usually see more than one candidate per day. Being late isn’t just rude; it will also mess up the interviewer’s schedule—and that’s definitely not going to make a good first impression. 


  • Do dress the part. Find out ahead of time what the accepted dress code is at the company. A good way to do this is to reach out to somebody in your network who works or has worked at the company. If you don’t have any connections to the employer, simply call the company’s reception and ask. It’s better to err on the side of too formal rather than too casual.


  • Don’t be negative about previous employers. Even if you had an awful experience at a previous employer, never say anything negative. Hiring managers want to see a positive attitude, so find something positive to say about every position you’ve held.


  • Do tell the truth. Bending or embellishing the truth might be tempting but it won’t do you any good in the long run. The hiring manager might check your experience with previous employers, or a piece of information can be revealed as a lie at a later time. Even if it means admitting you handled a professional situation badly, all is not lost, since you can then explain what you learned from the experience.


  • Don’t be modest. A job interview is your chance to shine. Speak confidently (not arrogantly) about all of your relevant achievements and skills.


  • Do be memorable. Hiring managers see numerous good candidates, so find a way to establish rapport. Review the hiring manager’s LinkedIn profile to see if you have anything in common or mention some newsworthy event that pertains to the company or industry.


  • Don’t forget to bring a hard copy of your résumé. It’s always smart to have your résumé on hand in case you need to refer to it.


  • Do explain how you can be an asset to the company. Forbesa dvises in the article “How to Give a Great Interview” that you should make yourself stand out from the pack by explaining exactly how you can help the company. For example, if the company is expanding overseas and you have international experience, highlight it and emphasize how your knowledge can add value to the company’s operations.


Finally, always send a thank-you email to the hiring manager. This is both polite and keeps you fresh in his or her mind.

14 Aug, 2023
Rephrasing the famous song, “Love is in the air”, let’s talk about change is in the air – and everywhere. We grow. We change. Look at your childhood photos. Watch your kid, your nephew, your niece. The change is there, and it’s incredible. Nature is constantly changing. We wait for summer as the time to enjoy outdoor activities and gardening, for a quick visit to the beach, or simply take time to relax and spend time with family, friends and loved ones. We wait for winter (even if we never see snow falling) to decorate the house for the holidays, pack presents for the people we love and unpack our own. The colour of the leaves changes, the weather shifts, and flowers blossom in their time – the landscape is constantly transforming. The world around us is changing. We travel to other countries and learn new things, cultures and languages. We take on new hobbies. We get new skills. After a couple of minor kitchen accidents (sometimes), we can cook delicious dishes and get compliments from family and friends. We transform our bodies at the gym or simply by creating the habit of walking every day. We meet new people, we sometimes fall in love, we build families, we have kids. And if you step back for a second, you realise you might have met your other half by pure accident. But you took a leap of faith into the unknown. We embrace many types of unknown change, except for the one that can change how we live five days a week – to change jobs. “I am too old/too young to change”, “I’m used to this environment; It’s my comfort zone”, “Well, I don’t get any promotion, and what I do doesn’t change the world, but it’s stable”, “I am afraid to ask for more interesting projects. What if my manager fires me?”. We often don’t want to change because that step requires a vision, courage, external support, and a leap of faith into the unknown. Scary? Yes. But also promising. A step into the unknown? Yes. But it can open a new door. Do your inner values marry what you do? Yes, it is essential. There is nothing terrible about staying in your comfort zone. At some stage of your career, staying put can be an excellent decision. But if you feel that you need a change – talk to Kelly. We don’t mind going the extra mile and support your wish to embrace the change. The one which will give meaning to what you do, feel proud, motivated and fulfilled. Ready for changing? We’ll make sure your talent can truly shine.
10 Aug, 2023
You’ve seen these guys before when a circus came to your city or maybe on TV. They walk on a wire at an impressive height, sometimes without insurance, sometimes with a long stick that probes the void right and left. They walk slowly, trying the wire with their toes first, making small steps, their eyes fixed on the small platform where they plan to land soon. They never watch down. They don’t listen to an audience that applauses or gasps in awe. They are concentrated on keeping their balance. To keep balance. Let’s come down from the wire above the arena or stage. Let’s look closer at balance, where it has its roots and the secrets of keeping it. Is it an art? Or is it a skill? Can you learn to keep balance? Or is it an innate skill that only gymnasts, figure skaters, circus artists and ballet dancers are born with? Want to know the secrets of a ballerina that must perform 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at a high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe? First, keeping balance is a skill people must learn for years. In ballet, sport, circus, real life, and… work life. A ballerina is taught to pick one point and to fix her eyes on it when she makes her 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe. She focuses on one thing that keeps her upright. She doesn’t look anywhere else. Gymnasts in some disciplines are constantly trained to feel the bar under their feet. They are prepared to land precisely on the bar after they jump, and the incredible contortions we admire in competitions. But let’s come back to the circus artists we have begun with. Often, they have a long stick in their hands to keep their balance. Is their secret hidden in the stick? And what is the secret? You don’t need to be a ballet dancer, a gymnast, or a circus artist to get the idea of balance. Here are your first two steps in your balance training: 1. Keep your main priorities in mind. And have a clear idea about what is very important for you and where you are ready to compromise. But don’t listen to external opinions that don’t align with your ideals. Forget about the audience’s applause – focus on you. 2. Use some help to stay upright and get to your goals. Imagine your life split on two ends of the helping stick, your job is on one end, and your private life is on another. How comfortable do you feel at your height now with the load on both ends? You need support. We at Kelly pay a lot of attention to balance. The balance between people’s private lives and their jobs. The balance between feeling appreciated and professional goals or between achieving extraordinary results and being inspired. Talk to Kelly today. We are not ballet coaches or sports trainers, but we know much about how important work/life balance is in our lives.
03 Aug, 2023
We often associate certain qualities with individuals who seem to possess a natural talent for creativity. We convince ourselves that painting, singing, or dancing are pursuits reserved for these "real" artists while we remain mere spectators. Creativity? Inspiration? No, it's not about me.
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