Berks & Beyond Blog

These days, with a greater number of candidates vying for the same openings in your company, you may find yourself having to say “No” more often.  Needless to say, writing rejection letters can be an unpleasant and stressful part of the hiring process.

But even when you can’t offer a job applicant the position, you can still end the interview process on a positive note.  Here are some quick tips for writing candidate rejection letters in a constructive way, to build good will with candidates and position your company as an employer of choice:

• Send out the rejection letter promptly.  If you’re certain you will not be hiring the individual, let him know that he was not selected as soon as possible.  Even when the news is bad, your timely follow-up will convey a high level of professionalism.
• Always use formal company letterhead for a rejection letter and never handwrite it.
• Address your candidate by name.  Further customize the letter with the position for which he applied, as well as a supportive comment about the applicant’s qualifications, experience or enthusiasm.  Although a rejection letter is basically a form letter, your candidate shouldn’t feel as though it is.
• Be direct, but gracious.  Make it clear that there were other candidates more qualified for the job, but do so in a respectful way.
• When appropriate, encourage further action.  If the candidate is a good culture fit, and may be qualified for other openings with your company, say so.  Encourage him to stay in touch and apply again.
• Always end on a positive note.  Thank the candidate for applying and interviewing.  Wish him good luck in his career development.  Remember, this may be the final impression this individual has of your company – make sure it’s a favorable one.
• Close the letter formally with “Sincerely,” or “Best wishes,” and sign your name.

Don’t want to write rejection letters? 

Call Berks & Beyond, a leading Central and Southern PA staffing firm, with your direct placement needs.  We’ll handle every step of the process – from recruiting to testing and initial interviews - and only present you with the most qualified candidates.  If you decide not to hire an individual we refer, just let us know and we’ll take care of the rest.

Tips for Successful Salary Negotiations

Congratulations!  You’ve found a superstar with the ideal skills, personality and experience for the position.

But you still have one hurdle to overcome – salary negotiations.  Landing the cream of the crop without blowing your personnel budget can be tricky.  To help, here is a quick list of strategies for negotiating salary with high performers:

1. Have the right mindset.  Negotiation is a process, not a war.  At all costs, avoid the pitfalls of the “us vs. him/her” mentality.  Instead, enter the salary negotiation process open-minded, with the ultimate goal of hiring the best possible candidate for your company.
2. Do your homework.  Rest assured your candidate will have done his.  Before heading into negotiations, prepare yourself by:  reviewing the candidate’s salary history; consulting relevant salary surveys; knowing what your competitors are paying; understanding current market and economic conditions; factoring in cost-of-living differences; and developing a comprehensive compensation package.
3. Use a negotiating point person.  In multiple interview situations, a candidate may ask salary questions of more than one interviewer.  Be prepared.  Prevent potentially catastrophic communication errors by designating a single person to discuss and negotiate salary with a candidate.
4. Never lowball a candidate if there is a good fit.  A top candidate knows what he’s/she’s worth.  If you lowball him/her in an attempt to save a few dollars, he/she will likely be insulted and reject the offer without even countering.
5. Sell the intangibles.  Identify a candidate’s “hot buttons” – intangibles which are just as important to him/her as money.  Leverage these intangibles (e.g. company culture, stability, challenging work, opportunity for advancement, flexible hours, etc.) to sweeten the deal when your pay range is maxed out.
6. Be up-front if you can’t negotiate.  If your initial offer is not negotiable (because of budgetary or other constraints), tell the candidate when making the offer.  If possible, provide an explanation.  The candidate will understand that your base salary offer is firm, and will then move on to negotiating other parts of the compensation package.

Work with Berks & Beyond Employment Services.  Avoid the pitfalls of salary negotiations by using our direct hire staffing services.  We can handle every step of the process from initial screening through salary negotiations, to ensure you land a top performer without breaking the bank.

When used strategically, temporary staffing can improve productivity, increase capacity to handle spikes in workload, and provide access to specialized skill sets – all without increasing your fixed expenses.

To help ensure your temporary staff is as efficient and productive as possible, be sure to follow these 5 key steps:

Step #1: Determine the type of person you need and define required skills.
Meet with managers and those who will be working with the temporary employee to determine which skills are ideal for the position you are trying to fill.  Examine top performers you already have on staff to determine what skills have made them successful.  And finally, work closely with your staffing agency and provide as much detail as possible.

Step #2: Work with an experienced staffing agency.
Find an agency that has experience in your industry.  Not only will an experienced staffing agency know where to look to find the right person, but they will also be able to help you determine things like an appropriate pay rate for a particular position.

Step #3: Provide a solid orientation and training program.
Include information such as working hours, breaks and lunch schedules, any safety regulations or company rules, and contact information for direct supervisors.  You may also want to assign a core staff member or supervisor to help orient the temporary employee.  Also, find out what type of training and orientation your staffing agency can provide.  Good staffing agencies will offer guidance on how to best bring temporary employees up to speed so they can hit the ground running–and they may even conduct initial training and orientation for you.

Step #4: Communicate clearly and openly.
Make sure your temporary employees understand what’s expected from them.  Encourage employees to ask questions and make sure they know to whom those questions should be directed.

Step #5: Check in regularly.
Be sure to take a minute or two at several points throughout the first day to check in and gauge progress.  Set specific days/times you plan to check in throughout the week to answer any questions and monitor progress.

Bringing a temporary employee on board at your company can offer a host of benefits – as long as that employee is managed properly.  And from our experience, hard-working and properly managed temporary employees often become leading candidates for full-time openings.

If you’re interested in hiring temporary employees or just want to learn more about how temporary employees can help your company, contact Berks & Beyond today.  As a leading Central and Southern Pennsylvania staffing firm, we can deliver the flexible staff you need without increasing your permanent workforce.

According to a worldwide survey of senior managers, years of staff cutbacks have undermined trust in the workplace.

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s new report, titled “Companies at the Crossroads,” recommends that to restore that trust, companies must put their employees first  - or risk experiencing deep talent erosion and sustained underperformance as the global economy recovers.

Here are some key statistics from the December 2009 report:

• 29% of business executives surveyed said employee engagement is low – and that they expect to lose key people as talent demand grows.
• 41% of respondents cite a shortage of talent in their organization.
• 44% of executives surveyed said they find it increasingly difficult to recruit talented employees.
• 50% of respondents plan to ramp up recruitment in 2010, with only 18% freezing headcounts.

The survey found that while executives understand the need to focus on their talent, greater action is needed to develop sound talent management strategies for the future.  Low trust among mid-level employees, coupled with low graduate recruitment and an ongoing demand for senior executive talent, is creating a perfect storm for businesses:  the most talented employees may be headed out the door, with fresh talent not yet recruited.

Bottom line, these trends can have a serious impact on your business as the economy recovers.  Berks & Beyond is prepared to help.  We proactively recruit to ensure you always have immediate access to the skilled, talented and reliable individuals you need – especially when that talent becomes hard to find.  Visit our website to find out what we can do for you.

Are you new to the world of social networking?  Looking for fresh ways to enhance your career prospects?  If so, use these quick tips to turn a social networking profile into a powerful career-building tool.

Find the right site for your career interests.  Begin by browsing the different “networks” provided by major sites like LinkedIn and Facebook.  Click through each network’s subfields to determine which sites have areas that match your needs and interests.

Build your profile carefully.  When creating a profile for career purposes, make sure that the information you post is accurate and appropriate.  Start by reviewing other profiles, then mirror the style and content of the best ones.

Choose an appropriate profile picture.  Your picture makes a critical first impression on a recruiter.  Be sure it’s a positive one.  Only post pictures that are “neutral” (i.e., not sexy, costume-like, or potentially alienating) and appropriate for business.  If you already have a profile picture, review it with a critical eye to ensure it prepresents you in a professional manner.

Maintain distinct identities.  If you use sites for both personal and professional purposes, separate your virtual lives by establishing dedicated social networking pages.  Direct all co-workers and business contacts to your professional page and ask them to “friend” you there.

Manage your privacy settings.  Take advantage of the technology sites like Facebook offer to limit what potential employers can learn about you.  Like other features, privacy options are continually updated – revisit them periodically to ensure your settings keep details about your religion, political beliefs and relationships private.  As a rule of thumb, assume that everything you post is public, except what you explicitly designate otherwise.

Post content, links and news.  Post timely content that highlights your professional area of expertise.  By including relevant links on your profile, you: demonstrate your concern about developments in your industry; position yourself as an informed expert; prove your commitment to improving yourself as a professional.

Garner recommendations.  As your online professional network grows, seek opportunities to obtain and post recommendations from superiors, co-workers, subordinates and satisfied clients.  Their third-party perspective gives readers a more objective view of you as a professional.

Complement your social networking job search activities.  Register with Berks & Beyond and gain access to a multitude of rewarding job opportunities that never make it to job boards or other online channels.

Have you ever bought something on impulse?  Ever wonder what attracted you to the item in the first place?

Whatever the reason, something about the way that product was marketed created a strong attraction in you – strong enough to make you act.

In many ways, job postings are a lot like the impulse items we all buy on occasion.  As a manager, you must ensure that the announcements you write compel the candidates you seek to take action – even if they aren’t actively seeking new jobs.

To help you in this arena, use these tips for creating irresistible job postings that are magnets for talent:

1. Tell a story to stir emotions.  Rather than beginning with dry job requirements, focus on the ways your company’s products or services impact customers’ lives, or draw from client testimonials.  Write about the way your business makes people feel, and use this to create a compelling image of your company and the available position.
2. Approach the posting from the job seeker’s perspective.  Top candidates are more interested in what a position offers them personally – high earning potential, intellectual challenge, recognition, etc. – than in your company’s business strategy.  Ensure your job posting addresses these needs by first highlighting the rewards of the position.
3. Emphasize your company’s strengths.  Everyone wants to work for a successful organization.  Put your company’s best foot forward by identifying strengths such as: organizational growth, industry track record, competitive advantages of your products/services, positive corporate culture, financial stability, awards and/or recognition.
4. Convey a sense of optimism.  Potential candidates are quick to form judgments about your company based on the tone of your listing.  Use positive language to turn downsides into opportunities (e.g., a decline in profits signals a need for innovation).
5. Keep it short.  Details are great, but a passive job seeker won’t take the time to read a lengthy listing that drones on and on like Charlie Brown’s teacher.  So as a general rule, limit job postings to two or three pages.
6. Avoid overused buzzwords and transparent euphemisms.  For the savvy job seeker, buzzwords do little to differentiate your company – so use them sparingly (balancing the need for SEO when postings are online).  Likewise, steer clear of inflating job titles (e.g., listing a coffee gopher as a Beverage Production Manager) that will only rob your company of both clout and credibility.
7. Use your in-house writing talent.  A job posting is a marketing piece.  If you’re not a Twain or Grisham by nature, enlist your marketing department’s help.  Provide them with the nuts and bolts of the job (as well as this post) and let them craft a compelling posting for you.

Attracting top talent is both time-consuming and expensive – so why do it on your own?  Call Berks and Beyond with your job specifications, and allow us to find the best temporary and direct placement candidates for you.

Social Media Helps Leading Staffing Firm

Connect with Clients, Employees

Reading, PA – You have one new friend request.  Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc. invites you to “Friend” their Facebook fan page. 

While millions are using Facebook to keep in touch with friends, the leading Central and Southern Pennsylvania staffing firm is using this social media platform as part of an already progressive internet marketing strategy.

The page allows Berks and Beyond to interact with clients, employees and applicants on a whole new level.  “In today’s world, people are spending more and more time online, and we need to be where they are in order to reach them,” says Chris Garner, President of Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc.  “This page lets us get immediate feedback on questions, post available jobs, and show the world a little bit of what our company is about on a social level.”

Containing several interactive features, the page is taking on a life of its own as it develops into what fans want it to be.  Visitors can leave comments or ask questions on Berks and Beyond’s “Wall”; search the “Careers” tab for up-to-the-minute job listings; browse the “RSS / Blog” tab, which displays their company blog feed; or even create their own online surveys with the “Polls” tab.

So why should you become a fan?  Garner is committed to adding real value for clients and job seekers alike.  “We are trying to keep the page as relevant as possible,” he says, “and will never just add meaningless status updates.  So if you want to further your career, find a job, ask a question, or just keep up-to-date on local information, the page can be a valuable and fun tool.”

To become a fan of Berks and Beyond, just log onto Facebook and type “Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc” in the search box at the top of the main window.  Click the “+1 Add as Friend” button on Berks and Beyond’s page, then confirm your friend request. 

Since launching the page, Berks and Beyond has added several hundred fans.  Help them reach their end-of-summer goal of 1,000 fans by joining today.

Most of us today are conditioned to look for the best possible price.  In most cases, this makes good economic sense.  But when it comes to staffing services, the company offering the lowest prices isn’t necessarily going to deliver the best value.

Here are a few good reasons why shopping around for the lowest-priced temporary employees might not be the wisest use of your staffing dollars:

• To offer you the lowest price, a staffing service may be forced to cut back on the quality and amount of service they provide.  They may not be able to afford the same depth of recruiting and screening.  As a result, they may have more difficulty finding the right candidates for your specific needs.
• Because of simple supply and demand, the staffing agencies that offer better wages to their temporary employees will most likely get the more talented, skilled, reliable and experienced applicants.  Any staffing firm can find a “warm body” to fill your position.  But finding a quality employee that truly fits your organization may be too crucial to risk – especially for what may boil down to a few cents per hour.
• Not getting the right person for the job can have very costly ramifications.  For example, a temporary employee who is less than qualified for the position can cause the following unforeseen expenses:
  • additional time (money) up front to adequately orient and train the temporary
  • increased supervision for a less qualified temporary
  • mistakes and reworks – the time, money and materials involved in re-doing the work of a less qualified temporary
  • poor productivity – the amount of work a sub-par employee fails to complete (compared to a qualified individual)

The bottom line is, many things in business aren’t worth risking.  The quality of your human capital is definitely one of them. 

Berks and Beyond:  the Best Staffing Value for Southern and Central PA Employers

When it comes to Berks & Beyond’s candidates, you get what you pay for – skilled, reliable, hard-working and experienced people who truly fit your needs.  Rest assured, we will always deliver the best value for your staffing dollar.

Endless e-mails.  Countless voicemails.  An overflowing inbox.  With all the daily demands you face in your job, who has time to focus on career development?

Well if you can find just  extra 10 minutes, you do.  In just 10 minutes, you can accomplish one of the tasks below.  Each of these simple ideas will put you one step closer to getting the recognition, raise or promotion you want.

1. Ask someone in another department to explain his job to you.  Find out how other positions relate to your own – and the organization as a whole.  This “big picture” perspective will help you more readily identify opportunities to make a positive impact.
2. Propose a new idea.  Spend 10 minutes brainstorming ways to: solve an existing problem; save your company money; generate additional revenue, etc.  Present your best ideas to your boss.
3. Ask your boss out to lunch.  During your meal, find out more about his priorities, as well as what makes him tick (and ticked-off).  Show him that you understand the pressure he faces, and you’re sure to make your mark.
4. Clean your desk.  Go through those stacks of paperwork and over-stuffed drawers.  Eliminate as much of the clutter as you can.  A cleaner desk will help you think more clearly, improve your efficiency, and show others that you take pride in your space – as well as your work.
5. Write a To Do list.  Prioritize your existing projects and responsibilities.  Next, enter them into a simple “To Do” program (such as Microsoft Outlook) that will provide pop-up reminders for your meetings, tasks and deadlines.  You’ll be able to take your mind off less-pressing items – and focus more productively on what you’re doing now.
6. Start a portfolio.  Keep track of your professional accomplishments and contributions by assembling a simple portfolio that showcases your skills and experience.  Start by highlighting your most recent projects, and then work backward as time permits (10 focused minutes per week will yield results quickly).  When the time comes to make your case for a raise or promotion, your portfolio will prove an invaluable tool.

Berks & Beyond Can Make You More Successful at Work

• Enjoy more freedom to focus on your core competencies.
• Meet critical deadlines by quickly accessing the extra labor or adminsitrative staff you need.
• Use our direct placement services to make better quality hires who will support your success.

Contact us today to learn more.

Leading Southern and Central Pennsylvania Staffing Firm Named to Inavero’s Inaugural Best of Staffing™ List

Reading, PA – Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc. has been named to Inavero’s inaugural Best of Staffing™ list.  The Best of Staffing™, presented in partnership with CareerBuilder, is the nation’s only client satisfaction award that recognizes exceptional service within the staffing and recruiting industry.

All staffing firms that competed for inclusion underwent a rigorous client survey process.  Careful analysis of nearly 17,000 client responses was used to determine customer satisfaction levels.  Inavero selected only those staffing firms that scored a 9 or 10 out of 10 from an average of 74% of their clients (outperforming the industry’s benchmark for client satisfaction by at least 22%).

Berks and Beyond made the grade – a huge achievement for a local staffing firm.

“This is a great honor for Berks and Beyond,” states Chris Garner, President of Berks & Beyond.  “We say every day how we strive to provide excellent customer service.  But in the end, it is our clients’ perspectives that really count.  Knowing that our clients view us as a very solid partner for their own businesses to succeed is the best compliment that we could ask for.”

The Southeastern and Central Pennsylvania staffing firm does not intend to rest on its laurels.  “Even though we have scored very well, we are not content to stay standing still.  We are already working on some areas that will continue to position us as the standard for service in all the markets we serve.  Thank you to all who participated in our survey.  Your input was taken very seriously.”