Affinity Executive Search #64 on the Forbes List!

Last week, we announced that Network agency Adel-Lawrence Associates, Inc. was recently named one of “America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms” by Forbes Magazine.

What we did not know at the time, though, is that Forbes published TWO lists. One was “America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms.” The other was “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms.” The difference between the two lists?

The first list ranks 250 professional search firms, which place candidates in roles with less than $100,000 in annual income. The second list ranks 250 executive search firms, defined as companies that place candidates in positions with at least $100,000 in annual pay.

Affinity Executive Search: highest TE ranking

That being said, there were multiple Network agencies represented on BOTH lists. I know this because the owners of those agencies contacted me following the publishing of last week’s article. This does not surprise me because Top Echelon agencies are among the best recruiting firms in the country!

The agency that was highest on either list, though, was Affinity Executive Search. It ranked #64 on “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” list. For that reason, we’re putting Affinity Executive Search and its owner, Steve Kohn, in the spotlight.

Rest assured that will well recognize the other firms on these two lists, as well. In the meantime, below is a statement from Steve Kohn, who currently ranks #2 in the TE Top 10.

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Recently I received a notification from Forbes that I was #64 in their list of “America’s Best Recruiting Firms 2017.”  I thought it was just a gimmick designed to cause me to pay for my ego (like the “Who’s Who” publication), but then I saw that inclusion was the result of a real poll of recruiting professionals and corporate HR people. That blew me away and made me wonder why people would vote for me. In the end, I realized it all boils down to a single word: trust.

My best clients have told me they use me because I “give it to them straight,” I’m “not slick,” I gave them heartfelt advice when they were previously unemployed and so forth. Not one has ever said they use me because I’m good at this. They use me because they feel they can trust me to be honest and to put their interests first by using every means available (including painfully candid feedback) to fill their jobs regardless of my profit margin. The main way I do that is via Top Echelon.

Top Echelon is simply a miracle: a huge network based entirely on TRUST that has the ripple effect of benefiting thousands of households every year. Ours, our candidates, and the client companies whose entire teams benefit. It’s an amazing thing. The philosopher Alfie Kohn (no relation) teaches that there will always be more success in co-op-etition than competition, and the success of TE proves this. My TE partners have put a lot of trust in me, which is how I’ve paid out over $1 million in splits. I’ve put a lot of trust in them, too, which is how I’ve received over $1 million in splits. We all know about each other’s clients and candidates and nobody even thinks of violating the trust because we all see its value day in and day out.

So, while I’m pleased to be recognized with this distinction and will definitely use it to promote my business to future clients, it’s really a recognition of the value of our amazing network that thrives entirely because of trust. You should all be proud.

 

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As with Larry, we want to both congratulate Steve and thank him. We want to thank him for his commitment Top Echelon Network and split placements. It’s obvious from his comments above that he believes in the TE system and he believes in his trading partners.

Steve Kohn and Affinity Executive Search have been an integral part of Top Echelon’s recruiting network for more than 20 years. Steve has exemplified the best of what makes the Network great, and it’s our pleasure to highlight his firm’s accomplishment and recognition for proven excellence.

Congratulations, Steve!