A few months ago, we announced that we were offering free website evaluations for recruiting firms.  That announcement was met with well over 200 requests for evaluations.

During those evaluations, we offered the option to recruiters of having a website with “responsive web design.”

What’s “responsive web design”?  In short, a responsive design presents a website to the visitor based upon whatever device the visitor is using.  When I say “device,” I mean personal computer, laptop, tablet device, or smartphone.

Of course, it’s the latter two—tablet device and smartphone—that “responsive web design” is the most concerned with, and that’s because the use of tablet devices and smartphones to browse the Internet has exploded in recent years.

In fact, technology website Mashable.com recently published an article proclaiming titled, “Why 2013 is the Year of Responsive Web Design.”

The fact of the matter is that more and more job seekers (including passive candidates) are looking for jobs on their smartphone.  (You don’t think they’re going to use their employer’s work computer, do you?)

Does your website have “responsive web design”?  How would getting one benefit you and your recruiting firm?  Request a free website evaluation today to find out:

Request your firm’s FREE website evaluation!

Or maybe you don’t want an evaluation.  Maybe you already know that your firm needs a new website, and one with “responsive web design,” to boot.

If that’s the case, just contact our office directly at (330) 455-1433.  We’ll get you set up with a website consultant, so that you can get started as quickly as possible.  After all, when it comes to technology, speed is your greatest ally.

Needless to say, Danny Cahill of AccordingToDanny.com presented three top-notch, engaging sessions at the recent Top Echelon Network National Convention in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.

Without a doubt, those in attendance benefitted from attending the convention and listening to Cahill’s sessions.  However, even if you didn’t attend the convention (shame on you, by the way), you can still benefit from Cahill’s training.

That’s because for a limited time, Top Echelon Network recruiters receive a 10% discount on the price of membership to AccordingToDanny.com!

Benefits of membership include a video center, tools for recruiters, tools for managers, script critique, and number tracking!

Learn more about AccordingToDanny.com!

Not only that, but every new member of AccordingToDanny.com receives a free phone consultation with Cahill.

You can even receive a FREE demo of AccordingToDanny.com.  To receive your FREE demo, just call (203) 439-0267.

Up next in our Top Producers series of posts in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog is a relatively new Network recruiter who has been generating momentum over the past year.

That recruiter is Catherine Bateman of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions, and the momentum she’s generating has been based on the basics of Network Membership,

Catherine Bateman

the fundamentals that every Network recruiter should practice.

Specifically, those basics are Quality and Communication, which just happen to be two of the Four Pillars of Top Echelon Network.

By mastering the fundamentals, Bateman has made four Network split placements in the past seven months, and she’s put herself in a great position to make even more placements in the future.

And THAT is why Quality and Communication are important: because Trading Partner relationships that exhibit these two Pillars are more likely to produce split placements.  Sure, they represent an investment of time and energy, but as you can see, it’s an investment can bring with it a tremendous (financial) return . . .

— — —

What have been the keys to your success in Top Echelon Network?

“The key so far has been finding the right people with whom to work.  I guess success is relative.  I hope to be much more successful going forward.”

What value do you believe the Network provides for your firm?

“Networking between importers and exporters is very valuable.  Since we are primarily exporters at Woods and Paolino Recruiting solutions, [Top Echelon] is our main source of jobs for our candidates.”

Who are the Trading Partners you’ve been working with?

“Paul Johnson, Rob Spaulding, Bob Gabor, and Michael Stuck are some of my favorites.”

Why do the relationships you have with your Trading Partners work so well?

“They are professional and excellent at communication.  They all collaborate to be sure their clients get the best candidates.  I don’t always get the placement, but I do leave the process on their JOs knowing they and I worked together.”

How would you describe the activity level in your niche?  (Bateman places Sales & Marketing and Retail Management professionals, among others.)

“Low.  Although I have experience in a number of areas, I enjoy the Sales & Marketing roles.”

What advice would you give to a new Preferred Member recruiter just starting out?

“Spend time on the front end of working a job order.  Look at the placement history of the importer, the number of job orders they have posted, and call and email them to be sure they communicate.

“In my opinion, success will come from the quality of the Trading Partner over the quality of the job order presented.”

Are we “beating a dead horse,” for want of a better phrase?  (Actually, can we even say that anymore?  Is that taboo?)

I’m referring to the fact that Network recruiters who attended the recent 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention continue to make split placements—and we continue to highlight them (and their placements).

Well, if they wouldn’t make so many placements, then we wouldn’t highlight them so much.

Okay, so we’re not “beating a dead horse.”  Instead, we’re “beating the drum” for attending Top Echelon Network conferences and conventions, and we’re doing it because that apparently leads to an avalanche of placements.  (Can we say “avalanche”?  Isn’t that a term associated with disaster?)

Well, what we KNOW we can say, with absolute certainty, is that if you attend the Top Echelon Network Fall Conference in October, you’ll dramatically increase your chances of making more placements. These recruiter conferences can be great.

Below are the positions that were recently filled by Network recruiters (the names of recruiters who attended the 2013 National Convention are italicized):

• Client Technical Architect Visionary
  
• Accounting Manager
  
• EHSQ Director
  
• Supply Chain Director
• SQA Engineer
  
• Maintenance Manager
  
• Safety Manager
  

If you work within the above industries and would like to know how you can make split placements in Top Echelon Network, contact Membership Development Coordinator Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS at (330) 455-1433, Ext. 156.

THIS WEEK’S COMPLETED SPLIT PLACEMENTS:

Job order recruiter: Carl L. Bradford of Bradford Consulting Companies

Candidate recruiter: Deb North of Deb North Consulting, LLC

Job title: CLIENT TECHNICAL ARCHITECT VISIONARY

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Pat McCombs, CPC of KB Search Team, LLC

Candidate recruiter: Debi Apple of Apple & Assoc. Inc.

Job title: ACCOUNTING MANAGER

Fee percentage—22.5%

Action causing split placement: The job order or candidate was sent to me via the automated email alerts.

— — —

Job order recruiter: David Kersey of Kersey & Associates, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Steve Kohn of Affinity Executive Search

Job title: EHSQ DIRECTOR

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Maggie Cashman of Cassara Management Group, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Trey Cameron of the Cameron Craig Group

Job title: SUPPLY CHAIN DIRECTOR

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: The job seeker or client was found through my Hiring Hook recruitment website.

— — —

Job order recruiter: Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Mario Linale of Atlas Consulting Group, LLC

Job title: SQA ENGINEER

Fee percentage—15%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Chris Ramsay, CPC of Corporate Resources, LLC

Candidate recruiter: Mike Lupidi, CPC of M.J. Lupidi & Associates, Inc.

Job title: MAINTENANCE MANAGER

Fee percentage—25%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Kathleen Porter of International Staffing Consultants, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Neal G. Lehman of Sherwood Lehman Massucco, Inc.

Job title: SAFETY MANAGER

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: The job order or candidate was sent to me via the automated email alerts.

Since the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby occurred this past Saturday, it’s only fitting that the April race for Top Echelon Network’s Recruiter of the Month honors came down to the wire.

And the winning recruiter is . . . Greg Downs of Downs Associates by a nose!

It also makes sense that the Kentucky Derby is held at Churchill Downs.  Get it?  Churchill DOWNS.  Never mind.

Is there any way to weave current events into this blog post even more?  Of course!  This past Saturday was also May 4.  How is that significant?  Because it was “Star Wars Day.”

May the fourth be with you!

April was certainly with Greg Downs, as well as with the many other Network recruiters who nearly caught him at the finish line.

At Top Echelon Network, we recognize recruiters for both monthly and quarterly performance in four categories—Recruiter of the Month, Recruiter of the Quarter, Highest Split Placement Fee of the Month, and Highest Split Placement Fee of the Quarter.

For more information about the awards listed below, login to the Members’ Area and view the profiles and placement details of the recruiters who won them.

 — — —

RECRUITER OF THE MONTH:

Greg Downs of Downs Associates

Downs was one of many recruiters who made two split placements in the Network during the month of April.  However, his overall cash-in total for those two placements was larger than anybody else’s total, earning him first place.

Other Preferred Member recruiters who made two split placements during the month of April included Amy Dunn of Technology Recruiting Solutions; Sean Napoles, CPC of Career Brokers, Inc.; Deb North of Deb North Consulting, LLC; John Peterson of Sun Recruiting, Inc., and Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group, Inc.

 — — —

LARGEST SPLIT PLACEMENT FEE OF THE MONTH:

Kirby Butler, CPC of The Butlers Co. Insurance Recruiters and Mike McDonough of General Search and Recruitment

The position for this placement was Insurance/VP Commercial Lines.  Butler was the job order recruiter, and McDonough was the candidate recruiter.  The action that stimulated this split placement was listed as “Regular phone communication with a Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter in my specialty area.”

 — — —

Our criteria for these production awards:

Top Echelon Network determines the monthly and quarterly award winners based upon two things, which are listed below in order of importance:

1.) The number of split placements made
2.) The amount of cash-in dollars earned as a result of those split placements

This explains why, although Downs was tied with four other recruiters with two split placements apiece during the month of April, he won the award based upon his cash-in total for his two placements.

Last week, we highlighted recruiters who attended the recent Top Echelon Network National Convention in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog, specifically the fact that those attendees made a bunch of split placements recently.

Well, guess what?  We’re doing it again!

This time, though, we’re highlighting convention attendees in our “‘Comments’ and Compliments” feature.  Some of the phrases included with these comments include “FANTASTIC to work with!” and “fabulous to work with!”  Here are three more quick facts:

1. Three of the four recruiters below were at the National Convention.  (Once again, their names are italicized.)
2. Since the first of the year, those three recruiters have made a total of eight Network split placements combined.
3. Two of the three recruiters have only been in the Network for a little over a year.

You don’t have to be in the Network for a long time to enjoy success within it.  All you have to do is participate—and that, of course, includes attending conferences and conventions.

If you’d like to compliment another Network recruiter about a recent split placement, submit those comments with your Completed Placement Form, and they’ll appear in a future issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.

— — —

“Deb has been FANTASTIC to work with! Her candidates are all extremely well screened and well qualified!  She’s a real pro to work with, and I look forward to making even more placements with her!”

Submitted by Recruiter Name Withheld regarding his split placement with Deb North of Deb North Consulting, LLC

Position Title—SECURITY SOFTWARE SALES REP

Fee Percentage—20%

(Editor’s note: This is the first split placement that Shoulet and North have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

— — —

“Judy has been fabulous to work with!  This is our second placement together, and we look forward to a strong, continued partnership.”

Submitted by Jim Petitpren of The PRA Group, Inc. regarding his split placement with Judy Kaplan of Prof’l Recruiting Consultants

Position Title—EMBEDDED MEDICAL ENGINEER

Fee Percentage—30%

(Editor’s note: This is the second split placement that Petitpren and Kaplan have made together in Top Echelon Network.)