BY LORI ANNE OLIWA
Correspondent
Above, Barbara Davis (l), director of Barbara Davis Employment Services, talks to office manager Trudy Felsman in the firm’s Red Bank office on Monday. Davis founded the staffing services firm 20 years ago. RED BANK – – People serious about finding employment covet the actual moment when they hear the words “You’re hired.” For Barbara Davis, president of Barbara Davis Employment Services in Red Bank, helping people get to the hiring point is her primary business.
Davis, who is celebrating 20 years in the employment industry, has recently expanded her company to include a technology-driven testing and training center.
“The training is free of charge and is available to anyone who registers with the company,” Davis said, adding, “The training center is a terrific way for someone to measure his or her present level of skills, and also to upgrade and increase proficiency in certain skills or to learn entirely new skills.”
Davis offered the example of a female client re-entering the workforce.
“This lady was in a situation where she had to return to work, but had outdated skills,” Davis said. “She registered with my company and learned Word, PowerPoint and Excel through the training center. Upon testing her new skills, she did extremely well, and I was able to place her in a well-paying position.”
The impetus for the new initiative?
“Baby boomers are the driving force,” Davis said. “I started this to encourage them because the jobs are there.”
Davis is herself a baby boomer and added, “Boomers will often come in with negative attitudes after being downsized, thinking they are unemployable. The opposite is true; baby boomers are very reliable, have great interpersonal skills, are team players and make very good employees.”
Davis formed a baby boomer division within her agency during the summer of 2006 and stated in a press release, “The launch of our baby boomer initiative will serve as a bridge to the 50-plus crowd who are making a transition into another phase of life. It’s filling a gap that has been widely ignored until now.”
Davis cites an impressive success rate: “Seventy percent of the baby boomers I’ve placed in positions have remained in those positions,” she said.
Davis explained that the process begins when someone registers with her company.
“Everyone who registers to find employment through my firm is tested, and their skills are verified and scored through the new e-learning module,” she said, adding that before testing begins, an in-depth interview with an employment counselor is conducted.
“The interview is an important way for the company to see the unique strengths of each candidate and to assist in the placement process,” explained Davis.
“Everything is done right on the premises through internet testing,” she said. “The scores then go into a national pool of everyone who has taken the test across the country, and scores are tallied and forwarded. Once the scores are received, an employment counselor is assigned to work one-on-one with the candidate.”
According to Davis, “The testing center evaluates candidates in several areas of knowledge: administrative/clerical skills, software skills and financial/accounting skills.”
Detailed descriptions on the company’s Web site highlight the specific tests given. In the administrative/clerical area, tests are given in areas such as audio transcription, business letter composition, data entry, spelling and grammar. In the software area, evaluations are given in basic computer literacy and programs including MS Office Suite 97; Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook and others. In the financial/accounting area, proficiency is measured in QuickBooks; Peachtree; accounts receivable; accounts payable; bookkeeping; general accounting; and payroll.
The testing is a valuable aid for the job hunter, she noted.
“This new facility will better enable well-qualified candidates to maximize their potential and to reach their employment goals.”
Barbara Davis Employment Services is celebrating its 20-year anniversary and specializes in four key industries, according to Davis.
“My firm has four areas of specialty: accounting, human resources, Internet technology, and marketing, plus support staff in each of these areas,” she stated. “Healthcare is an industry that is growing, and my firm does have the ability to conduct placements in non-medical positions like reception and medical billing/coding. I also have the ability to test individuals in these areas through the testing center.”
Davis has a growing list of corporate clients in many different industries.
“My client list includes hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, law firms, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, communication firms, small doctors’ offices and telecommunication companies,” she said.
Barbara Davis was honored as Business Woman of the Year in 2006 by the Central Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. She is a member of the Eastern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, Monmouth-Ocean Development Council, and the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce. The company’s Web site is www.barbaradavis.com.