We know for a fact that not every Top Echelon Network recruiter believes that there is value in attending our conferences and conventions.  How do we know that?

Because not every Top Echelon Network recruiter attends our conferences and conventions.

But you know who DOES attend?  Those recruiters who realize the true value of these events, namely the opportunity to meet new Network recruiters and make placements they probably would not have made otherwise.

If you’d like proof, we’d be more than happy to provide some . . .

— — —

“I have made numerous splits with Automationtechies.com, but this is the first one with Lisa.  We met at the Chicago conference last fall, and this is the result of that!  Thanks, Lisa!  Let’s do more splits!”

Submitted by Alan Daum of Alan N. Daum & Associates, Inc. regarding his split placement with Lisa Reitz of Automationtechies.com

Position Title—AUTOMATION MANAGER

Fee Percentage—25%

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

— — —

“Thanks, Bobby!  Can’t wait to see you in Chicago in the fall!”

Submitted by Twanda DeBorde of CMD and Associates Executive Search regarding her split placement with Robert Gabor of The Gabor Group

Position Title—WAREHOUSE SUPERINTENDENT

Fee Percentage—Flat

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

— — —

The 2013 Top Echelon Network Fall Conference is scheduled for Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4, at the Sheraton Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel.

Yes, there will be great speakers.  Yes, there will be fun.  Yes, there will be the “Windy City” of Chicago.

But more importantly, there will be the value of meeting other Network recruiters face-to-face, networking with them, and making split placements when you get back to the office.

Just like these recruiters did!

As promised, we have a NEW short survey for Network recruiters this week.  Last week, our survey was presented as the “Desk Assessment Survey.”

This week, we have the “Membership Assessment Survey.”

This one, as you might have guessed, is more geared toward your Top Echelon Network Membership.  We want to know your likes, as well as your dislikes.  However, once again, this is just a two-question survey.

While the two questions are open-ended questions (as opposed to multiple choice), the survey should still only take two to three minutes to complete.  In fact, it could quite possibly take even less time than that.

Below are the two questions that comprise the “Membership Assessment Survey”:

1. What do you like the most about your Top Echelon Network Membership?  This can be ANY aspect of your Membership, but ideally, it’s the aspect that you believe provides you (and your firm) with the most value.

2. What do you like least about your Top Echelon Network Membership?  This can be ANY aspect of your Membership, but ideally, it’s the aspect that you believe provides the least amount of value to you (and your firm).

As before, there will be a text box in which you can type your answers to these two questions.  Your answers can as long or as short as you would like them to be.  Some recruiters have written only a few words, while other recruiters have written paragraphs.

Click here to take our ‘Membership Assessment’ survey!

If you have any questions about this survey or about your Top Echelon Network Membership, you can contact me at 330.455.1433, x156 or via email at drea@topechelon.com.

At Top Echelon Network, we want to help you make more placements.  While we ARE a split placement Network, we want to help you make both split and non-split placements.

With that in mind, we encourage you to take our “Desk Assessment Survey.”  We sent out an email last week to every Network recruiter with a link to the survey.

While participation in the survey has been healthy to this point, there’s a chance you didn’t see the email in your inbox (or you—gasp!—ignored it).

In any case, keep in mind this is just a two-question survey that should take you no more than two or three minutes to complete.  Below are the two questions:

1. Throughout the placement process, there are a number of steps that lead to a completed placement.  To improve your effectiveness within the process, what specific areas could you use help with to improve your productivity, and ultimately, your billings?  These areas may include (but are not limited to) client development, marketing, sourcing, recruiting, administration, management, advertising, etc.  You can list as many as you’d like, and please be as specific as possible.

2. Are there specific areas within the placement process in which you excel and possess an expertise?  They may include (but are not limited to) client development, marketing, sourcing, managing recruiters, running an agency, advertising, etc.  You can list as many as you’d like, and please be as specific as possible.

As you might imagine, there will be a text box in which you can type your answers to these two questions.  Of course, your answers can as long or as short as you would like them to be.  So far, some recruiters have written only a few words, while other recruiters have written paragraphs.

Click here to take our ‘Desk Assessment’ survey!

We’ll be presenting more short surveys in the future, all of which will be designed to help serve you better as customers—in other words, designed to help you make more placements!

If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me at 330.455.1433, x156 or via email at drea@topechelon.com.

June is almost here, which means that July is almost here, which means that . . . the 2013 Top Echelon Network Ohio Golf Outing is almost here!

Okay, that’s a stretch, but work with me here.

The 2013 Top Echelon Network Ohio Golf Outing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23, at Bunker Hill Golf Course.  This outing will be a scramble-style event.  That way, everyone—regardless of skill level—can play and have a great time.

More importantly, though, we want you to create a great Top Echelon networking memory.  If that memory involves sinking a 40-foot putt, so be it.  Below are some additional details about the outing:

• The address for Bunker Hill Golf Course is as follows: 3060 Pearl Road, Medina, OH 44256.
• We’ll meet at 9:30 a.m. for a little recruiter networking beforehand.
• The first tee time is at 10:30 a.m.
• The cost is $35 per person, and that price includes a hot dog, chips, and your choice of soda or a draft beer.
• Bunker’s Grill Restaurant & Bar will be ready for us at the end of the day, in case you’d like to stay for dinner.

To register for the 2013 Top Echelon Network Ohio Golf Outing, email me!  When you do, mention if you are an “A” player or a “B” player.  What’s the difference?

If you’re an “A” player, you’re a good player.  If you’re a “B” player, you want to “B” a good player (which insinuates, of course, that you are not one yet).

However, regardless of your skill level, I encourage you to attend this event.  As always, there will be plenty of food, fun, and networking!

(Oh, and some golf, too . . . can’t forget about that.)

— — —

330.455.1433, x156
drea@topechelon.com
Connect with Drea on LinkedIn.
Follow Drea on Twitter.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you!  Actually, this is more of a “friendly reminder” than anything . . . giving you a warning has such a negative connation, and we wouldn’t dream of such a thing.

At least not at this early juncture.  No, right now we just want to remind you that the 2013 Top Echelon Network Fall Conference is scheduled for Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4.

So mark your calendars!  Circle the date!  Tell your friends and neighbors!  (Well, maybe not that last part, but the first two, for sure.)

Once again, the location for the Fall Conference will be the Sheraton Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel.  The Windy City has been kind to us down through the years, and that’s why we’re going back for yet another event.

The preliminary agenda for the 2013 Fall Conference will be available soon (and by soon, we mean as early as a month from now).  Not only that, but we’ll also have the price for Early Bird Registration, so you can sign up early, save some money, and beat the rush.

So have a great Memorial Day holiday and an even better summer . . . but DON’T forget about the Fall Conference in October.

Consider yourself warned.

— — —

“Ashley and I wanted to take a moment to say what a great time we had at the [National Convention] last week. The place was beautiful!  Your staff was great!  The conference itself was fun and educational.

We look forward to seeing everybody in Chicago. Great job!”

Ron Caley of Caley Enterprises

— — —

330.455.1433, x156
drea@topechelon.com
Connect with Drea on LinkedIn.
Follow Drea on Twitter.

May is here! Spring is here! We’re back from the National Convention in Florida, and we brought the warm weather back with us.

AND I have the Virtual Core Group (VCG) teleconference call schedule for this month.

During VCG meetings, Network recruiters share information that includes hot job orders and hot candidates.  They also discuss the activity that they’re seeing in the marketplace and within their niche.

When Network recruiters share this type of information, they’re more likely to make split placements!  It’s been proven over and over and over again.  So attend these meetings—and make more placements!

Below is the VCG teleconference call schedule for May (all times listed are Eastern Standard Time):

If you’d like to join an existing Virtual Core Group or start a new one, please give me a call at (330) 455-1433, Ext. 156.

What, exactly, do we have to say to convince you to join us for the 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention?

Yes, we know that:

• It represents time out of the office.
• It costs money (although I will add that portions or all of it might be tax-deductible, so consult your accountant for more information).
• Florida is such a lousy place to visit . . . what, are you kidding? That’s a joke!

When you attend a Network convention, you meet other recruiters, and when you meet other recruiters, you form Trading Partners relationships and friendships, and when you form Trading Partner relationships and friendships, you not only make more placements—but you also enjoy celebrating those placements!

Just like these Network recruiters are doing . . .

— — —

“GREAT local candidate from Trey Cameron . . . again!  This placement moved fast.  An offer before the candidate left the interview—I sure hope this was fast enough for Trey to send us more chocolate!  Looking forward to seeing Trey in Florida and celebrating the placements that we’ve had over the last year.”

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

Position Title—MATERIAL SCHEDULER

Fee Percentage—25%

(Editor’s note: This is the eighth split placement that Hemminger and Cameron have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

— — —

The National Convention (our 25th anniversary convention) is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, April 27, at the TradeWinds Resort Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida.

So we’re talking about warm weather and sandy beaches.  And as you can see by the comments above, these two recruiters will be at the convention, they’ve made eight split placements together, and they celebrate making those placements with copious amounts of chocolate.

Warm weather, beaches, eight placements, and chocolate . . . oh, and a possible tax write-off for business expenses.  How can those NOT be among your favorite things?

There’s still time to sign up for the National Convention before the end of Regular Registration.  For all you know, the first step in building a lucrative new source of business for your recruiting firm is attending this event . . . so don’t miss that step.

Register for the Convention! Yes, You! Do It Now!

We have an epidemic on our hands . . . an epidemic of recruiters making split placements because they met at the 2012 Top Echelon Network Fall Conference!

We’ve been chronicling these placements during the last several weeks, first to give the recruiters involved some publicity and second to underscore the value associated with attending events like the Fall Conference . . .

And the upcoming 2013 National Convention.

Is St. Petersburg Beach a nice place to hold a convention?  Of course.  Will you gain knowledge by listening to our great lineup of speakers (Danny Cahill, Amy Bingham, and Bob Marshall)?  Of course.

But what’s the main reason to attend this convention, the reason that promises the most value and holds the most potential?

The opportunity to meet recruiters you’ve never met before (specifically within your industry and/or niche), to form Trading Partner relationships with those recruiters, and then to make money with those recruiters!

Sound too good to be true?  It’s not.  The evidence of this “split placement epidemic” is mounting, and there’s more of it below.

— — —

“I met Kristy at the Chicago conference and could tell immediately that she is a real pro.  We have a very similiar ‘style,’ and it’s great working together.  I anticipate more placements for she and I in the future!”

Submitted by Deb North of Deb North Consulting, LLC regarding her split placement with Kristy Bellingham Jones of Jones-Ingham Exec and Sales Recruiting

Position Title—SUPPORT ANALYST
Fee Percentage—25%

(Editor’s note: this is the first split placement that North and Jones have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

— — —

The 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, April 27, at the TradeWinds Resort Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Click here to see who is already registered for the convention.  One (or more) of these recruiters could be your next Trading Partner.  Three or four months from now, you could be making a split placement—or maybe even two, like Joe Noto and Anjela Mangrum.

What are you waiting for?  Go to Florida, find Trading Partners, and make money!

Register for the 2013 National Convention!

— — —

330.455.1433, x156
drea@topechelon.com
Connect with Drea on LinkedIn.
Follow Drea on Twitter.

Is there a pile of money waiting for you at the 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention in Florida?

There was a pile of money waiting for two Network recruiters at the 2012 Fall Conference.

Those two recruiters were Joe Noto of Regency Search Group and Anjela Mangrum of Mangrum Career Solutions, LLC.  We recently chronicled the split placement they made that was a direct result of their attendance at the Fall Conference.

However, that was just the beginning of the story.

That’s because Noto and Mangrum have made ANOTHER split placement.  The best part?  This second placement happened because Noto’s client wanted to hire the second candidate that Mangrum presented for another position.

That’s how much the client liked both of the candidates that Mangrum provided to Noto and that Noto presented to the client.

One search, two candidates, two placements, two placement fees . . . and one big pile of money.

Are you going to Florida for your pile of money next month?  Or are you going to let somebody else have it instead?  If it’s the latter, we’ll let you know who takes it.  Their story will run in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog, just like this story:

— — —

“After meeting at the 2012 TE conference in Chicago, Angela contacted me indicating her interest in working together on any searches I may have.  Shortly thereafter, I contacted Angela for help on a Director of Purchasing search.  She provided two great candidates who were right on target.  My client hired one for the Director of Purchasing position, and two weeks ago contacted me wanting to hire the other candidate for this ERP System Implementation Manager position.  So . . . two splits from one search.”

Submitted by Joe Noto of Regency Search Group regarding his split placement with Anjela Mangrum of Mangrum Career Solutions, LLC

Position Title—ERP SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER
Fee Percentage—Flat

(Editor’s note: this is the second split placement that Noto and Mangrum have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

— — —

The 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, April 27, at the TradeWinds Resort Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Register for the 2013 National Convention!

— — —

330.455.1433, x156
drea@topechelon.com
Connect with Drea on LinkedIn.
Follow Drea on Twitter.