Top Echelon has been around, in one form or another, for quite a while. In fact, we’re celebrating our 37th birthday next month.

First, we were called Nationwide Interchange Service (NIS). Then we changed our name to Top Echelon Network. And now, Top Echelon’s elite network of highly specialized search firms is known as TE Network.

As to be expected, we’ve made quite a few announcements during our 37 years in existence. And we’re excited to make yet another one.

I’m happy to share some news that reflects our ongoing commitment to the success of TE Network’s recruiters. As part of Top Echelon’s mission to provide cutting-edge solutions for recruiters and staffing agencies, we are proud to announce the launch of our brand-new user interface for TE Network™!

This update is more than just a “fresh coat of paint.” It’s a reflection of our dedication to helping you streamline your recruiting processes, build stronger relationships and partnerships, and ultimately, close more placements more quickly.

Since 1988, our journey has always been about adapting to the evolving needs of the recruiting industry, and we believe this new interface is another step in that direction.

What’s New in TE Network?

Modern, Refreshed Branding

Our new look is designed to better reflect our mission and values, ensuring that every interaction you have with TE Network feels both intuitive and aligned with your professional goals.

A Smarter, More Intuitive User Interface

Navigating TE Network is now easier than ever. We’ve fine-tuned the user experience to make your workflow more efficient, so you can focus on what you do best—recruiting top talent.

Same Powerful Tools, Enhanced for Greater Success

All the tools you rely on are still here, but they’ve been optimized to help you close more placements, faster and with less hassle.

This launch builds upon the momentum we established with the release of the updated user interface for TE Recruit last year. The positive feedback we received from that rollout encouraged us to bring similar enhancements to TE Network, ensuring a unified and seamless experience across our platforms.

Looking Ahead to 2025

We’re not stopping here. As 2025 unfolds, you can expect even more exciting updates, including:

• A continually updated user interface for TE Recruit
• Innovative new product features designed to enhance your recruiting efforts
• New partnership integrations that expand your capabilities

Our goal remains steadfast: to deliver a unified recruiting platform that empowers recruiters and staffing agencies to connect, collaborate, and thrive in today’s competitive market.

Thank you for being a valued member of the TE Network. We can’t wait for you to experience the new interface and see the impact it has on your business.

AND we can’t wait for you to join us next month for TE Connect Spring 2025 in Nashville. Early Bird Registration for this event is underway, so sign up now at a great price and get ready to make 2025 the best year possible!

Top Echelon is excited to announce our latest integration with CallMantra, a powerful calling and texting software designed specifically for recruiting and staffing agencies.

This partnership represents a significant upgrade to your recruitment toolkit, enabling you to connect with more candidates, streamline communication, and achieve your placement goals efficiently.

Here’s what this integration means for TE Network members, your membership, and your subscription to TE Recruit.

What Is CallMantra?

CallMantra is a cloud-based calling and texting solution tailored to recruiters. It offers features that improve outreach, simplify communication, and ensure your messages get delivered and answered.

Here’s a quick overview of CallMantra’s standout capabilities . . .

• Call 400+ Candidates Daily: Add contacts to campaigns, press start, and let CallMantra’s automated dialer take over. It even leaves personalized voicemails and texts for unanswered calls.
• Real-Time Candidate Activity Logs: Keep your entire recruitment team in sync with automated call and text logging directly into your ATS.
• Effective Texting Features: Send 1:1 or personalized bulk texts to candidates from CallMantra or directly from your ATS and job boards.
• Prevent Spam Flagging: Ensure your numbers are not labeled as spam by carriers and work with CallMantra to whitelist flagged numbers.
• Mobile Access: Recruit anywhere with iOS and Android apps, giving you full functionality on the go.

The Benefits of CallMantra Integration with TE Recruit

As a TE Network member, integrating CallMantra with your TE Recruit subscription unlocks a seamless recruiting experience. Here’s how this partnership benefits you . . .

1. Effortless Candidate Engagement

• Increase the number of candidates you reach daily with automated dialing and personalized messaging.
• Save time by automating repetitive communication tasks while maintaining a personal touch.

2. Enhanced ATS Synchronization

• All your calls, texts, and candidate interactions are automatically logged in TE Recruit, keeping your recruitment data centralized and up-to-date.
• Easily track candidate communication history without manual effort.

3. Improved Candidate Responses

• Avoid having your phone numbers flagged as spam or scam by carriers, ensuring more calls and texts get through.
• Use verified calling and texting features to improve candidate reply and callback rates.

4. Recruit On-the-Go

• Whether you’re at your desk or on the move, CallMantra’s mobile apps ensure you stay connected to candidates and your team.

5. Greater Efficiency and Placements

• The combined power of CallMantra and TE Recruit allows you to streamline your recruitment workflow and focus on building meaningful candidate relationships.

Top Echelon’s partnership with CallMantra is designed to make your recruitment efforts more effective and efficient. By integrating two powerful tools—TE Recruit and CallMantra—you’ll have access to a comprehensive solution for candidate outreach, communication, and management.

This is just one more way that Top Echelon is committed to helping you succeed!

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Start a 14-day free trial or book a live demo at the link below to see how CallMantra and Top Echelon can enhance your recruiting process.

Yes, I want to check out CallMantra!

Questions? Send an email to partners@topechelon.com.

We’re here to help you make the most of Top Echelon and CallMantra!

We have more split placements in this week’s issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog . . . and we have more big recruiting fees, too!

If we were to single one out—and of course, that’s exactly what we’re going to do—we’d like to mention the $39,000 fee that TE Network members Ann Boland of The Boland Group and Sharon Werdebaugh of Your Talent Team earned.

Ann and Sharon placed a Chief Executive Officer to earn their flat fee of $39K.

However, that was not the only sizeable fee that TE Network recruiters scored recently. As you can see below, Ann and Sharon had plenty of competition for the Largest Split Fee of the Week. (Which isn’t an official award, so to speak, but it’s still nice to be recognized . . .)

As a friendly neighborhood reminder, here is the information that we publish with our placements:

• Names of the trading partners involved (with their profile photos, when available)
• Job title
• Overall placement fee (before TE Network’s 6% brokerage fee, of course)
• Fee percentage

Please note that the placements listed below reflect deals finalized in TE Network for the period from January 20 through February 2, 2025.

Remember, if you don’t want information related to your split placements published in The Pinnacle, please send an email to marketing@topechelon.com to that effect.

Congratulations to everybody below for the split placements they made in TE Network!

This Week’s Split Placements

— — —

Job recruiter: David Evans of Perfect Fit Placement (inactive)

Candidate recruiter: Ann Boland of The Boland Group

Job title: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Overall placement fee: $22,400

Fee percentage: 14%

— — —

Job recruiter: Tom Christensen of C. H. Thomas Search, LLC

Candidate recruiter: Bob Brown of Questgroup Consultants, Inc.

Job title: REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Overall placement fee: $37,500

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Job recruiter: Chris Shoulet of Top Dog Recruiting

Candidate recruiter: Orlando Bullock of KBOtek, LLC

Job title: DR. DEMAND GENERATION & GROWTH/MARKETING/CYBERSECRUITY

Overall placement fee: $34,000

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Job recruiter: Becky Barclay Prewitt of R.L. Barclay & Associates

Candidate recruiter: Siena Burwell of Surf Search

Job title: LAW FIRM FILE CLERK

Overall placement fee: $11,200

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Job recruiter: James Grayem of Jamie Grayem

Candidate recruiter: Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Job title: DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING DIRECTOR

Overall placement fee: $33,000

Fee percentage: 15%

— — —

Job recruiter: David Butler of Butler Recruitment Group

Candidate recruiter: Larry Gallin of Gallin Associates

Job title: MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Overall placement fee: $10,500

Fee percentage: 15%

— — —

Job recruiter: Amylyn Kyler of Kyler Professional Search

Candidate recruiter: Debbie Guzman of Debbie Guzman

Job title: HR GENERALIST

Overall placement fee: $12,000

Fee percentage: 15%

— — —

Job recruiter: Edward Duff of RCD Group

Candidate recruiter: Adam Pantelli of AJ Search

Job title: CAD TECHNICIAN

Overall placement fee: $14,400

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Job recruiter: Ann Boland of The Boland Group

Candidate recruiter: Sharon Werdebaugh of Your Talent Team

Job title: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Overall placement fee: $39,000

Fee percentage: Flat

— — —

If you’re a newer TE Network member and you’d like to enjoy more success in our recruiter network, then I encourage you to contact Top Echelon Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS.

You can do so by calling 330.595.1742 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

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

The TE 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 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 20 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 TE 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 TE Network, but it’s also everything in terms of making more placements and enjoying more success!

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

At Top Echelon, we’ve found that the best way to communicate the trading partner benefits associated with TE Network membership is to use real, live case studies.

Recruiters love placements, and they love stories about recruiters making placements. (The only thing they would love more is a story about them making placements.)

With that being said, there is no case study in this blog post. Psych! Instead, what we’re going to do is draw upon past case studies to compile a list of the trading partner benefits that are available to TE Network recruiters.

Okay, no more fooling. Below is our list of four trading partner benefits in Top Echelon’s recruiting network:

#1—Quality candidates

This is what it’s all about, isn’t it? These days, highly qualified, quality candidates are in short supply.

That’s why companies are enlisting your services in the first place, but even you are having trouble finding these candidates. However, when you leverage the resources of your trading partners, you have access to quality candidates you could not access before.

Which reminds me: if you’re not using the Network Candidates sourcing tool, start doing so . . . NOW, I say!

#2—Smoother hiring and placement process

One of the best reasons to enlist the help of a trading partner is because you can’t seem to fill the position yourself, for whatever reason: a picky hiring manager, a bloated and convoluted hiring process, El Nino, you name it.

Your trading partners can help “smooth out the rough edges.”

#3—Enhanced onboarding

The placement is not done once the candidate accepts the offer of employment or even once they start work. They have to stay at work (usually until after the guarantee period has elapsed).

Once again, two heads are better than one, as your trading partners can assist in the onboarding process and offer advice and expertise based upon their experience.

#4—A more effective teamwork approach

This is more a culmination of #1 through #3. Being a recruiter is NOT an easy job, and for some searches, the job seems just about impossible.

However, when you team up with another recruiter and tackle the search assignment as a team, you double your brainpower, double your resources, and Doublemint, Doublemint, Doublemint Gum. No, wait a minute. Scratch that last one.

Do YOU want to maximize your membership and experience more trading partner benefits in Top Echelon’s split network?

Then contact Top Echelon Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS at 330.595.1742 or via email at drea@topechelon.com.