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When it comes to the recruiting profession, there’s one thing that just about everybody can agree on: You have to invest money to make money.

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

Of course, there’s more than one way to invest in your recruiting business. You can invest in technology, training, marketing, and other resources designed to help you increase production and make more placements.

And then there’s investing in relationships with other recruiters. That’s exactly what members of TE Network are doing, and some of those members are reaping the rewards of their investment in a BIG way!

Take, for example, Adam Krueger of Sun Recruiting, Inc. and Irina Kirnos of Executive Placement Network. Adam and Irina recently teamed up to place a Commercial Operations Accounting Manager, generating a split placement fee of $41,250 at 25%!

That’s quite a return on their investment in split recruiting. And while this particular placement deserves special recognition, Adam and Irina aren’t the only Network members who have reason to celebrate.

Four Recruiters Celebrate Their First Network Placements!

While Adam and Irina’s placement represents an impressive financial achievement, there’s another milestone that deserves recognition: making your first split placement in TE Network!

For some recruiters, that first placement can be especially meaningful. It’s the moment when the potential value of Network membership becomes a reality. It’s also proof that investing time and effort into building relationships with other recruiters can pay off. With that in mind, we’d like to congratulate the following members on making their first placements in TE Network:

  • Iris Desire of Essenti Talent
  • Laura Cisneros of Agency 8
  • Renee Ray of Talent Match Recruiting
  • Jim Shemroske of Tri-S Recruiters, Inc.

Congratulations to all four recruiters! (And as you can see below, Iris and Laura made their first TE Network split placement with each other.) Your first Network placement is an accomplishment worth celebrating, and hopefully, it’s just the beginning of many more to come.

Because that’s one of the best things about split recruiting. One successful placement can lead to another. And another. And another.

Over time, the relationships you develop with your trading partners can become an important source of additional placements and revenue for your recruiting business.

As a friendly neighborhood reminder, here is the information that we publish with our split 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 October 5 through October 18, 2026.

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.

Once again, congratulations to everybody below for the split placements they made in TE Network!

This Week’s Split Placements

— — —

Wayne Miller of THR Partners

Wayne Miller

Sara Alexandroff of Sterling St. James, Inc.

Sara Alexandroff

Job recruiter: Wayne Miller of THR Partners

Candidate recruiter: Sara Alexandroff of Sterling St. James, Inc.

Job title: PRODUCT ENGINEER

Overall placement fee: $26,250

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Keith Cornelison of Personnel Resources

Keith Cornelison

Sara Alexandroff of Sterling St. James, Inc.

Sara Alexandroff

Job recruiter: Keith Cornelison of Personnel Resources

Candidate recruiter: Sara Alexandroff of Sterling St. James, Inc.

Job title: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST

Overall placement fee: $12,243

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Derek Hilbert of Kingfisher Recruiting

Derek Hilbert

Tracey Burch of Burch Group, Inc.

Tracey Burch

Job recruiter: Derek Hilbert of Kingfisher Recruiting

Candidate recruiter: Tracey Burch of Burch Group, Inc.

Job title: QUALITY ENGINEER

Overall placement fee: $19,000

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Laura Cisneros of Agency 8

Laura Cisneros

Iris Desire of Essenti Talent

Iris Desire

Job recruiter: Laura Cisneros of Agency 8

Candidate recruiter: Iris Desire of Essenti Talent

Job title: PRODUCTION MANAGER

Overall placement fee: $37,950

Fee percentage: 23%

— — —

Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Brad Dodge

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing

Amy Chapman

Job recruiter: Amy Chapman of Key People

Candidate recruiter: Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Job title: PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD

Overall placement fee: $17,872

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Brad Dodge

Katherine Mastantuono of The KPM Group

Katherine Mastantuono

Job recruiter: Katherine Mastantuono of The KPM Group

Candidate recruiter: Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Job title: LOGISTICS SITE MANAGER

Overall placement fee: $13,000

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Brad Dodge

Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.

Veronica Snyder

Job recruiter: Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Job title: ASSEMBLY MANUFACTURING ENGINEER

Overall placement fee: $21,250

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Brad Dodge

Larry Radzely of Adel-Lawrence Associates, Inc.

Larry Radzely

Job recruiter: Larry Radzely of Larry Radzely

Candidate recruiter: Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Job title: OPERATIONS MANAGER

Overall placement fee: $22,800

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Irinia Kirnos of Executive Placement Network

Irinia Kirnos

Adam Krueger of Sun Recruiting, Inc.

Adam Krueger

Job recruiter: Adam Krueger of Sun Recruiting, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Irina Kirnos of Executive Placement Network

Job title: COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS ACCOUNTING MANAGER

Overall placement fee: $41,250

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Keith Cornelison of Personnel Resources

Keith Cornelison

Joe Matthews of Resurgent Medical

Joe Matthews

Job recruiter: Keith Cornelison of Personnel Resources

Candidate recruiter: Joe Matthews of Resurgent Medical

Job title: NURSE – RN

Overall placement fee: $14,969

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Bob Millman of AutoPro Technical Recruiting

Bob Millman

Liz Burchill of The KPM Group

Liz Burchill

Job recruiter: Liz Burchill of The KPM Group

Candidate recruiter: Bob Millman of AutoPro Technical Recruiting

Job title: LOGISTICS DISPATCHER 

Overall placement fee: $11,000

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Amylyn Kyler of Kyler Professional Search

Amylyn Kyler

Anna Race of Verus Recruiting Consultants, Inc.

Anna Race

Job recruiter: Amylyn Kyler of Kyler Professional Search

Candidate recruiter: Anna Race of Verus Recruiting Consultants, Inc.

Job title: HRIS ANALYTICS SPECIALIST

Overall placement fee: $23,000

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Robert Litton of the Litton Resource Group

Robert Litton

Renee Ray of Talent Match Recruiting

Renee Ray

Job recruiter: Robert Litton of Litton Resource Group

Candidate recruiter: Renee Ray of Talent Match Recruiting

Job title: NURSE PRACTITIONER

Overall placement fee: $15,000

Fee percentage: Flat

— — —

Gary Kaufman of ExcelliSearch, Inc.

Gary Kaufman

Jim Shemroske of Tri-S Recruiters, Inc.

Jim Shemroske

Job recruiter: Gary Kaufman of ExcelliSearch, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Jim Shemroske of Tri-S Recruiters, Inc.

Job title: SENIOR JD EDWARDS BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST 

Overall placement fee: $31,000

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing

Amy Chapman

Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Michael Stuck

Job recruiter: Amy Chapman of Key People

Candidate recruiter: Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Job title: MANAGER – YARD AND PORT OPERATIONS

Overall placement fee: $30,750

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Michael Stuck

Pam Petitpren of The PRA Group, Inc.

Pam Petitpren

Job recruiter: Pam Petitpren of PRA USA

Candidate recruiter: Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Job title: BUILDING AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT

Overall placement fee: $29,000

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

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.

As a recruiter, you know that time is money. Every minute you spend searching for candidates, managing administrative tasks, or manually following up with prospects is a minute you could be spending building relationships, filling job orders, and making placements.

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

And in today’s competitive recruiting marketplace, efficiency isn’t just a luxury. It’s a necessity.

That’s why having the right recruiting software is so important.

TE Recruit, Top Echelon’s ATS + CRM built for growing recruiting agencies, provides the tools you need to manage your recruiting desk, organize your database, and streamline your workflows.

But what if you could take your recruiting productivity to an entirely new level?

That’s where the Pro Tier of TE Recruit comes into play.

With advanced artificial intelligence (AI), automation, enhanced communication tools, and powerful integration capabilities, the Pro Tier is designed to help recruiters work smarter, save time, and ultimately make more placements.

And here’s the best part: You can get the Pro Tier for the same monthly price as the Standard Tier when you pay for a year in advance!

The Standard Tier costs $95 per user per month, while the Pro Tier costs $115 per user per month. However, when you purchase an annual Pro Tier subscription and pay upfront, the price drops to the equivalent of just $95 per user per month.

That’s a savings of $240 per user per year compared to paying for the Pro Tier monthly.

So why should you consider making the upgrade?

Below are 10 reasons why upgrading to the Pro Tier of TE Recruit could be one of the smartest investments you make in your recruiting business.

#1—Find More Qualified Candidates with AI People Search

One of the most time-consuming aspects of recruiting is searching through your database to identify qualified candidates.

Traditional searches often rely on specific keywords, which means potentially excellent candidates can be overlooked simply because their resumes or profiles use different terminology.

The Pro Tier helps address this challenge with AI People Search.

This feature uses artificial intelligence to help recruiters search more intelligently, identifying relevant candidates based on the meaning and context of search criteria rather than relying exclusively on exact keyword matches.

For example, a recruiter searching for candidates with a particular combination of experience and skills may be able to identify individuals whose backgrounds are relevant, even when their profiles don’t contain every specific keyword.

The potential benefits are significant.

You can spend less time experimenting with search terms, uncover candidates you might otherwise miss, and make better use of the information already stored in your database.

And the more effectively you search your database, the more opportunities you have to identify the right candidate for the right job.

The bottom line: AI People Search can help you find qualified candidates faster, giving you more time to focus on making placements.

Learn more about AI People Search in TE Recruit.

#2—Build Searches Faster with AI-Powered Natural Language Search

Speaking of searching your database, wouldn’t it be nice if you could simply describe the kind of candidate you’re looking for instead of manually building a complicated search?

With the Pro Tier’s AI-Powered Natural Language Search, that’s exactly the idea.

Rather than requiring recruiters to construct every search using traditional filters and criteria, this feature allows you to describe what you’re looking for in everyday language. TE Recruit then uses AI to translate that description into Advanced Search criteria.

Think about the possibilities. Instead of spending time selecting multiple fields and configuring search conditions, you can describe the experience, qualifications, and characteristics you’re looking for.

The system helps turn your description into a structured search that you can review and refine.

This can be especially valuable when you’re working on multiple job orders, searching for candidates with specialized qualifications, or trying to move quickly on a new opportunity. It also helps make advanced searching more accessible to recruiters who may not be comfortable constructing complex searches manually.

And in recruiting, the ability to move quickly can make a tremendous difference.

The bottom line: Natural Language Search helps you spend less time building searches and more time connecting with qualified candidates.

Learn more about AI-Powered Natural Language Search.

#3—Automate Your Follow-Up with Enhanced Sequencing

How many times have you intended to follow up with a candidate or client, only to get distracted by another urgent recruiting task?

It happens to everybody. But in a relationship-driven business like recruiting, consistent follow-up can be the difference between making a placement and missing an opportunity.

That’s where the Pro Tier’s Sequences feature can help. Sequences allow recruiters to create structured outreach and follow-up processes, helping them maintain communication with candidates, clients, and prospects without manually managing every individual touchpoint.

And recent enhancements have made Sequencing even more useful. These improvements include Auto Stop, the ability to resume sequence records, and interface updates designed to make managing sequences easier.

Auto Stop can help prevent unnecessary follow-up messages when certain conditions are met, while the ability to resume sequence records gives recruiters additional flexibility in managing their outreach.

Consider how much time you spend each week keeping track of who needs a follow-up email, when that email should be sent, and what happens after someone responds.

Sequences can help simplify that process. Instead of constantly managing individual reminders, you can establish a more consistent approach to communication. That means fewer missed opportunities, more organized outreach, and more time for the personal conversations that move placements forward.

The bottom line: Enhanced Sequencing helps you stay in front of candidates and clients while reducing the administrative burden of consistent follow-up.

Learn more about the latest Sequencing updates.

#4—Save Valuable Time with Automations

Recruiters are busy people. Between sourcing candidates, communicating with clients, scheduling interviews, negotiating offers, and managing job orders, there never seem to be enough hours in the day.

And that’s before you account for all the repetitive administrative tasks that come with running a recruiting desk. The Pro Tier includes Automations, which are designed to help recruiters reduce manual work and create more efficient workflows.

By automating supported activities within your recruiting process, you can reduce the amount of time spent on routine tasks.

This can also help improve consistency. After all, when you’re managing multiple searches and dozens of candidate relationships, it’s easy for smaller administrative responsibilities to get pushed aside.

Automation helps support a more organized approach to recruiting, allowing you to devote more attention to the activities that require your professional expertise.

And those are typically the activities that generate revenue. Think about it this way: If automation saves you just a few hours every month, how many additional candidates could you contact? How many more client conversations could you have?

How many additional opportunities could you pursue?

The bottom line: Automations help you spend less time managing repetitive tasks and more time doing what you do best—recruiting.

#5—Collect Better Candidate Information with Custom Application Forms

Not every recruiting agency operates the same way. And not every job opening requires the same information from applicants. That’s why flexibility is so important when it comes to collecting candidate information.

With the Pro Tier’s Custom Application Forms, recruiters can create a more tailored application experience that better aligns with their recruiting needs.

Rather than relying solely on a standard application format, you can customize the information you request from candidates.

This can help you collect more relevant details earlier in the recruiting process, making it easier to evaluate qualifications and determine whether an individual might be a good fit.

It can also reduce the need for unnecessary back-and-forth communication to gather information that could have been collected during the initial application. And when you’re working on multiple searches, those efficiencies can add up. Custom Application Forms also allow you to create an application experience that better reflects your agency’s processes.

The bottom line: Better information at the beginning of the recruiting process can lead to more efficient candidate evaluation and better recruiting decisions.

#6—Strengthen Your Agency’s Brand with a Custom Careers Page Domain

Your recruiting agency’s brand is one of its most valuable assets. It’s how candidates recognize your firm, how clients perceive your professionalism, and how you differentiate yourself from the competition.

And your careers page is an important part of that brand. With the Pro Tier, you can configure a Custom Careers Page Domain, allowing your agency to use a branded subdomain for its job opportunities.

For example, instead of directing candidates to a default TE Recruit careers page address, you can use something like jobs.youragency.com.

This helps create a more consistent experience for candidates who visit your website and explore your available positions. It also reinforces your agency’s identity throughout the application process.

Why does that matter? Because candidates are evaluating recruiting firms just as carefully as recruiters are evaluating candidates.

A professional, consistent online presence can help establish credibility and confidence. And in a competitive recruiting marketplace, those first impressions are important.

The bottom line: A Custom Careers Page Domain helps reinforce your agency’s brand and create a more professional candidate experience.

#7—Gain Greater Visibility with Organization Charts

Successful recruiting isn’t just about knowing candidates. It’s also about understanding clients, developing relationships, and identifying opportunities for new business.

And sometimes, that means understanding how people and positions fit together within an organization. The Pro Tier includes an Organization Chart feature that can help recruiters visualize organizational relationships and structures.

For recruiters involved in business development, account management, and client relationship building, this additional perspective can be valuable.

Understanding organizational relationships can help you identify important contacts, better understand a client’s structure, and approach business development conversations more strategically.

It can also help you organize information about the people and companies you’re working with. After all, recruiting is a relationship business. And the more you understand those relationships, the better positioned you are to identify opportunities and deliver value.

The bottom line: Organization Charts can help you better understand client relationships and support more strategic recruiting and business development activities.

#8—Eliminate Manual Email Tracking with Inbound Email Sync

Email is one of the most important communication tools recruiters use. Every day, you’re exchanging messages with candidates, clients, hiring managers, and prospects. But keeping track of those conversations can become a major administrative headache.

That’s why Inbound Email Sync is such an important addition to the Pro Tier. This feature is now available for both Google and Microsoft email users, helping recruiters bring incoming email communication into TE Recruit.

Instead of relying entirely on manual entry to maintain communication records, supported incoming emails can be synced with the recruiting system.

This can help reduce administrative work and make it easier to maintain a more complete history of your recruiting conversations. And that can be especially helpful when you’re managing multiple relationships and searches simultaneously.

Think about how often you need to reference a previous conversation with a candidate or client. Having relevant communication history available within your ATS + CRM can make it easier to stay organized and maintain continuity.

It can also help recruiting teams collaborate more effectively by keeping important information connected to their recruiting workflows.

The bottom line: Inbound Email Sync helps reduce manual recordkeeping and keeps recruiting communication better organized.

Learn more about Inbound Email Sync for Google users and Microsoft users.

#9—Connect Your Recruiting Tools with the Open API

Today’s recruiters rely on a variety of technology tools to run their businesses. In addition to their ATS + CRM, they may use specialized applications for marketing, reporting, business development, and other recruiting activities. The challenge is getting those tools to work together efficiently.

That’s where the Pro Tier’s Open API comes into play. An API, or Application Programming Interface, allows different software applications to communicate and exchange information. TE Recruit’s Open API gives Pro Tier users the opportunity to connect their recruiting software with other systems and develop integrations that support their specific business needs.

This can create opportunities to streamline workflows, reduce duplicate data entry, and improve how information moves between supported systems. For example, an agency may want to connect TE Recruit with another business application to support a particular workflow or reporting requirement.

With an API, those kinds of integrations become possible, subject to the API’s available capabilities and any development work required.

Of course, not every recruiting agency needs custom integrations. But for growing agencies that want greater flexibility and control over their technology, having access to an Open API can be a significant advantage.

And unlike an upcoming feature that you have to wait for, the Open API is now available to Pro Tier users.

The bottom line: The Open API gives your agency more flexibility to connect its recruiting technology and build efficient workflows as your business grows.

Learn more about TE Recruit’s Open API.

#10—Get the Pro Tier for the Monthly Price of Standard When You Pay Annually

We’ve saved what might be the most compelling reason for last. What if you could get all of these advanced features without paying a higher monthly equivalent price than the Standard Tier?

Well, you can!

Here’s how TE Recruit’s pricing works:

Subscription Price per User
Standard Tier, monthly $95/month
Pro Tier, monthly $115/month
Pro Tier, annual prepayment $95/month equivalent

That’s right!

When you pay for a year of the Pro Tier in advance, your effective monthly cost is the same as the Standard Tier’s monthly price.

That means you can access AI People Search, Natural Language Search, enhanced Sequencing, Automations, Inbound Email Sync, Open API, and the other advanced Pro Tier capabilities for the equivalent of $95 per user per month.

For a single recruiter, that’s an annual Pro Tier investment of $1,140 when paid upfront, compared with $1,380 when paying the monthly Pro Tier rate for 12 months.

That’s a savings of $240 per user per year!

For an agency with five recruiters, that amounts to $1,200 in annual savings compared with paying monthly for Pro. And remember, the Pro Tier includes all the features available in the Standard Tier, too.

So you’re not giving anything up by upgrading. You’re gaining additional capabilities designed to help you recruit more efficiently. Consider the potential return on that investment.

If the Pro Tier helps you find qualified candidates faster, automate routine tasks, improve communication, and reduce administrative work, how much additional time could you spend on revenue-generating activities?

And what would even one additional placement mean to your bottom line?

The bottom line: Annual prepayment gives you access to the advanced Pro Tier for the same monthly equivalent price as Standard’s month-to-month rate. That’s a compelling opportunity for recruiters who want more from their software.

More Features, More Efficiency, More Opportunities to Make Placements

At the end of the day, recruiting success still depends on the fundamentals.

  • You have to build relationships.
  • You have to understand your clients’ needs.
  • You have to identify qualified candidates.
  • And you have to bring the right people and opportunities together.

Technology doesn’t replace those responsibilities. However, the right technology can make them easier to accomplish. That’s what the Pro Tier of TE Recruit is designed to do.

From AI-powered searching and automated follow-up to email syncing and software integrations, the Pro Tier provides tools that can help recruiters spend less time on administrative activities and more time making placements.

And with the annual prepayment option, you can access those additional capabilities for the equivalent of just $95 per user per month.

That’s the same monthly price as the Standard Tier. So if you’re currently using Standard, here’s a question worth asking:

Why settle for fewer features when you can get the Pro Tier for the same monthly equivalent price by paying annually?

Your recruiting desk is your business, and your time is one of your most valuable resources. The more efficiently you operate, the more opportunities you have to grow your business and increase production. And in today’s competitive recruiting marketplace, those advantages can make all the difference.

Don’t just work harder. Work smarter with the Pro Tier of TE Recruit!

Sometimes, the best business decisions start with a leap of faith. Just ask Charlie Isgette of Marlie Park Group, who joined TE Network after attending a conference where she didn’t know anybody and wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

Fast forward to today, and Charlie has already made seven split placements in Top Echelon Network, generating a cash-in total of $49,234.54.

Not bad for someone who initially wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into!

Charlie’s journey with Top Echelon began in the spring of 2025, when fellow recruiter Gary Kaufman recommended that she attend Top Echelon’s conference in Nashville. Despite not knowing anyone, Charlie decided to take a chance and see what the Network was all about.

“I honestly didn’t know what to expect!” said Charlie, who’s been in the recruiting profession since 2000. “On a recommendation from Gary Kaufman, I took a leap of faith and attended the Top Echelon conference in Nashville in the spring of 2025. I went in not knowing anyone or exactly what I was getting myself into, but I met some really cool people! Everyone I met seemed willing to share their experiences, knowledge and advise.”

That experience made enough of an impression that Charlie decided to join the Network following the conference.

And as her seven split placements demonstrate, that decision has paid dividends.

However, Charlie’s success hasn’t happened by accident. Like other successful Network members, she’s discovered that building relationships, communicating effectively, and taking a proactive approach are essential ingredients for split placement success.

According to Charlie, below are four big takeaways from her experience in TE Network so far.

#1—Building Relationships is the Foundation of Success

One of the biggest advantages of Top Echelon Network is the opportunity to build relationships with other recruiting professionals who can help you expand your reach and make more placements.

Charlie discovered this almost immediately after joining.

Her first split placement involved Brad Dodge of iLocatum and a Refrigeration Technician position. After sharing the job order with the Network, Charlie connected with Brad to discuss the opportunity.

“My first Network placement was with Brad Dodge of iLocatum for a Refrigeration Technician position,” Charlie said. “After I shared the job order with the Network, Brad and I connected for a brief phone call. We talked a little about our recruiting backgrounds, discussed the position, and established expectations for how we’d work together. A month later I billed for a start!”

That’s a pretty impressive return on a relatively simple investment of time and effort. But perhaps even more importantly, that initial placement helped establish a productive recruiting relationship that continues to generate results.

“We have a great partnership,” Charlie said. “In fact, most of my Network placements have been through Brad and his team.”

This is a perfect example of how split placements can lead to something even more valuable than a single fee: an ongoing relationship with a trusted trading partner.

And as Charlie has discovered, those relationships can become a significant source of additional revenue for a recruiting firm.

#2—Communication and Collaboration Make a Difference

Of course, building a successful split placement partnership requires more than simply sharing a job order or submitting a candidate. It requires communication, responsiveness, and a willingness to collaborate.

Charlie understands that not every recruiting relationship is going to be a perfect fit. After all, recruiters have different personalities, business philosophies, and expectations. And that’s perfectly fine.

“You’re not necessarily going to be the right recruiting partner for everyone, and that’s okay!” Charlie said. “We all have different personalities, expectations, and ways of doing business. If you find that someone’s approach doesn’t align with yours, simply focus on building relationships with those who do.”

This is an important point, especially for recruiters who are relatively new to split placements. You don’t have to work with everybody in the Network to be successful. Instead, focus on developing relationships with recruiters whose approach to business complements your own.

Charlie also emphasizes the importance of treating trading partners the way you would want to be treated.

“Just be the kind of recruiting partner you’d want to work with,” she said. “Be willing to provide the same level of communication, responsiveness, and collaboration that you expect from others.”

In other words, successful split placement relationships are a two-way street. And when both parties are committed to communicating and working together, the chances of making placements increase.

#3—The Network Can Help You Grow Your Business

For Charlie, Top Echelon Network isn’t simply a way to make an occasional additional placement. She sees it as a resource for growing her recruiting business.

By collaborating with other recruiters, she can expand her reach, pursue more job opportunities, and potentially increase her firm’s production without immediately adding more internal resources. n fact, Charlie already has a specific goal in mind for the future.

Charlie Isgette of Marlie Park Group

Charlie Isgette

“My goal is to continue building strong relationships with other recruiters and expand our opportunities through the Network. Ideally, I’d love to grow our involvement to the point where I can add another seat for one of my recruiters, allowing us to work both sides of the Network, sharing job orders and sourcing candidates for other partners.”

And Charlie isn’t interested in expanding her involvement in just one direction. While her initial success has involved sharing job orders and working with other Network members to fill them, she also sees tremendous potential in having one of her recruiters work on positions shared by other TE members.

“One who can expand our involvement on the other side by having them focus on filling positions shared by other Network members,” Charlie said. “I think there’s tremendous opportunity to contribute in both directions.”

That’s an important distinction. Top Echelon Network is a split placement network and sourcing marketplace for recruiting agencies, meaning members can benefit from both sides of a split placement.

They can share job orders with other recruiters, and they can provide candidates for positions shared by their trading partners. For Charlie, the long-term objective is to leverage both opportunities to help Marlie Park Group grow.

And with seven split placements already under her belt, she’s certainly off to a promising start.

#4—You Get Out of the Network What You Put into It

Perhaps the biggest lesson Charlie has learned is that success in Top Echelon Network requires active participation. Simply joining the Network isn’t enough. You have to make the effort to connect with other members, build relationships, communicate consistently, and look for opportunities to collaborate.

When asked what advice she would give to somebody considering Network membership, Charlie didn’t hesitate.

“You get out of it what you put into it!” she said. “Be proactive, build relationships, pick up the phone, and get involved.”

That’s pretty straightforward advice, and it’s advice that Charlie has clearly followed herself.  After all, her first placement resulted from sharing a job order, making a phone call, establishing expectations, and developing a relationship with another recruiter.

One month later, she was billing for a start. Of course, Charlie also recognizes that no business relationship is perfect, and that occasional challenges are inevitable. However, she’s been pleased with the support she’s received from Top Echelon when questions or concerns have arisen.

“My experience has been great,” Charlie said. “Nothing is perfect, and like any business relationship, there are going to be occasional challenges. I greatly appreciated that anytime I’ve brought a question or concern to the Top Echelon team, they’ve been responsive and willing to work toward a solution.”

Ultimately, Charlie’s experience reinforces an important principle: The more engaged you are with your Network membership, the more opportunities you create for success.

A Leap of Faith to Nearly $50,000 in Fees

When Charlie Isgette attended Top Echelon’s Nashville conference in the spring of 2025, she didn’t know exactly what to expect.

She didn’t know the other recruiters who would be attending. She didn’t know what kinds of relationships she might develop. And she certainly didn’t know that joining the Network would eventually lead to seven split placements and nearly $50,000 in cash-in.

But she was willing to take a chance. That initial leap of faith led to new relationships, new opportunities, and a productive partnership with Brad Dodge and his team at iLocatum.

And Charlie isn’t finished. She wants to continue building relationships, expanding her reach, and growing Marlie Park Group through increased participation in the Network. Her story also offers an important lesson for both current and prospective TE Network members.

You don’t necessarily need to know everybody in the Network, you don’t need to have years of split placement experience, and you don’t need to develop dozens of trading partner relationships overnight. Sometimes, all it takes is attending an event, introducing yourself, sharing a job order, and picking up the phone.

Of course, you also have to be willing to put in the time, energy, and effort. Charlie Isgette has done exactly that.

And she now has seven split placements and $49,234.54 in cash-in to show for it.

Not bad for a leap of faith!

In the TE Network, successful split placements are built on more than just recruiting skill. They’re built on trust, communication, professionalism, and consistency.

Top Echelon Network Membership Development Coordinator Drea Codispoti, CERS

Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS

That’s exactly why the Certified Split Placement Partner Program (CSPP) was created.

Last year, we introduced the program to help TE Network members strengthen their collaboration skills, deepen their understanding of Network best practices, and stand out as reliable split partners within the Network. Since then, members who have completed the certification have demonstrated a higher level of commitment to the Four Pillars of the TE Network:

  • Quality
  • Communication
  • Trust
  • Active Participation

Now the question is simple: Have YOU taken the test yet?

Why Certification Matters

In today’s recruiting landscape, reputation matters more than ever.

When other TE Network members view your Recruiter Profile, they want to know they’re partnering with someone who understands the Network, follows through on commitments, communicates effectively, and values long-term relationships.

That’s where the Certified Split Placement Partner designation makes a difference.

Once certified, members receive a visible CSPP designation directly beneath their profile photo inside the TE Network software. That badge immediately signals to other recruiters that you’ve invested the time to understand how successful split partnerships work—and that you take those partnerships seriously.

In a competitive environment, credibility creates opportunity.

What the Program Covers

The CSPP program was designed to reinforce the principles that lead to successful split placements and stronger Network relationships.

Training and testing cover:

TE Network Policies

Understanding Network Policies is essential to becoming a trusted split partner. The certification ensures members understand the guidelines and expectations that help maintain professionalism and accountability throughout the Network.

Partnership Best Practices

Successful recruiters know that strong partnerships create stronger results. The program focuses on collaboration strategies that help members build productive, long-term working relationships.

Active Participation

The most successful TE Network members actively engage with the Network, communicate consistently, and contribute to opportunities. Active participation strengthens visibility and increases placement potential.

Trust

Trust is the foundation of every successful split placement. The CSPP program reinforces the behaviors and standards that help members establish and maintain trust with recruiting partners.

Communication

Clear and timely communication can make the difference between a successful placement and a missed opportunity. The certification highlights communication strategies that improve collaboration and reduce misunderstandings.

Quality

Delivering quality candidates, quality job orders, and quality interactions elevates the entire Network. The CSPP program reinforces the importance of maintaining high professional standards in every aspect of the recruiting process.

The Benefits of Becoming Certified

The CSPP designation offers more than simply a badge on your profile.

It demonstrates your commitment to professionalism and collaboration within the TE Network. It also positions you as a recruiter who values strong partnerships and understands the importance of following proven processes.

Certified members may benefit from:

  • Increased visibility within the Network
  • Greater credibility with split partners
  • Stronger recruiting relationships
  • Enhanced professional reputation
  • More confidence in Network collaboration
  • Better understanding of TE Network best practices

When recruiters know they can trust you, they’re often more willing to share opportunities, collaborate on searches, and build long-term partnerships.

That can directly impact your success within the Network.

Join Other Certified Members

A growing number of TE Network members have already earned their Certified Split Placement Partner designation and are helping raise the standard for professionalism throughout the Network.

These recruiters understand that investing in their knowledge and partnership skills is an investment in their long-term recruiting success.

The CSPP program is not about checking a box.

It’s about becoming a stronger recruiting partner.

Why Now Is the Right Time

The recruiting industry continues evolving rapidly. Competition is increasing, communication expectations are changing, and strong relationships matter more than ever.

Within the TE Network, recruiters who consistently communicate well, follow Network Policies, deliver quality work, and build trust are often the ones who experience the greatest long-term success.

The CSPP program helps reinforce those habits and skills.

Whether you are a newer member looking to establish yourself within the Network or a seasoned recruiter wanting to strengthen your credibility even further, certification can help you stand out.

Earning Your Certification

The process is straightforward.

Each section of the training includes quizzes designed to reinforce the material and ensure members understand the core principles of successful split placements. Members who score 80% or higher earn their Certified Split Placement Partner designation.

Get Certified Today!

The program was designed to be practical, valuable, and directly relevant to everyday recruiting activity within the TE Network.

Set Yourself Apart

At the end of the day, recruiting is still a relationship business.

The recruiters who succeed long-term are the ones who consistently demonstrate professionalism, reliability, responsiveness, and integrity.

The CSPP designation helps communicate those qualities to every member of the TE Network.

If you haven’t taken the test yet, now is the perfect time to do so.

Earn your certification, strengthen your Network relationships, and position yourself as a trusted split placement partner within the TE Network community.

Top Echelon offers a free monthly webinar as part of its Expert Recruiter Coaching Series.

Top Echelon Content and Communications Manager Matthew Deutsch

Matthew Deutsch

These webinars touch upon a variety of recruiter-related topics. These topics deal with both job candidates and clients. As always, our goal with these webinars is to help agency recruiters and search consultants just like YOU make more placements.

We record these webinars for recruiters who can’t attend the live presentation, and we’re now pleased to offer the video from our most recent webinar by Alexis Meschi of Ora Marketing.

The title of that webinar (and corresponding training video) is “When the Market Changes, Your Message Has to Change.”

Below is the official description for this training video:

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Recruiters are being told they need to adapt, diversify, use new technology, offer new services, and find new ways to generate revenue.

Alexis Meschi of Ora Marketing

Alexis Meschi

But before adding another service or chasing the next tactic, there is a more important question:

What does your market actually need from you now?

In the next webinar video in Top Echelon’s Expert Recruiter Coaching Series, Alexis Meschi of Ora Marketing will show recruiters how to look at the conversations, frustrations, patterns, and changing pressures already happening around them to uncover new opportunities for their expertise.

Rather than teaching recruiters to abandon recruiting or become something completely different, Alexis will walk through how to identify adjacent problems you may already be qualified to solve, sharpen the way you position that expertise, and communicate it so clients and candidates understand why it matters.

So join watch this recruiter training video and find out why “When the Market Changes, Your Message Has to Change”!

Watch this free training video!

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Recorded versions of our Expert Recruiter Coaching Series webinars are posted on our website as free online recruitment training courses in the Top Echelon Recruiter Training Library.

Keep an eye out for the next free webinar in our Expert Recruiter Coaching Series!