Berks & Beyond Blog

Want to really improve the quality of your hires?  Then make like a Boy Scout and “be prepared.”

When it comes to interviewing, preparation is critical.  Failing to do so can lead to a host of interviewing problems, including:

• Biases - quick judgments can interfere with assessment quality and accuracy.
• Inconsistencies - lack of structure and process may compromise interviewers’ abilities to determine the best candidates.
• Inefficiencies - inadequately trained interviewers are likely to ask improper questions and use poor evaluation techniques.

The result?  Ineffective interviews that ultimately yield – you guessed it – bad hires.

But by preparing ahead of time and using more effective interview methods, you dramatically increase your odds of hiring a top performer.  So before a single candidate arrives for an interview, use these tips to create a more structured, consistent process that ensures hiring decisions are based on relevant, sound information – and not merely first impressions:

1. Analyze the position to be filled. Assess what the ideal candidate will need in order to be successful in the position.  Consider:  skills, knowledge, type of experience, core competencies (e.g., decision making, customer responsiveness, problem solving, etc.), attitude, corporate culture fit and even interpersonal style.
2. Define the job. Develop a thorough job description, including the key roles and responsibilities.  Review performance evaluations of top performers in this role and ask existing team members what it would take for the new hire to succeed.
3. Develop standard interview questions. Use the requirements created in the previous steps to make a list of standard interview questions.  Ask these same questions of all applicants for the position.  Before interviews begin, determine ideal/acceptable responses for each question, to increase objectivity and improve the accuracy of your ratings.  The structure you create now will yield better quality judgments once the interviews are over.
4. Identify additional details needed to select the best candidate. Before interviewing, review additional information you will need to collect or verify, such as:  proof of certifications or licensures, records of educations, lists of references, etc.
5. Establish clear standards for non-verbal cues. Body language, eye contact, posture, appearance and other non-verbal cues all impact the first impression a job candidate makes.  But while these cues can be helpful in making a decision, they are also easy to manipulate and prone to subjective interviewer bias.  To avoid these biases and personal judgments (especially when multiple interviews are involved), establish clear standards for non-verbal cues which are appropriate for your corporate culture and employee/customer expectations.  Once you ascertain that a candidate meets your minimum standards, you can shift attention to the true substance of his responses.

These are just a few of the things you can do to improve your hiring process.  Look for future posts with more tips for hiring better.

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.

Are you using E-Verify?

If you are unfamiliar with this system, or its potential value to your organization, here is a brief overview:

This U.S. Government’s employment verification service started out as a test exercise known as the Basic Pilot/Employment Eligibility Verification Program.  After a period of system testing and debugging, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offered it as a live service to employers across the country.

Today, E-Verify is a voluntary federal program for employers that validates social security information and employment authorization.  Basically, the internet-based service verifies that a new employee is who he says he is and that he has the right to work in this country.

While the program has been the subject of intense scrutiny since its inception, E-Verify provides a number of potential benefits for your organization:

• E-Verify is a free system which allows you to screen out illegal workers.  It provides a fast way to find out right away if an employee’s Social Security number and employment eligibility documents are authentic.
• Reduce hiring liability. As the immigration crisis worsens, immigration enforcement actions will continue to intensify and criminal prosecutions for illegal hiring will continue to escalate.  By participating in the E-Verify program, and using it in good faith, you establish a rebuttable presumption that you have not knowingly hired an unauthorized alien.  Although it does not provide a “get out of jail free” card, it does effectively reduce your hiring liability.
• Discourage illegal workers. If you advertise your participation in the E-Verify program, it’s like posting a “Don’t Even Try It” sign on your front door.
• Level the playing field. In recent decades, employers who played by the rules and only hired legally were at a competitive disadvantage to those who hired illegally.  E-Verify can help you turn the tables, by leveraging the public support for employers who hire legally and strengthen their local communities.  Furthermore, if you use the E-Verify program in your advertising and PR, you apply pressure to competitors who may not be scrupulous in their hiring to use the system as well.
• Improve business relations. By participating in E-Verify, you demonstrate the value your organization places on integrity.  This can help you establish a solid foundation of trust with business partners, clients and vendors alike.

Berks & Beyond chooses to participate in E-Verify to make staffing simpler and safer for you.  Since 2007, we’ve screened every employee we’ve placed using E-Verify.  When we send you temporary employees, rest assured they are thoroughly screened and authorized to work for your organization.

Want to learn more?  Contact Berks & Beyond today.

Do you offer flexible work options to your employees?  Does it really matter?  Take a look at what two recent studies showed about the prevalence and importance of workplace flexibility.

The first, a recent Survey on Workplace Flexibility from WorldatWork, found that:

• The vast majority (98 percent) of U.S. employers offer at least one workplace flexibility program.
• The most prevalent programs include flex-time (flexible start/stop times), part-time schedules and teleworking on an ad hoc basis (to meet a repair person, care for a sick child, etc.).
• The way these programs are administered varies.  Nearly 60 percent of these companies take an informal approach to the concept – leaving program development and administration up to managers’ discretion, or offering flexible work options without written policies or forms.
• Furthermore, most U.S. organizations (79 percent) that offer flexibility programs do not provide training to the managers of employees using these programs.

This study also found that:

• A stronger culture of flexibility correlates with a lower voluntary turnover rate.
• A majority of employers report that workplace flexibility positively impacts employee satisfaction, motivation and engagement.

The second report, Workplace Flexibility and Low-Wage Employees, was released in February 2011.  This report analyzed data from the nonprofit Families and Work Institute’s National Study of the Changing Workforce.  For the purposes of this study, low-wage employees were defined as those earning less than $12.82 per hour (which accounts for a little more than one-third of the U.S. workforce).  Here are some of the key findings:

• Workplace flexibility correlates positively with:  overall job satisfaction, degree of engagement, degree to which home life interferes with job performance, physical health, mental health and likelihood of remaining with current employer.  The prevalence of each of these outcomes is higher (regardless of income) when employers offer more workplace flexibility.
• Regardless of wages earned, workers are equally pressed for time in their personal lives – and place equal value on having a flexible workplace.
• Low-wage employees are just as likely to have responsibilities for children and elders.  But because they have fewer financial resources to meet these responsibilities, having job flexibility may be even more important.

What can we learn from these studies?

• Workplace flexibility produces a host of benefits, including increased employee engagement, satisfaction, motivation, retention and productivity.
• A comprehensive workplace flexibility program can be an effective recruiting and retention tool, providing a real source of competitive advantage for your company.  Offering flexibility options that matter to employees, and featuring those options when recruiting talent, can help you distinguish your company as an employer-of-choice.
• When it comes to workplace flexibility, it’s not about the quantity or formality of the programs you offer.  It’s about how well supported and implemented those programs are across your organization.  To be successful, managers must understand the real value these programs bring and be properly trained to administer them.
• Workplace flexibility is here to stay.  As organizations continue to evolve, workplace flexibility will eventually become the new normal – an accepted and expected part of how all organizations operate.

Berks & Beyond understands the important role workplace flexibility plays in your organization.  We provide temporary, temporary-to-hire and contract staff to increase flexibility for your employees and ensure your work gets done.  What can we do for you?  Contact us today.

The use of credit checks has grown over the last several years.  According to a 2010 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 60 percent of employers used credit reports for some or all of their background checks.

Employers use credit reports as a screening tool for a number of reasons:

• They believe it allows them to predict future behavior based on a candidate’s financial history.
• They are trying to prevent employee theft and assess the applicant’s trustworthiness.
• They want to reduce legal liability and negligent hiring.

But checking a job applicant’s credit is not without its potential drawbacks:

• An applicant who has been unemployed for a long period of time may have no choice but to incur inordinate amounts of debt and fall behind in paying bills.  If the candidate has been out of work for months, that doesn’t necessarily mean he should be disqualified for employment.
• Credit reports fail to provide context.  For example, if debt problems are the result of expensive medical procedures, a low credit score may not indicate anything about future job performance.
• Credit reports are not perfect.  Ambiguous, dated, inaccurate and/or redundant data create the potential for credit score errors.  While these errors are generally minor, employers should be aware that they exist.
• Credit reports may not be relevant for the job in question.  Unless the person you’re hiring will have access to sensitive financial information, make financial decisions or handle money, a candidate’s credit report may be of little significance.

Given the potential benefits, as well as the potential drawbacks, are credit checks a legitimate screening tool?  It depends on whom you ask.

According to Christine Walters, a representative for the SHRM during last October’s U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) public hearing on the practice, effectiveness and impact of credit checks as a screening tool, “SHRM believes there is a compelling public interest in enabling our nation’s employers – whether that employer is in the government or the private sector – to assess the skills, abilities and work habits of potential hires.”

She and other hearing panelists pointed out that the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) of 1970 restricts employer use of credit reports to employment purposes.  Under the law, the employer must give a job candidate the right to defend himself against (including refuting, explaining or correcting) any collected credit information that might weigh against him.

Chi Chi Wu, staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center in Boston, expressed a different opinion.  Given the state of the economy, she said that using credit history as a screening tool is “a practice that we believe is harmful and unfair to American workers.  The use of credit history for job applicants is especially absurd when you are looking at an unemployment rate of 10 percent and have many workers looking for a job.”

As an employer, you are within your rights to check a job candidate’s credit.  Before you do so, you should consider:

• how relevant the information you’re collecting is to the available position;
• the cost involved versus the benefit to be gained;
• whether or not your internal staff is trained in how to interpret the complex information contained in today’s credit reports;
• whether or not there may be potential adverse effects to checking an applicant’s credit.

Ensure the Success of Your Next Placement with Berks & Beyond

Finding the perfect candidates for your organization requires experience, in-depth market knowledge and a comprehensive screening process.  Berks & Beyond combines all of these to ensure hiring success.  Partner with Berks & Beyond today and connect with central and southern Pennsylvania’s finest administrative, light industrial, technical and professional talent.

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.

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

CNC MACHINIST

Candidate Initials: J. R.

Skills and Experience: This mechanically inclined candidate has excellent knowledge of all aspects of machine operation and set-up.  Experience in running  a range of CNC machines, including Mori Seiki (SH-503), Toyota CNC Machine, Mori-Seiki (SH-Milling), DMC 80H CHC Machine – Horizontal Spindle, Matec 30S CNC Honing Machine – Vertical Spindle, and Surftran Washing Machine/Automatic.  Also experienced in shipping/receiving, stock and inventory.

Education and Certifications: H. S. Diploma; Certified Forklift Operator.

Desired Pay: $11/hr.

To learn more about this candidate, please contact Katie in our Allentown office at Katie@berksandbeyond.com or call 610.435.9270.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Candidate Initials: C. B.

Skills and Experience: Professional,  presentable Executive Assistant with over 12 years of experience, who most recently worked as a Contract and Project Administrator.  Has worked closely with individuals in various departments/functions such as legal, accounting and project management. This highly energetic self-starter works well independently or as part of a team, and is looking for a temp-to-hire or direct placement opportunity.

Software Skills: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Visio; AS400 experience; willing to learn new applications.

Desired Pay: $17/hr.

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

There go the Boomers.  Here comes Gen Y.

Just when your need for talent is on the rise, here comes a new slew of tech-savvy workers to save the day.  But while it’s tempting to think you can simply substitute one generation with another, things are not that simple.  Diverse, demanding and socially aware, millenials are creating a major paradigm shift in the workplace.

So how do you attract and keep the best and brightest, without turning your organization upside down?  Here are some great strategies for recruiting and retaining the best talent the next generation has to offer:

Recruiting

• Take a viral approach.  Develop online Flash videos and other materials (think interactive, entertaining and hip) that young people will want to share with their friends.  A viral approach can enhance awareness, properly position your organization in millenials’ minds and increase job referrals.
• Leverage industry blogs, forums and social networks. The best Gen Y workers stay on top of their game by constantly seeking out new information.  Become a trusted source they turn to, by writing and posting articles that are ahead of the curve in your industry.
• Use your current Gen Y employees. Millenials are particularly peer-influenced.  Turn your current young employees, who are already devoted members of your staff, into company ambassadors – at job fairs, online or when interviewing candidates.  Your Gen Y staff can tell potential employees what life will be like “in the trenches” and address their individual questions and concerns.
• Work with a staffing and direct placement firm. Services like Berks & Beyond have the resources, networks and expertise to recruit and screen Gen Y talent for your organization.  With an extensive database, progressive social media recruiting strategy, robust website and comprehensive screening process, we can quickly provide talented workers with cutting-edge skills for your temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire staffing needs.

Retention

• Give them what they want. Millenials have a strong desire to learn new skills and use bleeding-edge technology.  If you can, meet them halfway.  Keep tabs on your millenials’ technology needs and, whenever fiscally appropriate, allow your Gen Y employees to spread their wings by testing and integrating new technology tools as they become available.  If you have trouble justifying the cost of the technology your Gen Y talent wants, keep track of whether a lack of such technology is prompting talented people to leave, or hindering your ability to attract the candidates you need.
• Offer flexible work schedules. Gen Y workers want to control their own schedules and work from home.  If you don’t provide this generation with these core benefits, one of your competitors surely will.
• Understand their needs. Instead of trying to change Gen Y, bend to their needs.  If necessary, educate your company leaders about what makes Gen Y tick.  Explain their need for job control, desire for more flexibility, craving for reassurance and hunger for new technology.  The more willing your staff is to accommodate millenials’ needs, the higher your rate of retention will be.

According to a recent article by Dan Miller posted on pennlive.com, experts say that the midstate jobless rate will be better this year.

Ryan Sweet, an economist who covers Pennsylvania’s midstate region for Moody’s Analytics, sees encouraging signs that private-sector hiring is picking up – although it’s not gained enough momentum to substantially lower unemployment yet.  Sweet predicts that unemployment in Central Pennsylvania will begin falling in the second part of 2011 and that conditions will continue to improve, if slowly, throughout 2012.

To see how the Harrisburg-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has fared over the last few months, download the “Harrisburg-Carlisle.pdf” file on this Selected BLS Economic Indicators page, last updated January 19, 2011.

The Harrisburg-Carlisle MSA’s unemployment rate was 7.4% as of November 2010 – slightly lower than both the state of Pennsylvania and the nation as a whole.  For comprehensive employment statistics, follow this link:

Bureau of Labor Statistics Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA: Nonfarm employment and labor force data

Want to learn more?

Contact us and a Berks & Beyond staffing professional will show you how our services can help you make the most of our current economy and get poised for the recovery ahead.

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.

Wintertime is the perfect time to explore one of Harrisburg’s greatest treasures – The State Museum of Pennsylvania.  Located at 300 North Street, this interactive museum covers all aspects of Pennsylvania’s history and holds extensive collections relating to some of America’s most significant events.

From January 24 through May 2, 2010, the museum will host the traveling exhibition Tusks!  Ice Age Mammoths and Mastodons.  The exhibit tells the story of modern elephant’s extinct relatives who roamed much of North America until the end of the last Ice Age.

The exhibition opening marks the debut of The State Museum’s newly remounted Marshalls Creek Mastodon, one of the most significant fossil specimens recovered from Pennsylvania.

Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.

General admission is $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for children and senior citizens.

For more information on Tusks! as well as other programs, exhibitions, and events at The State Museum, click on www.statemuseumpa.org.