Why do we hold events like the recent National Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.?  Because they bring recruiters together to network with one another, to form relationships and friendships, and ultimately, to make split placements.

In this episode of “Top Echelon TV,” Membership Development Coordinator Drea Codispoti and Membership Development Coordinator Matt Deutsch discuss the National convention, specifically the human scavenger hunt that served as the gala event.  Nothing brings recruiters together quite like fun, and that’s exactly what this year’s event did.

Don’t forget—the Top Echelon Network Fall Conference is scheduled for Thursday, October 20, and Friday, October 21, and the location will be Chicago.  We look forward to seeing you there!

True, there weren’t that many Preferred Members at the 2011 National Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last week, not as many as we’re used to for that event, anyway.

But those that did attend were 100% committed to networking, training, and of course, fun.

As there always is, split placements will result from the National Convention.  Because they attended, some of the Preferred Members will share job orders and information and that relationship will eventually result in a split placement.  That’s exactly how we’ve drawn it up, and I’m happy to say, that’s how it happens.

However, rather than have me go on and one about the benefits of attending these events, I’m going to let some of the recruiters who attended do the talking.

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I wanted to let you know that I was very impressed with your selection of Jon Bartos as the main speaker at the National Convention. Jon shared a great deal of informative material and provided some useful forms and check lists that can be used immediately. In addition, the free eBook he offered will be beneficial to some of us that are technically challenged. Once again thank you and your staff for your hard work at this year’s National Convention.
 
Len Hale of Hale & Associates

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Thanks for putting on such a good conference. I really enjoyed the meetings and had a very good time. It’s great to get a recharge for the my desk.

God bless!

Marty Stan of Samaritan Technical Professionals

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Thanks so much for the Top Producing Recruiter plaque.  I was very disappointed to not be able to attend the TEN Conference in Ft. Lauderdale.  The timing coincided perfectly with the birth of my 7th grandchild, and since the birth was a c-section, I had to babysit my granddaughter while mom was in the hospital for 4 days and dad stayed with her. 

Thanks for all the great work that Top Echelon Network continues to do..  Being part of Top Echelon Network is certainly a key to my success as a recruiter!!   Your whole team is just outstanding!

Pat McCombs of KB Search Team, LLC

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I also want to let you know that we’ll soon be sending out an email survey to the Network Membership asking them what we can do to make these events more attractive, more enjoyable, and more productive.  After all, the Fall Conference is this October, and we want all of you to attend!

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MDemaree@TopEchelon.com
(330) 455-1433, Ext. 172

There’s no doubt that this is the age of social media—LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc.  Social media and social networking is used in all sorts of ways, by all sorts of different people, including recruiters, of course.  And once again, we’re going to use it for one of our conventions.  Last November, it was the regional conference in Columbus, and very soon it will be the 2011 National Convention.

The convention is occurring this week at The Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  Specifically, the dates of the event are Thursday through Saturday.  Click here to view the preliminary agenda for the convention.

What does it mean that we’re going to use social media for the National Convention?  Well, it means a number of things, both for those Preferred Member recruiters who will be in attendance, as well as those who won’t be (but would like to follow the action, so to speak).  Below are some of the things that will be happening over the course of the next couple of days.

I’ll be blogging about the convention.  However, these blog posts won’t be included in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog, but in our separate Network Conventions Blog.

We’ll be posting digital photos from the convention on the Top Echelon Network Facebook fan page.  You can access the Network’s fan page by clicking here.

I’ll be tweeting about the convention.  If you have a Twitter account and would like to start following me, click here to do so.

However, social media’s involvement in the National Convention extends beyond us . . . it also includes those recruiters who will be in attendance.  If you’re planning to attend the convention, we whole-heartedly encourage you to use social media to chronicle your experiences at the event.  Tweet about it, post to Facebook about it, do both, do more, whatever you’d like to do.

If you want, take pictures and email them to marketing@TopEchelon.com, and we’ll post them to our Facebook fan page.  Events like our National Convention are ALL about networking—traditional networking first and foremost, of course, but also social networking.  It’s a great way to share information and ideas and also to follow what’s happening at an event like the National Convention, even if you’re not actually in attendance.

So stay turned later this week, and follow the 2011 National Convention through social media . . . and make plans to join us for the Fall Conference in Chicago later this year.

What?  You’ve never seen a shameless plug before?

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MDeutsch@TopEchelon.com
(330) 455-1433, Ext. 125

One of the challenges facing recruiters right now is a lack of job orders.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that there will be 321 job orders at the upcoming 2011 Top Echelon Network National Convention!

That’s right, those Preferred Member recruiters who are attending the convention will be bringing 321 job orders with them to sunny Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  They’re looking to share these job orders in person with other recruiters in attendance.  The names of the Network recruiters who are currently registered for the convention are listed below, along with their agency names and their number of job orders.

Mario Fidanzi of MedTeam Staffing, Inc.—75 job orders

Juli Smith of The Smith Consulting Group, LLC—66 job orders

Maria Hemminger, CSP of MJ Recruiters, LLC—19 job orders

Steve Brody of Executive Resource Systems—16 job orders

Joan Harris of Apple & Associates, Inc.—14 job orders

David M. Sgro of True North Consultants, Inc.—14 job orders

Mark Udulutch of Markent Personnel—13 job orders

Marty Stan of Samaritan Technical Professional—12 job orders

Mike Aquino, CPC of MPA Companies, Inc.—10 job orders

Eric Berg of JN Adams & Associates, Inc.—9 job orders

Leonard Hale of Hale & Associates—8 job orders

Bob Wylan of R.A. Wylan and Co., Inc.—8 job orders

Dan Simmons of Continental Search & Outplacement, Inc.—7 job orders

Steve Copeland of Albert Energy, LLC—7 job orders

Stephanie McGinty of Ives & Associates, Inc.—6 job orders

Kirby Butler, CPC of The Butler Co. Insurance Recruiters—5 job orders

Cathy George, CPC of C.G. & Company—4 job orders

Bill Quackenbush, CPC/CTS of QCI Technical Staffing—4 job orders

Chris Ramsay of Corporate Resources, LLC—4 job orders

Kenny Frey, CPC/CERS of The Frey Consulting Group, Inc.—3 job orders

Scot Straw CPC of C.G. & Company—3 job orders

Cindy Andrew Cordell, CPC of Corporate Resources, LLC—2 job orders

Sean Napoles, CPC of Career Brokers, Inc.—2 job orders

Bob Small of Carroll Technology Services, Inc.—2 job orders

Gary Silver of The Shay Group—2 job orders

Cindy Stephens, CPC/CTS of Stephens International Recruiting, Inc.—2 job orders

Jay Canowitz of Ives & Associates, Inc.—1 job order

Amy Dunn of Technology Recruiting Solution—1 job order

Tim Hopkins, CPC/CTS of Stephens International Recruiting, Inc.—1 job order

Stacy Worsham of The Smith Consulting Group, LLC—1 job order

Regular Registration is now underway for the National Convention, which is scheduled for Thursday, May 12, through Saturday, May 14, at The Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale.  You can sign up for the convention in the Members’ Area with a credit card.  If you have any questions, give us a call at 330.455.1433.

We’ve seen dramatic changes here at Top Echelon during the past month or so. These changes include the following:

• An increase in the number of recruiters applying for Preferred Membership
• An increase in the number of recruiters using the Big Biller recruiting software
• An increase in the number of split placements reported (while there are still fewer placements than last year at this time, the gap is closing quickly)

The first two months of 2011 were what you might call rather stagnant.  However, there has been growth in just about all areas during the month of March.  It appears as though there is not just more activity for recruiters these days, but also that the additional activity is translating into more placements and more revenue.

What does that mean?

Well, for the purposes of this blog post, it means this is the perfect time to sign up for the 2011 Top Echelon Network National Convention.

I know, I know . . . we’re been promoting the snot out of this convention.  But we’ve done it for a good reason.  First and foremost, this is the lowest priced convention in the history of Top Echelon Network.  There has never, ever been a lower price for a convention than the one that we’re offering right now.

That price is $349 per person, but it’s only effective through the end of the business day on Friday.  That’s when the Early Bird Registration period ends.  Yes, Jon Bartos of Jonathan Scott International will be there to provide great training, and yes, Todd Bossler will be there to provide the same when it comes to Big Biller.  But the main reason recruiters are attending this convention is the same reason that they always attend:

Split placements!

They find new job orders and new Trading Partners and they make split placements.  You may think that it’s not possible for it to be that simple, but it often is.  In fact, the Top Producer in Top Echelon Network, Sean Napoles of Career Brokers, Inc., is a staunch advocate of attending these events.  That’s because he has attributed at least one split placement to every single event that he’s attended!

Click here to read Sean’s story.

Just to review, the National Convention is scheduled for Thursday, May 12, through Saturday, May 14, at The Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  And as I mentioned above, the Early Bird Registration of $349 per person is good until the end of the business day on Friday.  After that, the cost goes up to the price of Regular Registration.

But don’t wait.  Sign up now.  There are split placements waiting for you in Fort Lauderdale.  There are  recruiters there you’ll enjoy meeting for the first time . . . and some you’ll enjoy seeing again.  You won’t regret going, but there’s a chance you’ll regret not going.

Ride the wave of momentum in the recruiting industry right now, all the way to Fort Lauderdale.

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MDemaree@TopEchelon.com
(330) 455-1433, Ext. 172

Top Echelon Network wants you to be a bum . . . a beach bum, that is.  That’s because our 2011 National Convention will be held at the Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Thursday, May 12, through Saturday, May 14.  As is the case with ALL Top Echelon Network events, there will be plenty of networking and training opportunities, as well as fun, fun, and more fun.

Oh, and as a side note, Top Echelon Network just turned 23 years old on March 8.  So . . . we’d like to wish ourselves a happy birthday and also thank all of the recruiters who call themselves Preferred Members of the Network, especially the Charter Members, who have been with us since the beginning.

Okay, we’ve been harping on attending the 2011 National Convention for quite some time now.  There’s a reason for that: attending is important.  Why?  Well, instead of answering that question ourselves, we thought we’d bring in the real experts—those recruiters who have attended events in the past and have found value in doing so.
“We look forward to attending the Convention.  We have attended almost all of the conventions and meetings, and I make sure my calendar is blocked for the TE convention and conferences each year before I book other meetings.

I have made some long lasting friendships through these meetings and continue to make new relationships!.

Cindy Stephens of Stephens International Recruting, Inc.

“Three great reasons to attend:

Recruiting can be a solitary business and it’s always good to be with people who know what that’s like and how you live.

If you take home ONE good idea that you implement to improve your business and grow your billings, it’s all worth it.

Being in the warm sun with a group of friendly people is a GREAT way to spend two days—no matter what you do!”

Betsy Harper of Sales and Marketing Search, Inc.

“I am a fairly new member of TE and have only attended one other convention, the last one held in Columbus. I felt it was well worth the time and expense because it enable me to meet other members face to face and learn a great deal about recruiting and the different areas each member specializes in. After attending I felt a lot more confident and meet other members where I could be of service to them and where they could help me improve my business.”

John Paolino of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions

You can attend the National Convention at the low price of just $345 per person during the Early Bird Registration period.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.  Login to the Members’ Area today and sign up for the convention.  We hope to see you there!

If there’s one thing that we know about our conferences and conventions, it’s that they hold value for those Preferred Member recruiters who choose to attend.  And the recruiters who attend these events know that they hold value, as well.  In fact, a few of those recruiters agreed to talk about that value.  Incidentally, all of these recruiters are currently registered for the upcoming 2011 National Convention.  So, without further adieu . . .
“I would like to thank TE for their continuing efforts to host conferences that relevant, educational and fun!

After having worked for one of the top recruiting firms in the country for the first five years of my career; I took a chance on myself and started my own firm fifteen years ago.  I am not sure how far I would have gotten if I had not been lucky enough to have discovered TE.  My business is intricately connected with most of TE’s services but one of the most useful services TE has to offer is the yearly conferences.

In the fifteen years that  I have been attending TE conferences I have never failed to come away with valuable tools and a fresh insight into our industry.  The TE staff and TE membership are among the most helpful, honest and talented people in our industry today.   I highly recommend every one of the TE membership make the investment in themselves and attend the2011 National Conference this year.

Jill Kohler-Easley of the Easley Resource Group

“It’s always good to get away from the day to day  business grind and  meet Peers who you have worked with over the past year.I think these face discussions whether they are in a social or business setting go a long way to building better business relationships. It does help to recharge your batteries. The exchange of new ideas and approaches is another positive reason to attend. Looking at your business in a different way can be beneficial.”

Eric Berg of JN Adams & Associates, Inc.

“Every time I go to a TE convention I meet someone new and as a result we have been able to make splits.  The most stupid example is  – Lloyd Shoemaker and I, he’s about an hour up I-75 from me, never even knew each other existed, sat at a TE Saturday night dinner together and now I am one of his  go-to person for IT and Accounting positions.  Whenever a  I have an ERP related IT position I will always make Sean Napoles aware of it and of course I have met Sean numerous times at conventions.  I have been a member of a number of networks over the 30+ years I have been recruiting and although this job might  be done by email and over the phone – I think we all know that face-to-face the only way we can make a placement!”

Cindy Andrew Cordell of Corporate Resources, LLC

As you can see, the value that Top Echelon conferences and conventions hold can take a number of different forms.  However, there is value in attending, and you can attend the National Convention at the low price of just $345 per person during the Early Bird Registration period.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.  Login to the Members’ Area today and sign up for the convention.  We hope to see you there!

These past two years have been tough for recruiters, including recruiters in Top Echelon Network.  A lot of firms have gone out of business, or at the very least, they’ve been forced to consolidate and restructure their recruiting practice.

At the same time, there have been many changes that have occurred within the Network during the past year, changes meant to streamline our tools and services.  We’ve rolled out a new version of the Network software and the Big Biller recruiting software.  We’ve also introduced two new services and eliminated two old services.

One thing that has not changed, though, is our commitment to you, the Preferred Membership of Top Echelon Network.

We believe in the recruiters in our Network, we believe in their ability and desire to make split placements, and we believe that we can provide the resources and opportunities for them to make more splits.  In short, we want to help every Network recruiter make more split placements.

We want this year to be a great year for you as a Preferred Member of the Network.  As part of that objective, we want to know how we can serve you and help you get the most out of your Membership.

Now, we have some ideas on how to accomplish this, but it’s important to us to know what you think, what you want, and what you need as a recruiter in this Network.

That’s why in the near future, we’ll be sending you a short email survey.  This survey will contain a series of questions designed to provide us with feedback that will allow us to further enhance the level of service and the amount of value that we provide to you.  We also invite you to call us or email us.  Just let us know what we can do to help you make more split placements.

As always, thank you for your commitment as a Preferred Member of Top Echelon Network.   We’re excited about 2011 and the possibilities that the year holds, and we’re also excited about helping you enjoy more success in your business.

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MDemaree@TopEchelon.com
(330) 455-1433, Ext. 172

We picked a great location . . . we slashed the cost . . . we packed it with as much training and networking as we possibly could.  But in the end, what matters when it comes to the 2011 National Convention are the Trading Partners relationships and split placements that could result from attending.  After all, that’s why the recruiters who have already signed up made the decision to attend—placements, placements, and more placements.  But don’t take it from me.

“I am excited for the Ft. Lauderdale convention! I have directly attributed at lease one placement to each and every convention I have attended so I would  not miss one. The opportunity to get together with other recruiters I have good relationships with, as well as meeting recruiters I have not known previously, in a fun out of office environment, has proven to be of huge value when back in the office. Again, I have gotten a placement within weeks of each convention as a direct result of my attending the convention. It’s a no-brainer!”

David M. Sgro of True North Consultants

“The reason I attend TE conventions is that invariably I will meet, exchange JO information with another recruiter and make a split placement.  I would say that I average one split every two conventions.   Sometimes in that attempt is just the developing of a professional recruiting relationship that will lead maybe 1-2 split placements or more down the road.  It is about meeting, knowing and developing trust with these great folks.  In one case, I came back from a convention and told one of my recruiters and he pick it up from there and had the ideal candidate resulting in a split.  Some recruiters complain about the time lost and the cost.  For us, Cocventions just work.  It’s an investment in your business.”

Don Walker of Search Team One

“We have not missed a national or Chicago convention since joining the network in 2005.  We have successfully made placements with recruiters time after time again that we have met at these conferences.  We have formed strong bonds with partnering recruiters due to these meetings.  The result – we make more money every year by attending these conferences.”

Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC

These recruiters made split placements because they invested in their Network Membership and attended a Top Echelon convention.  You can, too.  Sign up for the 2011 National Convention at the Early Bird Registration price of $349 per person.  There could be split placement opportunities waiting for you in Fort Lauderdale.  It would be a shame if you weren’t there to greet them.