Behind the List with Chris Garner, president of Berks and Beyond Employment Services

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Finding employment in today’s economy can be onerous. With people working longer into their later years and companies refraining from adding staff, it isn’t easy to land the job that’s right for you. That’s where companies such as Berks and Beyond Employment Services in Wyomissing step in. Working with a staffing agency can be crucial in finding employment relative to your skills.

Here to answer this week’s “Behind the List” questions is Chris Garner, president of Berks and Beyond Employment Services.

Lehigh Valley Business: How long has Berks and Beyond Employment Services been in business and what are its primary services?

Chris Garner: Berks and Beyond was established in 1998 in Reading and opened up in the Lehigh Valley in 1999. In 2012, due to high business demand, we opened up a second location in Lehigh Valley.

We partner with our clients to find staffing solutions that are primarily in the industrial, clerical and professional sectors. We provide both short-term and long-term staffing solutions customized to each client’s individual needs.

LVB: How does Berks and Beyond directly stimulate the local economy?

Garner: Berks and Beyond helps the local economy directly in many ways. Obviously, helping someone find a job is one of the best ways to stimulate the economy. But as you look into it further, our company helps people that live in the Greater Lehigh Valley pay rent, buy groceries, take vacations and transition into permanent jobs with good benefits.

We also spend a lot of what we earn right back into the Greater Lehigh Valley. Our accountants are in the Lehigh Valley, and we spend a lot of money advertising jobs and recruiting locally. And we can’t forget the amount of employer taxes we pay to the local governments.

LVB: What has the job market looked like in Berks County since the recession hit in 2008? Has job growth been on the rise or has it been rather stagnant?

Garner: 2008-2010 were a few tough years for the local job market. 2011 seemed to be a transition year for us where we were able to see the job market stabilize. Since the beginning of 2012, we have seen a steady rise and a strong demand for employees.