Berks & Beyond Blog

Like most things in life, you’ll get out of your job search what you put into it.  Those who work harder, have a positive attitude, persevere and go the extra mile are more likely to get what they want – period.

If you have the commitment to work hard, but need direction for your efforts, here are five things you can do to take charge of your job search today:

1.  Clarify your self-knowledge and your goals. Do you know exactly what you have to offer an employer?  Do you know exactly what you are looking for in a career?  Take the time to write down your specific skills, strengths, accomplishments and career goals.  If you know what you want, and what you bring to the table, it’s infinitely easier to focus your efforts, identify potential employers and find the job you want.

2.  Establish your network. Identify individuals in companies, industry organizations and professional associations who can provide insight into their employment needs.  When possible, schedule informational interviews to learn more about potential careers, as well as skills you may need to acquire to make yourself more employable.  Identify faculty, friends, business associates and relatives who can assist you with your job search.  Tell everyone you know that you’re looking for a job and ask them to refer you to potential employers.

3.  Get more organized. Place all of your job search materials, including: research on potential employers; listings of job postings to which you’ve responded; resume versions and cover letters; staffing services with whom you’ve registered; network lists, etc.  Use this binder to track your progress, plan follow-up, develop daily to-do lists or record other important information.

4.  Find a mentor. If you don’t have a trusted advisor who can help guide your job search efforts, you should get one.  To select a mentor, choose someone you know who:  has earned your respect; is successful in his or her career; will provide honest and effective feedback; will take an interest in your professional development; will support you in your career progression.  Meet with this person regularly to solicit advice, share your ups and downs, and get the feedback and support you need to keep going.

5.  Register with Berks & Beyond. As a leading Central and Southern PA staffing and placement service, we specialize in connecting hard-working individuals with rewarding temporary, temp-to-hire, contract and direct employment opportunities.  If you are looking to:

• open new doors and create new connections;
• earn money while conducting a full-time job search;
• gain access to unadvertised opportunities;
• keep your skills sharp and your morale high…

…Contact a Recruiter today.

Looking for a job in Pennsylvania?  Consider going social.

Over the past several years, employers have ramped up their use of social media to post jobs and recruit talent.  Here are a few quick tips to help you get connected with the right people and opportunities:

Create a 21st century résumé.  To effectively share your qualifications with potential employers via social media, you need an up-to-date digital résumé that works with today’s technology.

Get LinkedIn. This site allows you to connect with people you know, view job postings, obtain recommendations, and get introduced to people who work at companies where you’d like to work.

Try Twitter. This social networking and microblogging utility enables you to connect with people you don’t know, based on common interests – a great way to network.  In addition to basic networking, Twitter also has tools like Twellow which allow you to search people’s bios and URLs on their bios.  This allows you to identify and then follow people who are employed by your dream companies.

Think like an employer. Hiring organizations know that good people know good people.  For this reason, they often ask employees post on their Facebook and Twitter accounts that they’re hiring, in the hopes that friends (or friends of friends) will be interested in the position or know someone who is.  Make sure you keep an eye on dream employers’ tweets, posts and updates.

Friend Berks & Beyond on Facebook. We use social media like Facebook to help connect people like you with great work opportunities.  Check out our latest job postings on the “Careers” tab, gain valuable career advice, ask a question, or just keep up-to-date on what we’re doing.  To become a fan of Berks and Beyond, simply 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, and then confirm your friend request.

How are you using social media in your job search?

We’d love to know.  Leave your comment below.

Let’s be honest – finding the right job opportunity is hard work.

Today’s job hunt is about more than just posting résumés and calling a few work contacts.  Finding your dream job involves a combination of working closely with professional recruiters, networking with second and third generation decision makers, and good old-fashioned hard work.

But like most things in life, the more time and effort you put into your job search, the greater your chances of success.  So as you start the New Year, get organized, get down to business and make finding a job a full-time job:

• Determine what type of job you really need to continue your career development and set some short- and long-term goals to get you where you want to be.  Let these goals drive a prioritized to-do list, broken into manageable, productive job-search tasks.  You’ll be much less vulnerable to distractions if you stick to this list and track goal attainment.
• Devote time to job-search activities in proportion to their importance.  Blanketing potential employers with digital résumés rarely produces results proportionate to the effort expended – so manage time spent on this activity carefully.  While it may be easier than interviewing with a recruiter, or face-to-face networking, it’s not the most productive use of your time.
• Establish a daily routine that simulates a work day.  Get up early, exercise (if that’s your routine), shower and get dressed.  You don’t need to don a suit, but dress nicely enough to make yourself feel both positive and productive.  Take a look at your prioritized to-do list, establish a game plan for the day and tackle your highest priority tasks first.  Before you end your job-hunting day, plan out the next.
• Schedule informational interviews.  While they may not lead to immediate job offers, this low-stress form of networking can be a high-yield career development tool. 
• Work with Berks & Beyond Employment Services.  When you work with Berks & Beyond, you have access to opportunities with leading employers throughout Central and Southern Pennsylvania– many of which are not advertised elsewhere.  If you haven’t already registered with us, you can get started right now by contacting a recruiter.  And if you are currently registered, remember these quick tips to maximize the value we provide:

Send your updated résumé to Berks & Beyond.  Have you gained new skills, experience or responsibilities since you first sent us your résumé?  If so, please let us know so that we can update your profile and consider you for additional opportunities.

Search all of Berks & Beyond’s open jobs periodically.  Set-up a regular reminder in Outlook, on your mobile phone, or in any other scheduling software you use.  We receive new openings daily and update our job board frequently.

Looking for work?  Then you know that it’s tough out there.

But fortunately, you don’t have to conduct your job search alone.  Staffing specialists are committed to your success and can facilitate your job search in a number of ways:

• Career guidance.  Re-entering the workforce?  Just out of college?  Laid off?  If you fall into one of these categories, you may be unsure of exactly how to best use your talents.  A staffing professional can help you critically examine your skills, training and experience to identify the right opportunities for you.
• Access to unadvertised opportunities.  When working with a staffing service, many businesses do not advertise through traditional means.  They trust staffing specialists to quickly identify the right individuals for their temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire needs.  As a result, many great job opportunities are available exclusively through the staffing firm.
• Résumé and interview skill feedback.  As an employment expert, a staffing professional can help you polish your résumé and build your interviewing confidence so that you can land the job you want.
• Confidential and anonymous representation.  If you’re currently working, you probably don’t want your current employer to know you are in the job market.  A staffing professional will market and represent you anonymously, so you can continue working until a prospective employer expresses an interest in your credentials.
• Keep your morale up.  Being out of work can take a toll on you – emotionally and financially.  A staffing specialist can provide interim contract and temporary employment opportunities to help you:
  - Earn money while you search for direct employment;
  - Keep your schedule flexible so you can continue your job search;
  - Network with new co-workers to uncover additional employment leads;
  - Keep your job skills sharp and up-to-date;
  - Avoid gaps on your résumé;
  - Stay positive and productive.

You’re More Than Just an “Applicant”
At Berks & Beyond, you’re more than just a résumé, a certification, or a set of skills.  You’re a critical component of our success.  Our staffing specialists want to help you achieve your career goals, by matching you with an opportunity that suits your skills, needs and interests.  Contact us today to learn more about employment opportunities for job seekers in Harrisburg, Allentown, Reading, Pottstown and York.

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:

York

“Berks and Beyond is definitely different from any other staffing company that I have applied with.  What drew me to Berks and Beyond were all the success stories that I had been hearing from people who had been placed on good assignments.  They have great knowledge of the companies in the area and were able to make sure that it was a right match for me and my experience.  They make sure I am prepared for my assignment so I will know exactly what to expect.  I will continue to spread the word that Berks and Beyond is the one-stop-shop to find a great job!”
- Charlotte Gray

Harrisburg

“I am so thankful for Berks and Beyond Employment Services.  My testimony is a unique one.  After being laid off for a year and a half, I had registered at Berks and Beyond in late February this year…  On Wednesday, February 24th, Carl Rudolph called me from the new (Harrisburg) location and asked me if I would be interested in an office position with UGI HVAC in Manheim, 10 minutes from my home.  Of course I said, ‘Yes.’  Carl scheduled my interview for Wednesday afternoon and within an hour after my interview, Carl called me and said that the company wanted to cancel all other interviews and wanted to hire me.  I was overjoyed.  My life has now changed after being laid off for a year and a half.  Things are looking up!  Thank you Berks and Beyond Employment Services!”
- Amy Westhafer

Reading

“I found myself out of work after working for many years.  After 4 months of being unemployed and looking on my own, the supervisor from my old job called and told me to check out Berks & Beyond.  I walked into Berks & Beyond and everyone was so pleasant and very friendly.  They took the time in my interview to find out everything about me and my work experience.  I was feeling good about myself and that they would be able to help me find work.  An hour after leaving Berks & Beyond, they called me with a job offer and I was working the next day.  I now let everyone know to go to Berks & Beyond.  They can help to find work and the staff is wonderful – they are a great group of girls!  I am so very happy to be working for Berks & Beyond!”
- Cathleen R.

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