Berks & Beyond Blog

The following top candidates are highly skilled, motivated and ready to go to work for you:

PRESS OPERATOR in Pottstown, PA

Candidate Initials: B. V.

Skills and Experience: Well versed in GMP, CGLMP and SOP procedures, this individual worked for Merck & Co. as a folder operator.  He has many years of experience leading as many as 13 operators.  Organized and detail oriented, this press operator as also worked as a slitter operator and a digital press operator (HP Indigo WS 6000), and offers training in Six Sigma, 5-S and Lean Manufacturing.  Act fast – this top candidate will not be available for long!

Desired Pay: $18 / hr.

For more information on how this candidate could become part of your team, please contact Heidi in our Pottstown office at 484.945.0516 or e-mail Heidi at Heidi@berksandbeyond.com.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT in Reading, PA

Candidate Initials: K. O.

Skills and Experience: Competent professional with a great personality and over 20 years of experience supporting executives at all levels.  Strengths include:  organizing and prioritizing; project coordination and management; forging strong relationships with corporate executives and colleagues.  Proficient in the entire MS Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Visio, Access, Publisher and Outlook, as well as Adobe products.

Desired Pay: $18 / hr.

To learn more about this candidate, please contact Allison in our Reading office at Allison@berksandbeyond.com or call 610.376.9675.

Your résumé is a critical job-hunting tool.  It’s primary purpose is to help potential employers understand the unique blend of accomplishments, experience and education that make you the ideal choice for their job openings.

On its own, your résumé will not get you the job; it is a marketing tool to get you in the employer’s door.  Still, the type of résumé format you choose can rule you in or out of consideration for an available position.  Here are the most common types, courtesy of About.com:

• Chronological.  This type of résumé starts by listing your work history, beginning with your most recent position and working backward.  Employers prefer this type of résumé because it’s easy to see what jobs you have held and when you have worked at them.
• Functional.  This résumé type highlights your skills and experience, as opposed to your work history.
• Combination or Hybrid.  The combination résumé lists your skills and experience first, but also includes your work history, listed in reverse chronological order.  It allows you to highlight your relevant skills, but also provide the chronological work history many employers prefer.
• Targeted.  A targeted résumé is highly customized and specifically highlights your experience and skills that are relevant to the individual job for which you are applying.

So what kind of résumé format is right for you?  The answer is: it depends.  Consider the following questions to decide which type of résumé will help you put your best foot forward:

• Do you have significant gaps in your work history? If so, a functional résumé may be best, because it focuses on your abilities – not the chronological timeline of your employment history.  One caveat:  many internet job boards will not accept this format.
• Are you changing direction in your career? Again, a functional résumé may be the right choice.  It allows you to present the skills and experience you possess that will transfer well into a different line of employment.
• Have you been promoted several times or taken jobs with increasing responsibility? A chronological résumé is well-suited to showcasing your growth and career advancement over time.
• Are your qualifications and experience a great match for the available position? In this case, a targeted résumé is the way to go.  While it requires significantly more work to create a new résumé specifically tailored to the available job, it’s usually well worth the effort.  The targeted résumé will highlight the ways in which you are a perfect match for the job and help you stand out from the crowd.
• Still not sure which way to go? While the majority of employers tend to prefer the chronological format (because it’s easy to read and clearly presents your job history over time) the best modern résumés are combination or hybrid.  This résumé format provides the best of both worlds – a paragraph or list that summarizes your main areas of accomplishment and experience, as well as a detailed reverse-chronology work history with information about your achievements in each position.

If you’re looking for jobs in Central and Southern Pennsylvania and could use some advice on preparing your résumé, give Berks & Beyond a call.  Whether you’re searching for temporary employment, a permanent position or some extra money on the weekend, Berks & Beyond has the career opportunities you need!

Stephani Williams Hired for Management Role
in Rapidly Growing Harrisburg Market

Wyomissing, PA – Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc. is pleased to name Stephani Williams as Branch Manager of their Harrisburg office.   In her new role, Williams will manage sales, customer service and day-to-day activities for the branch.  Additionally, she will ensure that Berks and Beyond sends out only the highest quality employees with the experience, skills and work ethic to consistently exceed clients’ expectations.

Although Williams is new to the company, she is not new to the staffing industry.  In fact, she spent five years successfully managing several of the Harrisburg area’s largest staffing accounts, both in an onsite capacity and remotely from a field office.  Her knowledge of all aspects of temporary staffing have helped her to reduce turnover, improve fill rates, increase productivity and identify qualified associates to join her clients’ workforces.

“We’re thrilled to have Stephani join the Berks & Beyond team,” says Chris Garner, President of Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc.  “Her strategic workforce experience, passion for staffing and strong work ethic will help us maintain our position as a staffing leader in the Harrisburg market.”

Williams is equally excited about the opportunity.  “I’m looking forward to working with all of the wonderful local companies by providing them with great staff and customer service,” she says.

Outside of the office, you can find Williams in Philadelphia cheering on her favorite sports teams, the Flyers and Phillies.  She is also an avid traveler, having visited nine countries in 2011, and she enjoys spending her downtime with her friends, family and puppy.

Last week Berks & Beyond introduced you to the concept of V.U.C.A. – a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous operating environment which has become the “new normal” in business today.

To truly thrive under such conditions, you need to develop “agile models” that prepare your workforce for major disruptive events.  These business models must also include the processes and systems that can actually shift and handle any unpredicted upcoming event at a moment’s notice.

Staffing and recruiting services, like those offered by Berks & Beyond Employment Services, can help you meet the challenges of today’s unpredictable business environment.  We help Central and Southern Pennsylvania employers like you successfully manage volatility with:

• Contingent labor.  By using temporary and contract employees as a significant part of your workforce, you increase your capability to meet sudden upturns, downturns and new skill needs.  The flexibility contingent labor provides helps you operate cost-efficiently, while still maintaining the ability to capitalize on new business opportunities.
• Project-oriented, senior level trainers.  Staffing and recruiting firms can provide quick access to specialized experts who can train your staff to effectively manage change.  You can use these professionals to carry out scenario training and simulations to make your core staff more comfortable and confident when they encounter complex situations that are full of uncertainty and ambiguity.  Using contract professionals in a case like this provides two benefits.  First, your core managers won’t be distracted from their primary responsibilities to design and conduct training.  Additionally, once the training is complete, so are your extra personnel expenses.
• Rapid talent acquisition.  We can work with you to develop detailed position specifications, before hiring needs arise.  When the time comes, our knowledge of your requirements and deep talent pool will provide quicker access to top candidates who are ready to perform for your business.
• Outsourcing.  Outsourcing services can help you effectively meet sudden needs, large increases in business and overflow work – without the need to continually hire and then lay-off workers.

The one constant in today’s business world?  Rapid change.  Thankfully, Berks & Beyond is prepared to help you manage the “new normal” of today’s V.U.C.A. environment.

School is winding down and the weather is heating up.  It’s hard to believe, but summer’s just around the corner!

If you’re looking for a job in Carlisle, Harrisburg, Allentown, Reading, Pottstown or York – or anywhere else in Central or Southern Pennsylvania – it’s time to contact Berks & Beyond.

During the summer, many employers scramble to fill vacancies, complete special projects and staff for their busy season.  They rely on our temporary and contract staffing services to help them accomplish these goals.

So whether you want to:

• earn money during the summer months;
• obtain flexible employment that fits your schedule;
• build your résumé and learn new skills;
• or get your foot in the door with Pennsylvania’s leading employers;

Berks & Beyond has opportunities that fit your schedule, desired environment and salary requirements.  In most cases, employers plan their summer staffing needs in advance – now is the time to register with us!

Applying is quick and simple.  The best way to send us your résumé is to select a job from our listings, or you can contact a recruiter online (if you are not applying for a specific position).  Either way, please know that our services are provided to you at no cost.  New opportunities arrive daily, so check our Pennsylvania job listings frequently.

If you’re interested in something more than a “summer gig,” temporary work is also a great way to find direct employment.  According to the American Staffing Association:

• 88% of staffing employees say that temporary or contract work made them more employable.
• 77% of staffing employees say it’s a good way to obtain a permanent job.
• 80% of staffing clients say staffing firms offer a good way to find people who can become permanent employees.

So whether you need a short-term assignment, or are searching for a more permanent work arrangement, Berks & Beyond can provide the perfect opportunity for you.

Have you ever heard of V.U.C.A.?

Well, many are not yet familiar with the term.  But unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last five years, you’ve felt V.U.C.A.’s impact on our business and economic conditions.  In a recent ERE.net article, Dr. John Sullivan explores the concept of V.U.C.A., as well as the effect it’s had on today’s recruiting and workforce management.

If you are one of the many strategic leaders frustrated with your inability to manage the rate of change in today’s talent management environment, you should spend a few minutes learning about V.U.C.A.  This term is an acronym for an environment that is dominated by:

• Volatility – where things change rapidly but not predictably;
• Uncertainty – where the past is not an accurate predictor of the future (and therefore preparing for “what’s around the corner” is extremely difficult;
• Complexity – where countless causes and mitigating factors complicate problems;
• Ambiguity – where the causes (i.e., who, what, where, when, how and why) behind events are often unclear.

The concept of managing under chaos is not new.  Throughout history, we’ve had numerous periods of social, economic and political upheaval which have created highly unstable business conditions.  But while these periods of uncertainty eventually resolved themselves, most business, economic and political leaders have realized that today’s V.U.C.A. environment is now a permanent condition.

According to Sullivan, talent managers, HR and recruiting professionals must develop new ways to survive in a V.U.C.A. environment.  Traditional models of talent acquisition and management simply cannot work, because they are not versatile enough to accommodate the rapid and unpredictable changes in business.

To truly thrive, you need to develop “agile models” that prepare your workforce for major disruptive events by providing a wider range of options/solutions.  Additionally, these models must also include the processes and systems that can actually shift and handle any unpredicted upcoming event “just-in-time.”  Bottom line, you must be prepared to handle unforeseen workforce events and conditions that literally nobody thought of in advance.

Check the Berks & Beyond blog next Tuesday to learn how our staffing services for Central and Southern Pennsylvania employers can help you thrive in a V.U.C.A. environment.

At Berks & Beyond, we respect and value our temporary employees!  As it turns out, they feel the same way about us.  Here’s what a few of our temporaries have to say about their experiences working with us:

From the Berks & Beyond Pottstown office:

“I am so happy with working with Berks and Beyond and I have NO desire to leave (even being on a temp-to-hire assignment).  I have the best employers at Berks and Beyond.  They have always taken care of me, even when I was down and out – they found me work very quickly.  I couldn’t ask for a more caring and understanding employer.”

–Tony Iannini

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From the Berks & Beyond Allentown office:

“I, Kindalyn Phelps, just wanted to thank Berks and Beyond for being a great place to work for.  When I didn’t have a job you employed me the same day I went in.  When I got layed off you found me a job that day or the next.  So thanks for being the best place I have ever worked for ”

–Kindalyn Phelps

Kindalyn is Allentown’s Employee of the Month for April!  She has an excellent attitude and is always willing to help wherever she is needed.  Find out more about her background and work ethic on Berks & Beyond’s Facebook fan page.

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From the Berks & Beyond Reading office:

“Thank you for your help in getting me a job I really like.  I want to work and Berks & Beyond has found me jobs in the areas I have been looking for.  I appreciate everything Berks & Beyond has done.  I want a good future and only Berks & Beyond can make that happen.”

–Oscar Castillo

At Berks & Beyond, we promise to match you with a great job – one that matches your skills, experience, and most importantly, your interests.  We’ll use a very specialized tool to help you find the right job – our ears!  It may seem a bit odd in the staffing industry today, but we’ll actually take the time to listen to you when you register with us.

In fact, we’ll spend a lot of time learning about your skills, experience and work preferences. We’ll ask you about your goals and interests, and based on what we hear, we will do our best to refer you to the jobs that you will enjoy most.

What do doctors, hiring managers and referees have in common?

They’re all guilty of implicit bias.

Implicit bias is a form of prejudice that occurs when someone consciously rejects stereotypes and discrimination, but also holds unconscious negative associations in his mind.  Implicit bias does not mean that an individual is hiding his racial prejudices – he literally does not know that he has them.

While the measuring of unconscious biases might seem inconsequential on the surface, it takes on new meaning when we see bias’ impact in the real world.  Studies show that doctors are more likely to prescribe life-saving care to whites, that managers are more likely to hire and promote members of their own in-group and that referees in basketball might be more likely to subtly favor players with whom they share a racial identity.

These biases are incredibly difficult to control, because they form so early in life.  Social scientists believe children begin to acquire prejudices and stereotypes as toddlers.  Children as young as age three learn terms of racial prejudice without really understanding their significance.  They form attachments to their own groups and develop negative attitudes about other racial or ethnic groups.  Over time, most children acquire a full set of biases that become the foundation of stereotypes, prejudice and, ultimately, discrimination.

Also known as hidden or unconscious bias, implicit bias has become a hot topic of study for psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington.  Researchers at these institutions have created Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, to measure the prevalence and degree of unconscious bias.

IAT research is relevant for HR and other hiring managers, because of its application to the hiring process.  While interviewers may believe that they’re impartial, unconscious biases may affect their attitudes toward candidates of other races – and ultimately their hiring decisions.

How do you manage these potential hiring biases if you’re not sure they even exist?  Knowledge is power.  Take the Implicit Association Test,  part of the Project Implicit Harvard research study.  Scores are not a definitive assessment of your implicit thoughts or feelings, but should provide opportunities for self-reflection.

Ensure great Hires with Berks & Beyond

Direct placement services like Berks & Beyond have the resources and expertise to quickly and cost-effectively deliver candidates with skills, experience and behavioral traits to succeed in your organization.  We use professionally trained interviewers, skills-specific testing, thorough background checks and satisfaction guarantees to ensure the success of your next hire.

Looking for something fun to do in the Harrisburg, PA area?  Whether you want to spend a day outside or stay indoors, here are two local events to check out:

Spring Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meet & Corral

Carlisle PA Fairgrounds

Apr 25 – Apr 29, 2012

Adult Admission: Wed.-Sat. $10 / Sun. $5 / 5-day Pass $30
Child Admission: 8 and under – FREE
Gate Times: Wed.-Sat. 7am-6pm / Sun. 7am-3pm

Spring Carlisle – a collector and classic car swap meet, car corral and auction – marks the beginning of the show and swap meet season for thousands of collector and classic automotive enthusiasts, who travel to the 150-acre Carlisle PA Fairgrounds from all points of the globe to buy, sell and celebrate all things automotive.  This is a fun-filled weekend the entire family will enjoy.  All roads lead to Carlisle, PA where you’ll find a community of passionate motorheads and a commitment to superb service that can only be achieved through more than three decades of know-how.

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Special Centennial Titanic Celebration

The State Museum of Pennsylvania

Sun., April 22, 2012

2 pm, Reception following

Join The State Museum for a fascinating presentation and panel discussion, “The Titanic and Its Pennsylvania Passengers,” led by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commissioner William V. Lewis, Jr.

Dr. Lewis will be joined by two descendants of Titanic passengers from Pennsylvania as well as a journalist who has profiled the commonwealth’s connections to the infamous voyage which took place 100 years ago in April.  The State Museum event is free with museum admission and is followed by a reception and signing by the panelists of a new pamphlet Dr. Lewis has written on the disaster published by the Luzerne County Historical Society.  The reception will be hosted by the Pennsylvania Heritage Society.

Finally, some good news in the job market.  Across the country, a growing number of employees are quitting their jobs.

Why is this such a good sign?

According to a recent survey of recruiters, 28 percent of the job openings employers had in January were due to employee resignations – up from 21 percent in July of 2011.  To boot, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced in February that the number of workers quitting has been on a steady incline since its low point in December of 2009:

Life Inc. Graphic: Quits and layoffs and discharges

This is actually a sign that the labor market is improving.  During a  recession, people are inclined to hold onto their jobs, because employment prospects are so dim.

Conversely, an increase in “quits” is a sign of returning economic optimism.  Those who are dissatisfied with their current work situation are becoming more confident about their job prospects – so much so that they’re willing to leave their current job to search full-time.

Admittedly, unemployment rates are still high.  Walking away from a job that’s paying the bills always carries some risk.  But if you’re underemployed, in a dead-end job or otherwise unhappy with your current work situation, Berks & Beyond can help.

As a leading staffing service in Central & Southern Pennsylvania, we have a wide variety of office and clerical jobs, light industrial jobs, accounting and finance jobs, engineering jobs (and more) available in Reading, Carlisle, Allentown, Pottstown, York and Harrisburg.

When you register with us, we can help you conduct a confidential search for the perfect direct employment opportunity.  We work for you, allowing you to stay employed during your job hunt.  Best of all, our services are free!  Contact a Berks & Beyond recruiter today to learn more.