Communication is Two-Way Street in Top Echelon

Top Echelon Network is a community, and as such, there are as many personalities and styles of recruiting as there are members.

The Top Echelon Network process has been the same since 1988. We still check references and interview those who meet certain criteria to be sure we are bringing in recruiters who are cut from an ethical cloth who understand, not only the business, but also how to build trusting relationships that last.

Alongside that, I still reject more applications than I approve. When a new agency starts, training is mandatory. We emphasize that a large part of that success is the relationships they build.

How do I get everyone to call everyone else back? That is an age-old problem. Here are a few couple thoughts.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. However, you can give him salt. If someone is not calling another member back regarding the candidates they are being sent, perhaps the candidates are not what they are expecting. It is not a reasonable expectation for a member to let every single recruiter know why their candidates are not a fit.

So . . . give them salt. The more quality the candidates and information you offer, the more likely someone has reason to return a call.

Consider there is something you just don’t know. One thing that I have learned standing in this role for over 16 years, is that life gets in the way. This is a community of recruiters who are mostly “mom-and-pop shops.” This is wonderful and it is a part of what makes Top Echelon Network so special. However, when “life happens,” which is the case for most of you, it has a drastic effect on how much time and bandwidth you have to work, respond, and handle what’s coming at you.

If you are overloaded and can’t find the time to return a call, email is a quick way to say, “I received your call, I am swamped at the moment, but I want to connect, so let’s talk” or some type of response. (It only took me 10 seconds to type that and pretend to hit “send”.)

Communication is not only a two-way street in Top Echelon Network, but it’s everything in terms of making more placements and enjoying more success!

If you have any questions about this blog post or your about Top Echelon Network membership, please contact me. You can do so at 330.455.1433, x156 or at drea@topechelon.com.