It’s been a while since we published recruiter compliments in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog. However, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been rolling in.

Despite the fact that hiring appears to have slowed since the beginning of the year, split placements in Top Echelon’s split fee recruiting network are up over 12% since this time a year ago on a year-to-date basis. More splits means more happy Network members, which means more compliments.

Our Comments and Compliments feature started quite a few years ago, and it remains one of the more popular parts of The Pinnacle.

That’s because Network recruiters are grateful to their trading partners for the split placements they make. As a result, they want to thank those partners publicly and let the rest of the membership aware of their efforts and professionalism.

Finding trading partners that you can trust and make split placements with is like gold in a recruiting network like Top Echelon. If you’re a newer member and you want to find trading partners just like the ones listed below, then contract 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.

— — —

Greg Abel

Philip Bartfield

“First placement with Greg after a lot of hard work. Excellent job in identifying a great candidate. Thank you!”

Submitted by Philip Bartfield of Analytic Search regarding his Network split placement with Greg Abel of Abel Connect, LLC

Position Title—MANAGER – SALESFORCE.COM

Fee Percentage—20%

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

— — —

Melissa Truax

Shelli Saunders

“This was a tough fill, with lots of challenges, but we got to a successful outcome for everyone! My thanks to your team for all of their efforts in wanting to work with me. Everyone’s efforts are so appreciated!”

Submitted by Melissa Truax of Premier Health Careers, Inc./Premier Paths regarding her Network split placement with Shelli Saunders of The Recruiting Pro

Position Title—PERFUSIONIST

Fee Percentage—20%

(Editor’s note: This is the seventh Network split placement that Truax and Saunders have made together in Top Echelon.)

— — —

Terry Rhodes

Ann Wyatt

“[The candidate] is a great fit for my client, and the placement process went very smoothly for him. Thanks, Terry!”

Submitted by Ann Wyatt of Ann Wyatt Recruiting regarding her Network split placement with Terry Rhodes of NewCareers

Position Title—TOOL AND DIE MAKER

Fee Percentage—Flat

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

— — —

Nancy Hastings

Sean Napoles, CPC

“Thanks for the good candidate! This was a quick placement, and both your candidate and my client are thrilled! I have more openings!”

Submitted by Nancy Hastings of The Hastings Group regarding her Network split placement with Sean Napoles, CPC of Career Brokers, Inc.

Position Title—TEAM LEADER – THIRD SHIFT

Fee Percentage—20%

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

— — —

Dan Trudeau

John Clay Abbott

“John has been great to work with, and I’m very happy we now have a placement together.”

Submitted by Dan Trudeau of The PRA Group, Inc. regarding his Network split placement with John Clay Abbott of KINGDOM Search Group

Position Title—HARDWARE DESIGN ENGINEER

Fee Percentage—25%

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

The new Top Echelon Network recruiting firms keep pouring in!

We have another six firms that joined the Network during the month of October. If you’ve been keeping track at home:

• We had six firms join here.
• We another five firms join here.
• And another five firms join HERE.

What does that mean? Well, it means that if my basic math skills are correct, there were a total of 22 new Network recruiting firms in October.

New Network recruiting firms = trading partners

That represents the most that have joined the Network in a single month during 2016. What might THAT mean? Well, perhaps a couple of things:

1. Quality candidates are still difficult to find, and recruiters are recognizing that a recruiter split fee network like Top Echelon can help.
2. The economy, although perhaps soft around the edges, is still fine and dandy. (But wait, isn’t the election tomorrow? Shhhhhhh.)

So look through the new Network recruiting firms listed below. Introduce yourself, welcome them to the Network, and ask about their biggest need. There could be a new trading partner for you among these firms!

— — —

SE RAYMOND
Date joined: October 24
Location: Hamburg, New York
Industries:  General
Agency members: Sharon Raymond

— — —

NEW SOLUTIONS GROUP, LLC
Date joined: October 26
Location: Camillus, New York
Industries: Healthcare
Agency members: Michael Agen

— — —

THUNDER BAY RESOURCES, LLC
Date joined: October 26
Location: Dearborn, Michigan
Industries:  Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Plant Managers, and CNC
Agency members: Karl Carter

— — —

WHITE OAK SEARCH GROUP
Date joined: October 26
Location: Heights, Texas
Industries:  Oil & Gas, Construction, Health Sciences, and Information Technology
Agency members: Linda Harris

— — —

PRIORITY ONE SEARCH
Date joined: October 31
Location: Grove City, Ohio
Industries: Medical Professionals, Professional Services, Light Industrial, and Event Staff
Agency members: Doug Boyce

— — —

RESOURCE ERECTORS
Date joined: October 31
Location: Clayton, North Carolina
Industries: Engineering and Manufacturing
Agency members: Dan Duszynski

— — —

If you’re among the new members of this Network and want help, then please contact me. If you’re an established member and want help, please do the same.

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

As we’ve mentioned on many occasions before, some of our best Top Echelon Network members . . . were referrals from some of our other members. That’s why I’d like to take a moment to go over the Top Echelon Referral Program.

The first thing to note about the program is that it’s NOT just for Network membership. The program covers our four main products and services. In addition to the Network, the program also pertains to the following:

• Big Biller recruiting software
• Top Echelon contract staffing services
• Top Echelon recruitment website design

The second thing to note is that the referral bonus is a flat $100. However, I’m sure that you have additional questions regarding our program. So I’m presenting supplementary information regarding the program in a Q&A format.

Q—So what form is this $100 going to take? Are you just going to mail cash to me?

A—Sadly, no. If you’re the main contact of your firm, the $100 will be credited to your account and taken off your invoice. If you’re NOT the main contact of your firm, then the $100 will still be credited to the account of the Network firm for which you work.

Q—When do I get my money?

A—In order for us to credit your account, your referral has to be an active customer for two months. After two months have passed, then we’ll pay your referral bonus.

Q—Can I only refer recruiters for Top Echelon Network?

A—No, as I mentioned earlier, you can refer recruiters for the Network, Big Biller, Contracting, and website design. Each referral is worth $100 following the two-month waiting period.

Q—Is there a limit to the number of recruiters I can refer?

A—Absolutely not. You can refer as many people as you’d like. If they become an active customer of any of our four products and/or services for a period of at least two months, we’ll pay you the $100 referral bonus.

Q—What happens if I refer somebody who becomes a member of the Network . . . and then they become Big Biller, website, and contracting customers, too? Does that mean I get $400?

A—Afraid not. The maximum amount that you’re able to earn from a single referral is $100. However, if you refer four separate agencies for each of our four products, then you would receive $400. After the two-month waiting period, of course.

Q—How can I give you my referrals?

A—At the present time, you can submit referrals by sending them via email to contact@TopEchelon.com.

If you’ve given us referrals in the past, I’d like to thank you for those referrals and encourage you to continue sending them our way. Much like recruiters, referrals are important to our business.

We look forward to adding more quality customers just like YOU!

You don’t have to sell us on the benefits of making contract placements . . . we LOVE contract staffing! But you . . . you might need some convincing. In fact, we want to know what stops you from making contract placements.

Actually, we wanted to know so badly that we posed the question in the Members’ Area recently as a poll question. The question, as you might imagine, was rather straightforward:

What stops you from making contract placements?

Results:

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

• I DO make contract placements. — 29.5%
• It seems too complicated.— 6.2%
• Can’t get contract job orders. — 35.7%
• Can’t find contract candidates. — 4.5%
• I have no back-office. — 1.8%
• Direct hire placements rule! — 22.3%

Make sure nothing stops you!

Nearly a third of the recruiters participating in the poll (29.5%) are already making contract placements. That’s a healthy number! These recruiters obviously know the value of offering contract staffing to their client companies.

Okay, but what about those recruiters who are NOT making contract placement? Well, they basically fall into one of two categories:

1. Those who can’t get contract job orders (35.7%)
2. Those believe that “direct hire placements rule!” (22.3%)

Direct hire vs. contract placements hardly compare in terms of up front fees. We wholeheartedly agree that direct hire placements are awesome. Who doesn’t like receiving checks for $20,000 (or more) in the mail?

However, if you’re not making contract placements, then you’re not maximizing the power of your recruiting desk. In other words, you’re not billing as much as you could be billing.

And it’s not as complicated as it seems. (Yes, I’m talking to the 6.2%.) That’s especially the case if you use contract placement services like Top Echelon Contracting. And if not having a back-office stops you from making contract placements (1.8%), that’s all the more reason to use TEC.

But back to the main reason recruiters don’t make contract placements: the inability to get contract job orders. We have some solutions for you, including these blog posts:

• “The #1 Source for Contract Job Orders”
• “The 6 Questions to Ask to Get Contract Job Orders”
• “How to Get More Contract Job Orders”
• “Should Recruiters Go to Hiring Managers or Human Resources for Contract Job Orders?”

We also have a recruiter training video by Vicki Hill: “How to Get Contract Job Orders: The Energetics of Recruiting.” Click here to watch the video.

You can make contract placements, and you can increase your billings. Make sure nothing stops you . . . especially not a lack of contract job orders.

Get started now! Download a copy of our FREE Quick-Start Guide to Contract Staffing!