EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      Each person whose signature  appears below designates and appoints WILLIAM
W.  SHERERTZ  and  MICHAEL D.  MULHOLLAND,  and either of them,  true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  to sign the Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended  December 31, 2003, of Barrett  Business  Services,  Inc., a Maryland
corporation,  and to file  said  report,  with all  exhibits  thereto,  with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934.
Each person whose signature appears below also grants to these attorneys-in-fact
and  agents  full  power and  authority  to perform  every act and  execute  any
instruments  that they deem  necessary  or  desirable  in  connection  with said
report,  as fully as he could do in person,  hereby ratifying and confirming all
that the  attorneys-in-fact  and agents or their  substitutes may lawfully do or
cause to be done.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  this power of attorney has been  executed by each of
the undersigned as of this 29th day of March, 2004.

      Signature                                 Title
      ---------                                 -----


/s/ William W. Sherertz             President and Chief Executive Officer and
- -------------------------           Director
William W. Sherertz                 (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ Michael D. Mulholland           Vice President-Finance and Secretary
- -------------------------           (Principal Financial Officer)
Michael D. Mulholland


/s/ James D. Miller                 Controller
- -------------------------           (Principal Accounting Officer)
James D. Miller


/s/ Fores J. Beaudry                Director
- -------------------------
Fores J. Beaudry


- -------------------------           Director
Thomas J. Carley


/s/ James B. Hicks                  Director
- -------------------------
James B. Hicks


/s/ Anthony Meeker                  Director
- -------------------------
Anthony Meeker


/s/ Nancy B. Sherertz               Director
- -------------------------
Nancy B. Sherertz