Learning curves are intimidating. No doubt about it.
“I’ll have someone call up and need a three-eighths inch rod that specs to an ASTM D-1710,” says Catherine Harlamert of Gapi USA Inc. in Clayton.
“I basically moved from jacket sales to high-molecular plastic and it’s a totally different world,” she said.
Indeed it is, but Harlamert caught on. Now her responsibilities are increasing and she may start traveling with a sales rep to meet distributors face-to-face. A trip to Italy may be in the works.
BarryStaff placed Harlamert at Gapi after she approached the company looking for a change. She knew she could do the job … if she kept the faith.
“It’s really been one of the smoothest transitions I could have asked for,” said the former salesperson of school jewelry and athletic wear.
Gapi is a manufacturer of custom molded polyurethane products. The company has a presence in many countries around the world.
In spite of its global status, what’s impressed Harlamert the most has been the family atmosphere in Clayton. When new decor was needed for the walls, management took employees to Hobby Lobby to pick out pictures for decorating. Then they were treated to dinner.
“It’s nice to see a company include the staff in these types of changes, it really shows how much the management respects the employees and wants to make sure they are happy and involved at work on all levels” she said.
The road ahead is bright for Harlamert. And she credits BarryStaff with giving her a nudge in a new direction.
“BarryStaff has been awesome,” she said. “If I have any questions, my emails are always answered quickly.
“I wouldn’t be here if not for Barrystaff,” she said.
“I want to thank the management of Barry Staff for being so community-minded and generous in sharing your facility with our organization. The community conference room was perfect for our focus group – comfortable, modern, friendly – I could go on and on. It was the first experience for everyone in our group and it was nothing but positive. Your staff members were polite and welcoming (Steven and your night custodian). It was the kind of experience that we all look for but rarely find.”
When the decision was made to hold a job fair at the newly-opened BarryStaff office in Springfield, expectations were kept in check.
There were several unknowns.
Did people know about the new office? If not, were they willing to find it?
Luckily, there was nothing to worry about.
Roughly 25 people interviewed over the span of a few hours. More than 50 percent of the applicants interviewed were qualified to fill positions at Clark County area companies.
Within the next week, BarryStaff had three people already on the job. Five more were awaiting interviews.
One applicant was placed the day of the job fair.
“I took all the applications to a couple new customers,” said BarryStaff’s Pam Bartee. “I also have after-work functions that I’m hoping will benefit.”
One man, who said he saw advertisements for the job fair in the newspaper and on TV, said people are willing to do anything to work.
“There are a lot of good workers who aren’t working,” said Carl Quesinberry. “Springfield needs something to get going.”
BarryStaff is currently in the middle of planning another job fair, this time at the company’s headquarters in Dayton. Details will be released as plans are finalized.
Call it a milestone in BarryStaff’s commitment to the downtown Dayton area.
The company’s brand new 13,000-square-foot facility opened June 1, 2015 on Webster Street. One year later, BarryStaff continues to work with local companies to supply industrial, clerical and permanent job placements.
BarryStaff is also the only business in Dayton licensed to screen travelers for the TSA Pre-Check program.
“Our new facility has allowed us the space to better serve our applicants and expand our services to our clients,” said President Doug Barry.
The Pam and Warren Barry Community Room also opened in 2015. To date, more than 50 businesses and organizations have requested to utilize the room for off-site meetings. With enough space for 80 people, white boards and an exquisite view of downtown Dayton, BarryStaff is proud to serve business professionals on its home turf.
The company has operated from three other downtown locations since 1982.
Employee Spotlight: Kaytee Ryan of Active Electric
Last year Kaytee Ryan moved from Denver to Dayton. She needed a job, but application after application went unnoticed for some reason.
Her online pursuit led her to BarryStaff, and the staffing agency became one of her first stops once she got to Dayton.
“I got a good vibe from everyone,” she recalled.
Ryan now works as an administrative assistant with Active Electric in Moraine. She was full-time after 90 days and she’s been with the company over a year.
“I’m definitely staying here,” she said. “This will be my second home for a while.”
At a time when so many job seekers struggle to stand out above hordes of other applicants, Ryan said she felt relieved when BarryStaff offered to send a video resume to clients. Videos are kept short – 60 seconds.
“I think it sped up the hiring process,” Ryan said. “Everything seemed seamless.”
Waynesville native Steve Jones has been with ASPM for 18 years. He now serves as the plant manager in Vandalia.
Roughly 100 BarryStaff employees work under him. What’s more, a BarryStaff recruiter has remained on site for a handful of years. The goal is to ensure immediate communication with one of the company’s longtime partners.
What makes BarryStaff different, according to Jones, is the longevity of BarryStaff employees.
And longevity is important to Jones. Eighty percent of upper-level employees at ASPM held entry-level positions at one time.
That means current employees should take note.
“We want them to understand the opportunities at ASPM,” he said. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in leaving for a quarter raise. But if they stay, they’ll find themselves promoted to different positions.
“Stay with us and we’ll give you a career,” he said.
