1. What advice would you give to someone who was unsure of the direction
to take their own studies or career?
I think Steve Jobs summed this up pretty well when he said, ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish and
do not settle in whatever you do’. I think it’s a really good idea to try a variety of different
jobs as long as you work hard at everything you do until you find something that suits you.
I also think it’s wise to work within an industry to ensure it suits you before spending time
studying in higher education. I didn’t take my HND until I was 24, had gained relevant
experience working in an office environment and was fairly sure my future lay in this industry.
What have been the highlights of your career so far?
My biggest achievement so far is definitely receiving the Golden Circle award last year. It
was both a huge honour and a genuine surprise when I was told I had won the accolade.
It made my whole journey and all the challenges I had faced up to that point absolutely
worthwhile, it was an amazing feeling to have proven my capability both to my colleagues-
and myself! Supporting members of my team as they develop and progress up their own
career ladders also gives me a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure.
How did you come to be in your current position at Kelly?
I moved to the UK on a complete whim, aged 19 and just out of high school, with no real
idea of what I wanted to do as a career. With only £40 in my pocket and speaking very little
of the language (having skipped most of my English classes at school!), I knew moving to the
UK would be a challenge but I was prepared to work hard to prove myself. Originally I only
intended to stay for a year but I began to settle in England, met my boyfriend and made lots
of friends. I had started out at the bottom of the career ladder but with each new job I took,
I gained experience and took on more responsibility. After 4 years I went to university and
studied Business Management alongside my office job. Then, when I was least expecting
it, I was approached by a member of Kelly’s Birmingham branch who asked me to consider
applying for a Project Administrator role. I successfully applied for the position; 10 months
later became a Team Leader and later took on the management of the team. I suppose the
rest is history!
What advice would you give to someone looking to progress their career
internally with Kelly as you have done?
What are your future career ambitions?
From a personal perspective I would love
to go back to university to complete my
BA, and eventually to study for a Masters-
it would make my Mum so proud! Within
my current role at Telford I look forward to
building on and improving the structure so
that we’re able to take on more programs.
What do you think makes a good leader?
Good leaders know that they are only as
good as their team and remain humble in
spite of any personal or team successes.
They build strong relationships and support
yet challenge their people and frequently
give honest and constructive feedback.
How do you choose to spend
your free time outside of work?
I love to travel- and to
sample the cuisine of the
different places I visit. I also
love nothing more than to
cook for and hang out with
friends.
This is My Story
Hold the
Vision and
Trust the
Process
Be clear on
what you want to
do and then devise
a process of steps
to get you there
Work hard, be
ambitious and
consistently go
the extra mile
Don’t get hung
up on having the
‘right’ experience
when looking to
progress in to
a new role...
... If you have the
right skills and
mindset people will
support you in get-
ting to where you
want to be
Dominika Zientek,
Kelly Shared Service Centre
Manager, Telford, UK