There are a LOT of benefits of membership in Top Echelon’s recruiting network.

What are they? Well, the chance to make split placements is one of them. Who can argue with more revenue? You have the opportunity to fill job orders that you would not have been able to fill on your own. Thus, you look like a superstar to your clients, who throw more job orders at you. (Okay, they might not literally throw them at you. But even if they did, you’d be okay with that, wouldn’t you?)

Network benefits breakdown

Anyway, we’ll be addressing the topic of Top Echelon Network benefits in this installment of “‘Comments’ and Compliments.” Specifically, we’ll be addressing the following two benefits:

1. Good friends
2. GREAT split network partners

Good friends

Yes, you can make friends with other Top Echelon Network members. It’s happened over and over again. When you work with somebody on a consistent basis, this can and does happen. And then, when you meet that person face-to-face at recruiter networking events like the National Convention and Fall Conference, you cement the relationship. That’s because you eat together, drink together (adult beverages or otherwise), and even bowl or sing karaoke together. What’s the only thing better than making more placements? Making more placements while also making good friends.

GREAT split partners

When you form a great split partner relationship with another Network member, it inevitably means one thing. It means that you’re going to make multiple placements with that person! There are examples of this more numerous to count in Top Echelon, both past and present. Network members have made 10, 20, 30 placements, and more together. (See Maria Hemminger and Trey Cameron’s 20th split below.)

The most important ingredient in a situation like that is trust, one of the Four Pillars of Top Echelon Network. When you have a good friend who is also a great trading partner and you trust them, BOOM! A placement explosion of flavor.

Contact Drea Codispoti!

Are you looking for more Top Echelon recruiting network benefits? Are you looking for good friends AND great split partners? Then contact Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS.

You can reach Drea by calling 330.455.1433, x156 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

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Jeff Ploeger

Gary Elias

“Great job, Gary! You stuck with me and it paid off. Nice doing business with you again!”

Submitted by Jeff Ploeger of Ploeger Recruiting Services regarding his Network split placement with Gary Elias of Elias Associates, Inc.

Position Title—EHS MANAGER

Fee Percentage—20%

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

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Georgette Sandifer

Robert Alexander

“Glad to have some Construction people in the Network. The industry is picking up. Thanks to Rob for supplying a great candidate!”

Submitted by Georgette Sandifer of Gallman Consulting regarding her Network split placement with Robert Alexander of Systems Technology International, Inc.

Position Title—COMMERCIAL SUPERINTENDENT

Fee Percentage—25%

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

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Maria Hemminger

Trey Cameron

“Another placement with our good friend and GREAT trading partner, Trey Cameron. Just in time to toast in Chicago!”

Submitted by Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC regarding her Network split placement with Trey Cameron of the Cameron Craig Group

Position Title—ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR

Fee Percentage—25%

(Editor’s note: This is the 20th Network split placement that Maria and Trey have made together in Top Echelon.)

One of the biggest questions recruiters have when adding contract staffing to their business is how they will find contract staffing clients.

The easy and unexpected answer is they don’t have to run out and find a bunch of new clients to start getting contract job orders. Recruiters have told us that the best source of contract job orders is their current clients.

Current clients = contract job orders

Think about it. You already have a relationship with your existing clients. There is already a level a trust. Hopefully, they’ve come to see you as a good source for hiring advice and trends. So when you present contract staffing as an answer to a staffing issue, they will be more likely to listen. Even better, it is very likely that they already use contractors or have a desire to do so, but never asked you because you previously didn’t offer the service.

So now you know WHO your best source of contract staffing job orders is. But HOW do you get them to use your contract staffing services. Here are a few ways:

1. TALK about it.

It’s as simple as that. When you’re following up with a client, say “By the way, we can now place contractors.” Or suggest contract staffing if they’re talking about a specific situation in which contractors would be a perfect fit. You can even consider proactively contacting all of your current clients to let them know you have added contract staffing to your service offerings.

2. Ask the right questions.

Your clients may not know that contractors are the solution to their problems. Try asking questions like these to determine their true needs:

• “Do you have a short-term need or upcoming project?” These are the perfect times to use contractors because there is no long-term commitment.

• “Are you prohibited from hiring due to a hiring freeze?” Contractors come from a different budget than direct hires, so they may be able to utilize contractors even during a hiring freeze.

• “Are you worried about hiring the right person?” You can let them try-before-they-buy through a contract-to-direct arrangement.

3. Put it in writing.

Be sure to mention contract staffing on all of your written communications. This includes your website, email signature, social media profiles, your standard fee schedule, your client newsletter, and more. You may want to consider an email campaign or sending out marketing documents explaining your new service to current clients.

Are YOU in need of contract staffing solutions or contract placement services?

Then download our Quick-Start Guide to Contract Staffing. Or request a demo with one of our contract staffing specialists.

You can can also call us at (888) 627-3678. Get started with contracting today and increase your billings!

We announce Network anniversaries in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog all the time. Well, how about some love for the Virtual Core Groups?

That’s right, Top Echelon Network’s Virtual Core Groups (VCG) are celebrating their 11th anniversary. For the past 11 years, the core groups have been helping members of our recruiting network make more placements.

In honor of this event, we’re ramping up the VCG meetings before the end of the year. We want you to hit 2018 at full force, especially inside the Network, and these core groups can help.

Virtual networking: what is shared?

Top Echelon Network recruiters share the following during Virtual Core Group meetings:

• Hot job orders and candidates
• Information about the activity they’re seeing
• Ideas for increased production on their desks and within their agencies

These are the activities that lead most directly to making more split placements in the Network. These teleconference calls DO result in placements, just like attending recruiter networking events like the recent Fall Conference result in them.

You can view the monthly schedule for these teleconference calls in the news section of the Members’ Area. But as you can see, below is the full Virtual Core Group teleconference call schedule for November (all times listed are Eastern Time):

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It doesn’t matter if you’re a new member or if you’ve been in our split network for a while. I strongly encourage you to join one of these existing Virtual Core Groups. Not only that, but you could also start a new one.

You can do so by calling 330.455.1433, x156 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

Get ready for the New Year NOW! Do everything you can to make 2018 a great year!

Can you believe that the year is three-fourths over? Actually, I can’t believe it. However, we must collectively deal with this cruel reality. (Especially since summer is over.)

We’re also at the end of a quarter—the third quarter, specifically. The end of a quarter is typically a good time to analyze your desk. Since many of you might be analyzing your recruiting desks right now, we thought this would be a good time for a Members’ Area poll. (When I saw “we,” I really mean “I.”)

Here’s what we (I) rolled out to our recruiting network membership:

Finish this sentence: through the first three quarters of 2017, my recruiting desk . . .

The choice of answers that we provided is listed below, along with the percentage of split network recruiters that selected each one:

• Is on FIRE! — 10.0%
• Is running like a well-oiled machine. — 22.0%
• Quite possibly has multiple personalities. — 48.0%
• Needs a timeout. — 4.0%
• Will need a miracle to match last year’s production. — 16.0%

Revelations regarding recruiting desks

The most popular answer to our poll about recruiting desks pretty much sums up the year for a lot of recruiters. That answer is “quite possibly has multiple personalities” at 48% of the vote.

So what does that mean? More than likely, it means that sometimes things are really good and sometimes things are really bad. In addition, recruiters probably can’t seem to get into any kind of a “groove” or build any real momentum. Any positive momentum, anyway.

There is good news, though. The percentage of recruiters who indicated that their recruiting desks are “running like a well-oiled machine” stood at 22%. In addition, 10% stated that their desks are “on FIRE!”

Sandwiched between those two responses: “will need a miracle to match last year’s production” at 16%. Clearly, there are some Network recruiters who are trailing at the start of the fourth quarter.

Last but least (statistically speaking), 4% of members chose “needs a timeout” as their answer. They apparently believe that their recruiting desks have been misbehaving. Or they might well be out of control entirely.

No matter where you are with one quarter left in 2017, we at Top Echelon Network can help. We can help you put the tools and resources of Top Echelon to work for YOU. (And this time, when I say “we,” I really do mean “we.”)

If you want help in our split fee recruiting network, then contact Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS. You can do so by calling 330.455.1433, x156 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

You may not know this, but the 2017 Fall Conference just ended. It was a great conference! I can say that because I was there and I witnessed it.

But what about you? Were YOU there? If you were, it was great to see you in Chicago. If you were not there, don’t worry. We have another one of our events upcoming, and this event is going to be one of the biggest in the history of Top Echelon’s recruiting network.

That’s because Top Echelon is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2018!

30th anniversary celebration in Nashville

That’s right. And to help celebrate such a momentous occasion, we’re heading to Nashville, Tennessee for the 2018 National Convention. In fact, we’re going back to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. We’ve been to the Gaylord twice before for our recruiter networking events, and we were exceptionally pleased both times.

Now that the Fall Conference is over, we wanted to announce the location for next year’s convention. However, we also have some other information to pass along, as well:

• The dates of the National Convention are Tuesday, April 24, and Wednesday, April 25.
• The site, as mentioned above, will be the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
  
• Our room rate for the Gaylord Opryland will be $199 per night.
• The main speakers . . . are a surprise!

Top Echelon Network started as Nationwide Interchange Service on March 8, 1988. That was the date that founder Mike Kappel sent The Pinnacle newsletter to the membership for the first time. (The membership consisted of roughly 20 recruiting firms.)

So when we get to Nashville next spring, Top Echelon Network will be a little over 30 years old. There will be a lot to celebrate!

But that’s just one of the reasons we want you there to join us. We also want you there because we can help you make split placements. We can help you generate more revenue and grow your recruiting business.

Early Bird Registration for the convention will be here before you know it (sometime in December). We haven’t set the pricing yet, so be on the lookout for that announcement, as well. Be sure to check The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog for all of this information and more.

We hope to see you in Nashville for our 30th anniversary celebration!