Showing results for ""

Revisiting a $112,500 Split Placement Fee in TE

by Matthew Deutsch on October 12, 2026

Do we need a good reason to revisit a $112,500 split placement fee in TE Network? No, we do not . . . the fee itself is all the reason we need.

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

But we have a good reason, anyway. That’s because not only is that fee the largest split fee in the history of Top Echelon, but it’s also the Largest Split Fee of the Quarter for the third quarter of 2026. (I suppose that’s not too surprising, is it?)

The recruiters involved in this historic fee were Clint Martz of A to Z Search Group and Sean Bonner of Intensiv, LLC. Clint and Sean placed a General Manager to earn their $112,500 fee at 25%.

For the full story behind this split placement and subsequent fee, I invite you to read “Anatomy of a $112,500 Split Placement Fee” by yours truly.

However, as you can see below, there were more than just one big fee in TE Network during the third quarter. There were many. So feast your eyes upon the fees . . . feast, I say!

As a reminder, Top Echelon determines the monthly and quarterly winners of its Network split recruiting fee awards in four distinct categories:

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

We only announce the winners of these awards in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog. We do so usually (but not always) in the issue following the conclusion of each month and/or quarter.

Congratulations to everybody who made the largest split fees in TE Network during the quarter!

Largest Split Fees of the Third Quarter – 2026

— — —

First Place:

Clint Martz of A to Z Search Group and Sean Bonner of Intensiv, LLC

Clint Martz of A to Z Search Group

Clint Martz

Sean Bonner of Intensiv, LLC

Sean Bonner

The position for this split placement was a General Manager and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Clint was the job order recruiter and Sean was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $112,500.

— — —

Second Place:

Joe Brown of Genesis and Joel Brown of Kace Premier Medical Talent, Inc.

Joe Brown of Genesis

Joe Brown

Joel Brown of Kace Premier Medical Talent, Inc.

Joel Brown

The position for this split placement was a Physician Director – Infectious Disease and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 20%.

Joe was the job order recruiter and Joel was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $56,000.

— — —

Third Place (Tie):

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing and Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing

Amy Chapman

Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Michael Stuck

The position for this split placement was a Director of Operations and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Amy was the job order recruiter and Michael was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $55,000.

— — —

Third Place (Tie):

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing and Mack Moore of Redline Recruits

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing

Amy Chapman

Mack Moore of Redline Recruits

Mack Moore

The position for this split placement was a Director of Sales – Walmart and Sam’s Club and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Amy was the job order recruiter and Mack was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $55,000.

— — —

Fourth Place:

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC and Trey Cameron of Cameron Craig Group (inactive)

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC

Maria Hemminger

Trey Cameron of the Cameron Craig Group

Trey Cameron

The position for this split placement was an Engineering and Maintenance Manager and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Maria was the job order recruiter and Trey was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $41,250.

— — —

Fifth Place:

Claire Monte of Data Search Network and James Bates of InnovaMatch, LLC

Claire Monte of Data Search Network, Division of DSN Ventures, Inc.

Claire Monte

James Bates of InnovaMatch, LLC

James Bates

The position for this split placement was a Data Base Administrator and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 20%.

Claire was the job order recruiter and James was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $39,000.

— — —

Sixth Place (Tie):

Steve Torosian of Forest Recruiting Group aka Affiliated Recruiters Network and Hani Mussa of Knowhirematch, LLC

Steve Torosian of Forest Recruiting Group

Steve Torosian

Hani Mussa of Knowhirematch, LLC

Hani Mussa

The position for this split placement was an Engineering Manager and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Steve was the job order recruiter and Hani was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $38,750.

— — —

Sixth Place (Tie):

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC and Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC

Maria Hemminger

Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.

Veronica Snyder

The position for this split placement was a Senior Controller and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Maria was the job order recruiter and Veronica was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $38,750.

— — —

Seventh Place (Tie):

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing and Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing

Amy Chapman

Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Brad Dodge

The position for this split placement was a Senior IT Manager and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Amy was the job order recruiter and Brad was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $37,500.

— — —

Seventh Place (Tie):

Anjela Mangrum of Mangrum Career Solutions, LLC and Victor Lopez of Resource One International

Anjela Mangrum of Mangrum Career Solutions, LLC

Anjela Mangrum

Victor Lopez of Resource One International

Victor Lopez

The position for this split placement was an Account Executive – Industrial Technology Solutions and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 25%.

Anjela was the job order recruiter and Victor was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $37,500.

— — —

Eighth Place:

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC and Molle Kabodian of Kabodian Consulting

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC

Maria Hemminger

Molle Kabodian of Kabodian Consulting

Molle Kabodian

The position for this split placement was a Quality Manager – Food, Medical Device, or Pharma and the fee percentage associated with this placement was Flat.

Maria was the job order recruiter and Molle was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $36,750.

— — —

Ninth Place:

Christina Boudreaux of Connectly Recruiting and Elyssa West of The Talent Group, LLC

Christina Boudreaux of Connectly Recruiting

Christina Boudreaux

Elyssa West of The Talent Group, LLC

Elyssa West

The position for this split placement was a Director of Marketing and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 22%.

Christina was the job order recruiter and Elyssa was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $36,300.

— — —

Tenth Place:

Oleg Goltstov of K. Jacobs Executive Search and Alex Ello of Acloche Direct Hire

Oleg Goltsov of K. Jacobs Executive Search

Oleg Goltsov of K. Jacobs Executive Search

Alex Ello of Acloche Direct Hire

Alex Ello

The position for this split placement was an Estimator – Electrical and the fee percentage associated with this placement was 20%.

Oleg was the job order recruiter and Alex was the candidate recruiter.

The fee for this split placement was $36,000.

— — —

If YOU want to make more money through Top Echelon’s recruiter network, then contact Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS.

You can reach Drea by calling 330.595.1742 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

The Top 10 TE Network Recruiters of the Quarter

by Matthew Deutsch on October 11, 2026

It’s that time again . . . that time when we announce the top recruiters of the quarter in TE Network!

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

As you can see below, perennial Top Producers Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting and Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing continue to set the pace in the Network. Brad once again earned Recruiter of the Quarter honors, while Amy finished in second place.

Brad and Amy have had quite a little rivalry this year, going back in forth in terms of weekly, monthly, and quarterly production. While Brad has the edge in terms of sheer volume, nobody can beat the large recruiting fees that Amy and her trading partners earn on a consistent basis.

Below is the information that we include with the Recruiters of the Quarter feature in TE Network:

  1. The top 10 recruiters for the quarter
  2. The “cash-in” total for each recruiter during the quarter. (We base the order of the recruiters on their amount of “cash-in” dollars, as opposed to the number of split placements they made during the quarter.)
  3. The number of splits that the recruiters made during the quarter
  4. The number of splits each recruiter has made during their TE Network career
  5. Each recruiter’s cash-in total for their TE Network career

Congratulations to the recruiters listed below . . . and congratulations to every TE Network member who made a split placement (or multiple splits) during the quarter!

Recruiters of the Second Quarter – 2026

— — —

First Place:

Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Brad Dodge

Recruiter: Brad Dodge
Agency: iLocatum Recruiting
Placements: Sixteen (16)
Cash-in total: $171,080.00
Career Top Echelon placements: 305
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $2,611,157.34

— — —

Second Place:

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing

Amy Chapman

Recruiter: Amy Chapman
Agency: Key People Staffing
Placements: Eight (8)
Cash-in total: $95,175.00
Career Top Echelon placements: 132
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $1,768,341.16

— — —

Third Place:

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC

Maria Hemminger

Recruiter: Maria Hemminger 
Agency: MJ Recruiters, LLC
Placements: Four (4)
Cash-in total: $64,977.50
Career Top Echelon placements: 268
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $2,411,472.07

— — —

Fourth Place:

Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Michael Stuck

Recruiter: Michael Stuck
Agency: Gables Search Group
Placements: Five (5)
Cash-in total: $61,043.53
Career Top Echelon placements: 635
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $4,589,727.18

— — —

Fifth Place (Tie):

Clint Martz of A to Z Search Group

Clint Martz

Recruiter: Clint Martz 
Agency: A to Z Search Group
Placements: One (1)
Cash-in total: $52,875.00
Career Top Echelon placements: 13
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $210,912.50

— — —

Fifth Place (Tie):

Sean Bonner of Intensiv, LLC

Sean Bonner

Recruiter: Sean Bonner 
Agency: Intensiv, LLC
Placements: One (1)
Cash-in total: $52875.00
Career Top Echelon placements: 5
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $112,212.50

— — —

Sixth Place:

Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.

Veronica Snyder

Recruiter: Veronica Snyder
Agency: Career Professionals, Inc.
Placements: Three (3)
Cash-in total: $39,950.00
Career Top Echelon placements: 109
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $1,023,080.71

— — —

Seventh Place:

Debbi Reiger of Reiger Technical Search

Debbi Reiger

Recruiter: Debbi Reiger 
Agency: Reiger Technical Search
Placements: Three (3)
Cash-in total: $39,010.00
Career Top Echelon placements: 75
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $669,240.69

— — —

Eighth Place:

Mack Moore of Redline Recruits

Mack Moore

Recruiter: Mack Moore 
Agency: Redline Recruits
Placements: Two (2)
Cash-in total: $35,242.17
Career Top Echelon placements: 2
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $35,242.17

— — —

Ninth Place:

Jana Rugg of Ridgemont Resources, Inc.

Jana Rugg

Recruiter: Jana Rugg 
Agency: Ridgemont Resources, Inc.
Placements: Three (3)
Cash-in total: $33,840.00
Career Top Echelon placements: 4
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $33,840.00

— — —

Tenth Place:

Brendan Smith of Southern Staffing Group

Brendan Smith

Recruiter: Brendan Smith
Agency: Southern Staffing Group
Placements: Three (3)
Cash-in total: $32,651.84
Career Top Echelon placements: 6
Career Top Echelon cash-in: $32,651.84

— — —

If YOU want to make more money through Top Echelon’s recruiting network, then contact Director of Network Operations, Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS.

You can reach Drea by calling 330.595.1742 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

Survey: Recruiters Remain Optimistic About Q4

by Matthew Deutsch on October 10, 2026

Recruiters are heading into the final quarter of 2026 with cautious optimism, even as inconsistent production, sluggish client decision-making, and unpredictable hiring activity continue to create challenges.

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

According to a recent survey conducted by Top Echelon, recruiters are generally confident about their ability to close deals before the end of the year. However, the results also reveal that many are struggling with pipeline consistency and hiring processes that are taking longer than expected.

The name of the survey was the September 2026: Deal Flow and Pipeline Health Survey. Since you’re reading this, you’re probably a TE Network members. And since you’re a TE Network member, there’s a good chance this survey reached your email inbox. If you didn’t participate in the survey, that’s okay, but we’re sending another one next month, so . . . you know.

Anyway, back to business. The survey examined pipeline health, job order volume, production predictability, recruiting strategies, and the biggest obstacles standing between recruiters and successful placements during the fourth quarter.

Recruiting Pipelines Are Holding Steady, but Few Are Thriving

When asked to describe the overall health of their recruiting pipeline, the largest percentage of respondents (41.4%) characterized it as “adequate.”

Another 20.7% described their pipeline as “strong,” while just 6.9% said it was “very strong.” On the other end of the spectrum, 24.1% reported a “weak” pipeline, and 6.9% described theirs as “very weak.”

Overall, 69% of respondents indicated that their pipelines were adequate or better, suggesting that most recruiters have opportunities to pursue, even if those opportunities aren’t necessarily translating into consistent placements.

However, the fact that nearly one-third of respondents described their pipelines as weak or very weak indicates that a significant portion of recruiters are still struggling to generate enough quality opportunities.

Job Order Volume Shows Mixed Results

The survey also revealed a relatively balanced picture of job order activity compared to the same time last year.

Approximately 34.5% of respondents reported that their active job order volume was about the same as last year. Another 27.6% indicated that volume had increased slightly, while 6.9% reported a significant increase.

Meanwhile, 20.7% experienced a slight decrease in job orders, and 10.3% reported a significant decline.

Combined, 34.5% of recruiters reported increased job order volume, compared to 31% who reported a decrease.

These results suggest that recruiting activity has remained relatively stable for many professionals, although individual experiences vary considerably.

For recruiters, the challenge may not necessarily be finding job orders, but rather converting those opportunities into completed placements.

Client Decision-Making Is the Biggest Obstacle

Perhaps the most revealing survey result involves where recruiting deals are currently stalling.

More than half of respondents (51.7%) identified client approval and decision-making as the primary bottleneck in their recruiting process.

Candidate availability ranked a distant second at 13.8%, followed by the offer stage at 10.3%. Interview scheduling and post-offer acceptance each accounted for 6.9% of responses.

Only 10.3% of recruiters indicated that their deals were moving smoothly.

These findings highlight a significant challenge facing recruiters: even when qualified candidates are available and hiring needs exist, employers may be taking longer to make decisions.

Lengthy approval processes, additional interview rounds, shifting priorities, and hesitation about making hiring commitments can all contribute to delayed placements.

For recruiters, maintaining consistent communication with hiring managers and establishing clear expectations early in the search process may be increasingly important.

Production Predictability Remains a Major Concern

Another significant finding involves the predictability of monthly recruiting production.

More than half of respondents (51.7%) described their production as “inconsistent,” while 13.8% characterized it as “highly unpredictable.” An additional 6.9% reported having “no clear pattern” in their monthly results.

That means 72.4% of surveyed recruiters are experiencing some degree of unpredictability in their production.

Only 27.6% said their production was somewhat predictable, and not a single respondent described it as very predictable.

These results underscore the difficulty of forecasting placements and revenue in an environment where client decisions, candidate availability, and hiring timelines can change unexpectedly.

Even recruiters with healthy pipelines may struggle to predict when searches will close and fees will be collected.

Recruiters Are Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity

Despite these challenges, recruiters appear to be taking a deliberate approach to managing their pipelines.

When asked about their current pipeline strategy, 37.9% indicated that they were focusing on fewer, higher-quality searches.

Another 34.5% reported pursuing a balanced approach between search volume and quality.

Combined, 72.4% of respondents are emphasizing search quality or a balance between quality and volume.

Meanwhile, 17.2% said they were pursuing high volume to offset potential fallout. Just 3.4% described their strategy as reactive to inbound demand, while 6.9% characterized their approach as largely unplanned.

These findings suggest that many recruiters recognize the importance of working searches with the greatest likelihood of producing placements.

In a market where client decisions can be delayed and resources are limited, focusing on committed clients, realistic job orders, and qualified candidates may help recruiters make more productive use of their time.

Confidence Remains High Heading Into Year-End

One of the most encouraging findings from the survey is the level of confidence recruiters expressed about closing deals before the end of 2026.

Despite concerns about inconsistent production and slow hiring processes, 41.4% of respondents said they were “very confident” about closing deals before year-end.

Another 44.8% described themselves as “somewhat confident.”

Combined, 86.2% of respondents expressed confidence in their ability to close deals during the remainder of the year.

Only 6.9% said they were very concerned, while another 6.9% expressed a neutral outlook. Interestingly, no respondents selected “somewhat concerned.”

This optimism suggests that recruiters continue to see opportunities for success, even when market conditions and hiring processes present obstacles.

It may also reflect an understanding that recruiting success often depends on persistence, relationship management, and the ability to navigate challenges throughout the placement process.

Slow Hiring Processes Pose the Greatest Threat to Q4 Production

When asked to identify the biggest threat to their fourth-quarter production, respondents once again pointed to delays in the hiring process.

A majority (51.7%) selected slow hiring processes as their primary concern.

Lack of deal volume ranked second at 17.2%, followed by personal bandwidth at 13.8%.

Client budget changes and candidate drop-off each received 6.9% of responses, while only 3.4% indicated that they felt well positioned and faced no significant threats.

The results reinforce a consistent theme throughout the survey: recruiters are concerned less about the existence of opportunities than about how quickly those opportunities can be converted into placements.

With year-end approaching, delays in interviews, approvals, and final hiring decisions could have a direct impact on fourth-quarter production.

What Do These Results Mean for Recruiters?

Taken together, the survey findings paint a picture of a recruiting marketplace characterized by opportunity, uncertainty, and cautious optimism.

Many recruiters have adequate pipelines and stable or improving job order volume. However, inconsistent production and slow client decision-making are making it difficult to forecast results with confidence.

At the same time, recruiters appear to be responding strategically by emphasizing higher-quality searches and maintaining confidence in their ability to close deals.

As the final months of 2026 unfold, several priorities could help recruiters finish the year on a positive note:

  • Qualify job orders carefully. Focus on clients who have genuine hiring needs, realistic expectations, and a demonstrated commitment to making decisions.
  • Establish clear hiring timelines. Work with clients to define interview schedules, decision-making responsibilities, and expected hiring dates.
  • Maintain consistent communication. Regular follow-up with clients and candidates can help identify potential delays before they derail a placement.
  • Prioritize searches with the highest probability of closing. Concentrate time and resources on opportunities that offer the strongest combination of client commitment, candidate availability, and placement potential.
  • Continue building the pipeline. Even when working promising searches, maintaining business development activity can help create opportunities for future production.

Optimism Persists Despite an Unpredictable Market

The most striking takeaway from the survey may be the contrast between recruiters’ confidence and the challenges they face.

While more than seven in 10 respondents reported unpredictable production, more than eight in 10 expressed confidence in their ability to close deals before year-end.

That combination reflects both the uncertainty of the current recruiting environment and the determination of recruiters to succeed despite it.

Ultimately, the final quarter of 2026 may reward recruiters who can move beyond simply generating opportunities and focus on helping clients make decisions, keeping candidates engaged, and moving searches efficiently toward completion.

The opportunities are there for many recruiters. The challenge is turning those opportunities into placements before the calendar runs out.

TE Network and TE Recruit Software Updates

by Matthew Deutsch on October 9, 2026

We’re continuously updating both the Top Echelon recruiting software and our split placement network software.

So we’re pleased to announce the following software updates!

1. Job Description Parsing

You can now parse a Job Description to automatically identify key information and populate corresponding fields on the Datasheet. This helps save time when creating Jobs by reducing repetitive data entry, while also improving the consistency of structured Job data.

2. Import RingCentral History

For cases where RingCentral calls or text messages took place prior to creating a record in TE Recruit, an Import RingCentral History option is now available on People and Company Datasheets. This allows you to import up to 90 days of previous call and text message history from RingCentral, helping ensure a more complete communication history.

3. [PRO] AI Network Candidates Search

AI Search is now available when searching Network Candidates.

Keyword and Position Title searches can look beyond exact words to understand meaning, helping prioritize the most relevant results and surface additional candidates that may have been missed by traditional search.

— — —

Remember, you can always stay informed about software updates by visiting the official Top Echelon Product Updates page. You can see current and past updates, as well as which updates and upgrades are next.

If you have questions about these updates or about any other aspect of your TE Network and/or TE Recruit account, you can:

→ Send an email to support@topechelon.com.

→ Visit our Help Center for answers to your questions or start a live chat by clicking the “Contact” link in the navigation bar.

‘High-Performance Recruiting with Hotlists and Pipelines’

by Matthew Deutsch on October 8, 2026

Top Echelon Training and Support Manager Todd Bossler recently conducted a special TE Recruit Training Tuesday webinar titled, “High Performance Recruiting with Hotlists and Pipelines in TE Recruit.”

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

You may have attended this free webinar on Tuesday, September 1. On the other hand, you may not have been in attendance.

Regardless, we have the recorded version of the webinar, which I am presenting to you now. (The recording is also located in the Top Echelon Help Center.)

If you are not a user of our recruiting software, TE Recruit, then check out the video, anyway, to see how the software could benefit your recruiting desk and agency.

We at Top Echelon are continually working to make the resources that we provide to our customers better, and this is yet more proof!

Below is the official description of this training video:

— — —

A high-performance recruiting desk does not happen by accident. It is built through structure, visibility, and consistent workflow.

Todd Bossler

Todd Bossler

However, while Hotlists and Pipelines have each been covered individually in our Training Tuesday webinar series, we have never taken a unified look at how the two work together strategically. That gap can create confusion and missed opportunities in daily recruiting activity. That is why during this Training Tuesday webinar video, we explore “Building a High-Performance Recruiting Desk With Hotlists and Pipelines.”

Top Echelon Training and Support Manager Todd Bossler will take a fresh look at how these tools complement each other and discuss ways to create clearer organization, stronger tracking, and more intentional movement of candidates and clients through your process.

Join us for this Training Tuesday session and learn how to build a more structured and productive recruiting desk inside TE Recruit!

So watch this video and “Meet the New and Improved Sequencing Features in TE Recruit”!

Watch this TE Recruit training video!

— — —

Remember to check The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog every week for more updates regarding Top Echelon software improvements and upgrades.

If you have any questions about how you can maximize your TE Network membership, please contact 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.