Berks & Beyond Blog

Sure, it’s easy for us to tell you that Berks & Beyond is a great employer to work for.  That we listen to our candidates’ needs.  That we match them with rewarding opportunities at the area’s best employers.

But don’t just take our word for it.  Here are what some of our current employees have to say about their experiences with Berks & Beyond:

“As a first time user of Berks and Beyond Employment Services, I didn’t know what to expect!  Now that I have one of the best jobs in the valley, I wouldn’t choose any other staffing agency!  They have truly inspired my life, and have provided me a million and one opportunities to succeed!  Hands down, Berks & Beyond is the BEST employment agency in the Lehigh Valley!”
 
–Joyelle M. Brickhouse

“I would recommend Berks & Beyond to anyone I know who is seeking employment.  My experience working with Berks & Beyond has been great.  I had been laid off and searching work for awhile when a friend recommended B&B. I’m very glad I took their suggestion!  Everyone I have met in the office has been polite and helpful, especially Ms. Bonnetta Martin.

When I met with Bonnetta, she really took time to find out what my qualifications were, what my interests were, and she even assisted me in a much needed re-vamp of my resume to something more attractive to prospective employers.  It was clear to me by her courtesy and attention to detail that helping each person that steps into her office is important to her.  She was able to match me up with a great new job that was a good fit for me at a very stable company.  Working with Berks & Beyond has set me on the right path for success.  Thanks to Bonnetta and Berks & Beyond!”

–Kathy Wolf

“I can’t say enough about the Berks & Beyond team.  The staff is incredibly friendly, helpful and diligent.  They took the time to find me a position that not only meets my needs, but is highly enjoyable and fulfilling as well.  No more Sunday evening blahs for me – now I look forward to the work week and seeing what new challenges lay ahead!  Thank you, Berks & Beyond, for making me another one of your many success stories!”

–Deidra Mohn

“I was giving up looking for a job when a friend told me to go to Berks & Beyond, so I gave it one last chance and I was so glad I did.  They did not care about my age.  I was given a job and I love it.  I did not have to interview several times to get a job.  I would recommend Berks & Beyond to anyone looking for work.  The staff works with you if problems occur.  They answer your questions and concerns.  Berks & Beyond’s staff has made me very happy.  Thank you.”

–Nancy Kocher

Ready to Write Your Own Success Story?

Give us a try.  We’d like to match your skills, experience and interests with the perfect employment opportunity.  Visit our web site for more information, or contact a recruiter today.

Any staffing service can claim they’re the best, or that they’ll find you the right job opportunity.  But we’re not just “any staffing service.”  So, we thought we’d go straight to the source - and show you what our employees have to say about their experiences with Berks & Beyond:

Pottstown

“Berks and Beyond Employment Service is a service that is very personable, very in-tune with what the employee is looking for, very thorough and on-the-ball.  I tried other agencies and they promised to deliver, but they did nothing.  I give B&B an excellent rating and I would refer them to anyone.”
- Steven Brynan

Allentown

“I started working with Berks & Beyond in March 2009.  Since that time they have helped me obtain several quality positions.  The staff is always friendly and very helpful.  They have always answered any questions I have had and most of all they have kept me working!  I would recommend Berks & Beyond to anyone looking for work!”
- Stephen Gower

Reading

“After being laid-off from my job, I was searching and searching for a job.  I went into Berks & Beyond and they found me a job so quickly, I wished I had gone to them sooner!  Everyone is extremely nice and very willing to help, and I couldn’t ask for a better agency.  I would recommend Berks & Beyond to anyone who does not have a job.  They helped me out tremendously, and they can definitely help you out, too!”
- Christina Boyer

York

“I would just like to thank Berks & Beyond for the wonderful opportunity of being able to maintain a job in the workforce today.  As we are all aware of the economy today, it is not very good; and many well-meaning people are out of work.  I would especially like to thanks Ms. Bonitta Martin for her diligence in keeping me afloat with satisfying, consistent work.”
- Felisha Short

Are you looking for a rewarding work opportunities with the area’s leading employers?  Just click here  to learn more about what Berks and Beyond can do for you.

In my last post, I promised more tips for improving your staffing results by strengthening your provider relationship.  Here are a few additional ways to “take it to the next level”:

Set clear expectations.

Establish mutually agreed-upon guidelines for interacting with your supplier.  If you haven’t already, create processes for placing orders, conducting quality control checks, measuring results, and keeping in touch.  Setting these expectations up-front can prevent communication breakdown and ensure expedient service.

Provide feedback.

Once you’ve set expectations, it’s important to maintain an ongoing dialogue with your staffing service.  Keep them abreast of changes in your company.  Give your staffing rep useful, honest feedback on his company’s service and the performance of employees placed - unless he’s aware of a concern or problem you’re experiencing, your rep can’t do anything about it.  So make sure you regularly discuss what you can do, together, to improve quality of service and placements.

Take advantage of all your staffing provider can do for you.

Good relationships have fringe benefits.  Many staffing services offer valuable “extras,” at little or no cost, which could be beneficial to you, such as:

• computer software training for applicants
• detailed reports on your staffing usage
• applicant drug screening
• productivity analysis of your work processes
• assistance in developing position descriptions
• customized orientation and training for contingent workers and new hires
• paycheck drop-off for contingent workers

Ask your staffing rep what value-added services his company offers.  Then take advantage of the ones that make sense for your company.

Berks & Beyond is committed to developing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with client companies.  We want to help you save time and money, while making it easier for you to find the qualified people you need.  Contact us today to take your staffing relationship to the next level - we’ll show you how better staffing can make your company even more successful.

How would you describe your relationship with your staffing service?

1. Playing the field - you’re still shopping around for “The One” - that perfect staffing service.
2. Getting to know you - you hire the occasional temp, but don’t know too much about your current supplier.
3. Going steady - you regularly use staffing and have a preferred supplier.

No matter what phase you are in, this two-part post will help you take your staffing relationship “to the next level” by working more effectively together.  And if you have a fear of commitment, consider this:  a more successful relationship with your staffing supplier means better results for your company.  Here are some ways to achieve them:

Plan ahead.

It’s never too soon to discuss an anticipated need with your staffing service.  By giving your provider adequate lead-time, you optimize your chances of finding an ideal candidate for the assignment - especially if the position is difficult to fill.

Be thorough when ordering.

A well-placed order will yield a better quality fill.  So before you pick up the phone, consider the following criteria:

1. Type of need - if the position is temporary or permanent.
2. Quantity - how many individuals you require.
3. Job description - define and prioritize specifics for each position about required skills and experience, job responsibilities, expectations, and performance goals and standards.
4. Personality traits - the types of behavioral traits that will best fit your corporate culture.

Get to know one another better.

1. Learn more about your staffing provider’s full range of capabilities.  Beyond merely filling orders, your provider can: show you ways to save money; increase your flexibility; and provide valuable employment-related expertise.  Request a facilities tour or capabilities demonstration to learn all your staffing provider can do for you.
2. Help them get to know you better.  Invite your staffing rep in to tour your location, meet your employees, and see first-hand how your organization operates.

Berks & Beyond would like to learn more about your company’s goals and needs.  We’d also welcome the opportunity to show you what we can do for your organization.  To schedule a tour or capabilities demonstration, contact us today.

Later this week, I’ll post a few more tips for taking your staffing relationship to the next level.  Stay tuned!

Do you really know whom you’re hiring?

According to a list unveiled at this year’s SHRM Annual Conference in New Orleans, the following are the hot employment screening topics hiring professionals need to watch during 2010:

1. Expect more hiring controversies due to information garnered from social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
2. Contractor and PEO background checks will become even more important as temporary labor usage increases.
3. In general, hiring will increase in 2010.  To make the hiring process as efficient and cost-effective as possible, companies should consider integrating a background screening program with an applicant tracking system.
4. Due to HR shortages, fewer employers will respond to resume verification requests.
5. Resume falsification and the usage of diploma mills will increase, as job seekers become more desperate.
6. Blind dependence on the FBI’s criminal database will rise - even though it’s not full-proof.
7. Employers will face greater controversy over attempts to enact privacy laws, redacting social security numbers and other background information from court records.
8. State legislation regarding discriminatory use of credit reports will increase.
9. Providers of background screening services will achieve industry accreditation.
10. Litigation over perceived screening and hiring decision discrimination will rise.

Thorough and accurate background checks are a critical component of the hiring process.   At Berks & Beyond, we use a variety of screening and verification processes to ensure your satisfaction.  To find out how, contact a Berks & Beyond staffing professional today.

Source:

http://university.employeescreen.com/announcements/EmployeeScreenIQ_Background_%20Screening_Trends_2010

A Vendor-on-Premise (VOP) is exactly what it sounds like - a vendor (in this case, a staffing service like Berks & Beyond) provides an on-site representative to manage and coordinate temporary employees at your company.

If you’re a high-volume staffing user, a VOP can really make staffing easier for you.  In essence, he acts as an extension of your HR department to streamline your staffing function.  Here’s how:
Increasing Efficiency
A VOP can:
- Handle the daily deployment of temporary workers to get them on-task quickly.
- Make daily rounds to ensure contingent workers stay productive.
- Provide detailed, customized reports like: staffing usage, cost analyses, attendance and tardiness.
- Evaluate personnel needs to plan for peak and non-peak periods, and handle worker reassignment.
Reducing Headaches
A VOP can:
- Manage daily work issues, like problem resolution and worker injury reporting.
- Handle scheduling to ensure departments are adequately staffed.
- Resolve payroll and administrative issues.
- Recruit new temporary employees directly at your site.
Managing Other Staffing Functions
A VOP can:
- Screen, interview and skill-test candidates before they’re approved to work for you.
- Check references, and if required, drug test applicants.
- Distribute paychecks.
Ensuring Safety
A VOP can:
- Provide facilities tours and customized safety orientations for your new temporary employees.

Could a VOP become a VIP in your company?  Contact Berks & Beyond to find out more about our on-site services and determine if they’re right for you.