So let’s cut right to the chase. Why is May 26, 1992 a great day in the history of Top Echelon Network?

Because that was the day that both recruiting agencies Discovery Personnel, Inc. and Professional Dynamics, Inc. joined the Network!

Network success . . . day by day

Sure, at the moment it didn’t seem like it was a big deal. However, the passage of time has certainly changed the situation.

A simple took at the numbers tells the tale. Since May 26, 1992, Discovery Personnel, Inc. has:

• Accounted for 103 placements in Top Echelon’s recruiter network
• Generated $637K cash-in through the Network

Professional Dynamics, Inc., on the other hand, has:

• Made 127 placements through Top Echelon’s recruiting network
• Generated $975K cash-in through the Network

Back to the future

Put that all together, and you have 230 placements with a cash-in total of over $1.6 million! So yeah . . . all things being equal, that was a pretty great day in the Network’s history.

Not only that, but both of these firms are celebrating their 25th anniversary in the Network this month! They’re not the only firm to do so, though. JobCareers in El Paso, Texas is celebrating its 24th anniversary in TE.

So while we celebrate a great day in the Network’s history, we look forward to many more such days to come. May they be filled with split placements, large placement fees, and plenty of sunshine!

(Editor’s note: Top Echelon recognizes firms celebrating five, 10, 15, and 20-year Network anniversaries, plus any firm celebrating an anniversary in excess of 20 years.)

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25-Year Anniversary

Discovery Personnel, Inc. in Burnsville, Minnesota
Staff Members: James Heilman
Agency Join Date: May 26, 1992
Placements: 103

Professional Dynamics, Inc.
Staff Members: Dave Hirsch
Agency Join Date: May 26, 1992
Placements: 127

— — —

24-Year Anniversary

JobCareers in El Paso, Texas
Staff Members: Michael D. Smithson, CPC; Michael Herrera; Erandy Montenegro; and Graziella De Petris
Agency Join Date: May 13, 2013
Placements: 40

— — —

15-Year Anniversary

Fowler Placement Services, Inc. in Powell, Ohio
Staff Members: Kim Fowler and Mike Cirner
Agency Join Date: May 21, 2002
Placements: 28

— — —

10-Year Anniversary

Bridgeway Professionals, Inc. in Ottawa, Ohio
Staff Members: Rose Langhals, Amy Recker, and Beth Eickholt
Agency Join Date: May 31, 2007
Placements: 52

What does the photo of peanuts have to do with anything? Nothing . . . except that a placement fee of $66,000 is not peanuts. And if it was peanuts, it would be a BIG bag of peanuts.

But please, stop focusing on the peanuts. Focus instead on the amount of this split placement fee. Also focus on one of the recruiters responsible for this fee: Larry Ploscowe of EXEK Recruiters, Ltd.

I make this request for a couple of reasons:

• Larry is partly responsible for the Largest Split Fee of the Month in the Network.
• Larry is also close to two more big milestones.

But first, some background. Larry started recruiting in 1991. EXEK Recruiters, Ltd. joined Top Echelon’s recruiting network in August of 1993. Larry joined EXEK Recruiters straight out of college as a researcher and worked his way up through the company to become a partner in 1998.

Big and rich

Okay, now for the big milestones that are looming:

1. Larry has made 98 placements in Top Echelon Network.
2. Larry’s cash-in total for those placements is $935K.

So yes, Larry will soon hit the twin milestones of 100 placements and $1 million cash-in! In fact, there’s a good chance that he will do so before the end of the year. Especially if he keeps splitting fees in the neighborhood of $60,000 with his trading partners.

In the meantime, congratulations to Larry and Steve Kohn, as well as to everybody who made split placements in the Network during the month of April!

— — —

Largest Split Fee of the Month:

Lawrence Ploscowe of EXEK Recruiters, Ltd. and Steve Kohn of Affinity Executive Search

The position for this split placement was a Site General Manager. Ploscowe was the job order recruiter, and Kohn was the candidate recruiter.

The action that stimulated this split placement was listed as “Offline Communication with a Member.”

The fee for this split placement was $66,000.

— — —

Top Echelon determines the monthly and quarterly winners of its Network recruiting awards in four distinct categories, which are listed below:

1.) Recruiter of the Month
2.) Largest Split Fee of the Month
3.) Recruiter of the Quarter
4.) Largest Split Fee of the Quarter

The winners of these awards are only announced in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog, usually (but not always) in the issue following the conclusion of each month and/or quarter.

In an industry as notoriously tough as recruiting, what is it that makes some recruiters successful regardless of the economic conditions or other challenges? Well, with more than 20 years in the contract staffing industry, we have noticed one thing that they all seem to have in common: their keen ability to build strong client relationships.

This doesn’t happen by accident. In fact, we have identified five specific ways that successful recruiters build strong client relationships:

#1—Really learn about the client.

The recruiters who truly set themselves apart only send clients a few highly targeted resumes for each job order. That requires them to dig below the surface when learning about their clients. Many successful recruiters insist on making on-site visits so they can meet the whole team, tour the facility, and get a true sense of the culture. This helps them understand what it will take for a candidate to really succeed there.

#2—Satisfy ALL of their clients’ needs.

Recruiters who position themselves as a “one-stop-shop” for staffing needs ensure that their clients don’t have a reason to take any job orders to a different recruiter. They provide a variety of solutions, including direct hire, traditional contract staffing services, contract-to-direct hire, payrolling, 1099 independent contractor to W-2 employee conversions, retiree restaffing, and internships/co-ops. Busy employers appreciate having only one point of contact for their staffing needs, so this is a great way to build loyalty.

#3—Provide solutions, not just people.

Your clients know they have staffing problems, but they may not know that an alternative staffing option can solve those problems. By asking open-ended questions, you can determine the best solution for them. For example, try asking if they have any special projects or upcoming deadlines. If they do, they might want to bring on a traditional contractor. Are they unable to get the additional staff they need due to a hiring freeze? You may want to suggest that they bring workers in on a contract-to direct basis. Since contractors come out of a different budget than direct hires, they’re able to bring in contractors even during a hiring freeze.

#4—Become an employment law resource.

Companies often expect recruiters to be knowledgeable about employment law. Therefore, they may look to recruiters for help understanding the laws. To maintain their strong relationships with clients, many successful recruiters make sure they are up-to-date on issues such as healthcare reform (aka Obamacare), wage and hour regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and proper worker classification (1099 independent contractor vs. W-2 employee).

#5—Keep in touch.

When you’re actively working a job order, it’s easy for you to keep in contact with your clients. But what about in between job orders? Or what about when you didn’t get the job order? You never know when a company may have a need, so contact clients and potential clients occasionally to touch base. Doing this helps you to stay at the top of their minds so that when they DO need staffing help, they think of you first.

These are some great techniques, but there are many other ways to strengthen your client relationships. Basically, ANYTHING you do to add value for your clients enhances those relationships.

In addition to helping you retain current clients, you can also pick up referrals this way. Put your clients first, and they will help you thrive even during the most challenging economic conditions.

If you’re ready to add contract staffing solutions to your business model and build better client relationships, then get started today with our FREE Quick-Start Guide to Contract Staffing!