In last week’s installment of “Comments and Compliments,” we invited you to meet the recruiters featured at the upcoming 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention.

Well, one of the recruiters we featured is back this week!  And joining him are other recruiters you should meet at the National Convention.  Why?  Because they’ll probably be in attendance for one, and for another, they’ve been highly successful as Preferred Member recruiters in the Top Echelon recruiting network.

What more convincing do you need to attend the convention?

How about a warm, sunny location, specifically the TradeWinds Resort in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.?

How about a great price, specifically the Early Bird Registration rate of just $495 per person?

How about the benefits, namely the chance to hear world-class trainer Danny Cahill and the opportunity to network with other recruiters just like you!

What are you waiting for?  Stop waiting.  Join us . . . join us . . .

If you’d like to thank one of the top recruiters for their efforts in a split placement situation, send your information to marketing@topechelon.com.  Your comments might be included in an upcoming issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog!

— — —

“Thanks again, Bob.  Your help and involvement throughout the placement process is great.  We work as a good team that makes these placements happen!  Hope to see you in Florida!”

Submitted by David M. Sgro, CPC of True North Consultants, Inc. regarding his split placement with Bob Small of Carroll Technology Services, Inc.

Position Title—SAP ABAP DEVELOPER
Fee Percentage—25%

(Editor’s note: this is the fourteenth split placement that Sgro and Small have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

— — —

“Steve is a great split partner.  He stays on top of things.”

Submitted by David Kersey of Kersey & Associates, Inc. regarding his split placement with Steve Kohn of Affinity Executive Search

Position Title—PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS MANAGER
Fee Percentage—20%

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

— — —

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At Top Echelon Network, we like to celebrate placements, specifically the placements made our Preferred Member recruiters.

And more specifically than that, the SPLIT placements made by our Preferred Member recruiters.

Each year, Members make their first split placement in the Network.  We hope that these aren’t just their first split placement, but the first of many!

A total of 38 Preferred Member recruiters made their first split placement in the Network in 2012, and we’d like to recognize those 38 in this issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.

Without further adieu, those recruiters are as follows:

Debi Apple of Apple & Assoc. Inc.
Chip Kerth of The Personnel Consulting Group
Angela Jacobson of Capstone Sourcing Center, Inc.
Harry C. Anderson of Andex Executive Search
Cheryl Fox of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions
Hannah Kohn of Affinity Executive Search
Bill Broderick of MPI Resources
Cindy Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters, Inc.
John Peterson of Sun Recruiting, Inc.
Sonia Neameyer of Lead Point Financial
Cynthia Strzelecki of Spyglass Search, Inc.
Michael Petras of Michael Petras Recruiting
Brandon Wofford of Corporate Resources, Inc.
Jeri Bartunek of Bartunek Group, Inc.
Deb North of Deb North Consulting, LLC
Greg Johnson of Johnson Resource Group, LLC
Jim Petitpren of The PRA Group, Inc
Connie Moore of Computer Recruiters, Inc.
Jeffrey Gipson of The James Allen Companies, Inc.
Justin Liedel of Reliance Recruiting, LLC
Peter Ambrose of Reliance Recruiting, LLC
John Moskonas of The ARGroup of Search Companies
Jim Grates of Arris Consultants, LlC
David Manns of Access Professional Search & Staffing
Andrea Ewald of LRSolutions, LLC
George Seipel of Charter Executive Search
Rita McConnell of Emerald Resource Group
Megan Schimmoeller of Bridgeway Professionals, Inc.
Jay Canowitz of Ives & Associates, Inc.
Jimmy Folger of ONESource Technical, Inc.
Russ Lloyd of Cube Management
Tom Mitlo of Orion Delta Group
Maja Munoz of Human Technologies, Inc.
Joe Pelayo of Joseph Michaels International
Mark Ripley of Joseph Michaels International
Dan Kuenn of Rowbottom Partners
Michael Ott, CPC/CERS of Lakeview Staffing Solutions, LLC

Congratulations to all of these recruiters.  We hope that they enjoy even greater success in the Network in 2013, and we look forward to another 38 making their first Network split this year!

— — —

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We have yet another case study in relationships in this week’s split placements!  We love case studies in success!  And this one is just a happy story all the way around.

Because on the one hand we have Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc., who’s made 48 placements during her tenure as a Preferred Member recruiter in Top Echelon Network.  On the other hand, we have Bob Ferris of Ferris & Associates, who’s made 69 placements in the Network.

Of course, Snyder and Ferris made a split placement together recently, but that’s just part of the story.  This placement was a natural extension of the first placement they made, which was chronicled here.

This case study once again proves that once you break through and make your first split placement with another recruiter in the Network, you’re setting yourself up for making more placements with that person in the future.  You’re setting yourself up for more success, more money, and more chances to grow your business.

Oh, and yes . . . these recruiters have also attended Top Echelon Network conferences and conventions in the past. Why do I mention this? The 2013 National Convention, of course!

That concludes this shameless plug.

THIS WEEK’S COMPLETED SPLIT PLACEMENTS!

Job order recruiter: Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Bob Ferris of Ferris & Associates, LLC

Job title: HR MANAGER

Fee percentage—Flat

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Mike Helffrich of Helffrich International

Candidate recruiter: Neal G. Lehman of Sherwood Lehman Massucco, Inc.

Job title: PROJECT ENGINEER

Fee percentage—25%

Action causing split placement: The job seeker or client was found through my Hiring Hook recruiter website design.

— — —

Job order recruiter: Stephanie Jakubik of Bertram & Associates, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Chuck Sissom of Sissom & Associates

Job title: HR MANAGER

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Lisa DeBenedittis of Elite Recruiting Services, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Mark London of Command Consultants, Inc.

Job title: CONSULTANT

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Ed Keil, CPC of Reliance Recruiting, LLC

Candidate recruiter: David Wick, CPC of Career Center of Cincinnati, Inc.

Job title: DESIGN ENGINEER

Fee percentage—25%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Catherine Sousa of Morton Roper Careers

Candidate recruiter: Jim Strickland of BioSource International

Job title: RN DIRECTOR OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Fee percentage—15%

Action causing split placement: The job seeker or client was found through my Hiring Hook website.

— — —

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Boy, we’ve wrapped even MORE good stuff into this week’s installment of “‘Comments’ and Compliments”! (I know, I know . . . just when you thought we couldn’t.)

First and foremost, all of the recruiters involved in this week’s installment attend Top Echelon Network conferences and conventions on a regular basis.

Second, one pair of recruiters has now made six split placements together, and the genesis for their Trading Partner relationship happened at a Top Echelon Network conference.

Third, the other pair of recruiters made their first split placement together in the Network, both recruiters attended the 2012 Fall Conference in Chicago, and there’s a good chance that both will be attending the upcoming 2013 National Convention in St. Petersburg.

Fourth . . . well, there isn’t a fourth.  Wait a minute, there is!

FOURTH, you need to register for the National Convention and “celebrate in Florida” with these recruiters!  They’re going to be there and they’re going to want to meet, network, and have fun!  Why?  Because that’s what we do!

The National Convention is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, April 27, at the TradeWinds Resort.  Sign up now at the Early Bird Registration price of just $495 per person.  Join us in St. Pete for our 25th anniversary . . . it won’t the same without you!

If you’d like to thank another recruiter for their efforts in a split placement situation, send your information to marketing@topechelon.com.  Your comments might be included in an upcoming issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog!

— — —

“The MJR/True North Consultants team strikes again!  Dave was an excellent partner.  He traveled with me to visit my client on-site and supplied excellent candidates for the position.  Another reason to celebrate in Florida in April!”

Submitted by Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC regarding her split placement with David M. Sgro, CPC of True North Consultants, Inc.

Position Title—DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
Fee Percentage—25%

(Editor’s note: this is the sixth split placement that Hemminger and Sgro have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

— — —

“Thanks, Chuck, for sending a great candidate.  He was the perfect fit for my client.  I also wish to commend you on your professionalism.”

Submitted by Ron Sunshine of Ron Sunshine Associates here regarding his split placement with Chuck Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters, Inc.

Position Title—MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR
Fee Percentage—20%

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

— — —

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We’re just passing out awards left and right in this issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.  (Well, we’re just announcing them . . . we’re not actually passing anything out yet.  We’ll do that later.)

Along that similar vein, something which has won a Network award year after year after year is “Regular communication with Trading Partners.”  Why?  Because it continues to be the number-one way in which split placements happen in Top Echelon Network!

If the split placement evidence below isn’t enough to convince you, consider that 64.9% of all the split placements made in the Network in 2012 were the result of “Regular communication with Trading Partners.”  In second place was “Hiring Hook websites” at 13.0%.  (Which reminds me, if you don’t have a Hiring Hook staffing website design, get one!  This number keeps going up every year.)

In addition, “Searching the split databases” was in third place at 8.6%.  So search the databases, post your job orders and candidates, communicate as much as you can . . . and get a Hiring Hook website!  Do everything you can to make more placements!  Go, go, go!

Why are you still sitting there?

THIS WEEK’S COMPLETED SPLIT PLACEMENTS!

Job order recruiter: John Wharton of The Garret Group

Candidate recruiter: Alex Roberts of Joseph Michaels International

Job title: HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

Fee percentage—23%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Ron Sunshine of Ron Sunshine Associates

Candidate recruiter: Chuck Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters, Inc.

Job title: MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Paula Seward of The Williams Company

Candidate recruiter: Jeff Tuholski of Career Transitions, LLC

Job title: MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

Fee percentage—25%

Action causing split placement: The candidate experessed interest in [one job], and I ended up placing [them] in another open position.

— — —

Job order recruiter: Chris Shoulet of Top Dog Recruiting

Candidate recruiter: Rich Harrold of Front Line Solutions, LLC

Job title: SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ARCHITECT

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Larry Baker of Computer Careers

Candidate recruiter: Ram Kola of Stewart Cooper & Coon

Job title: NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR

Fee percentage—Flat

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC

Candidate recruiter: Jim Folger of ONESource Technical, Inc.

Job title: CORPORATE CONTROLLER

Fee percentage—27.5%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

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We’ve compared Preferred Membership in Top Echelon Network to quite a few things.  Some of them had nothing to do with recruiting (not directly, anyway).  Some of them were, quite frankly, confusing.

We’ve managed to combine both of those in this week’s installment of “Comments and Compliments.”

In our defense, we had plenty of help this time.  Namely, we had help from the job order recruiter in one of the split placement situations listed below.  How did he help us?  He basically gave us the idea for this blog post’s title . . . and for that, we’re very grateful.

Because when you’re a Preferred Member of Top Echelon Network, “split placement magic” can happen anytime and any place.  However, when and where isn’t nearly as important as HOW—how these job placement recruiters continually make placement after placement together.  (In this particular case, the recruiters involved have now made six split placements.)

They make these split placements the way they should be made, mainly with the Four Pillars of Top Echelon Network: Quality, Communication, Trust, and Active Participation.

So buckle up and get ready to enjoy this week’s “Magic Pooh Ride”!

If you’d like to thank another recruiter for their efforts in a split placement situation, send your information to marketing@topechelon.com.  Your comments might be included in an upcoming issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog!

— — —

“Sean, once again you came through.  There is nothing like standing in lne for the Pooh Ride at Disney with my kids and getting an offer email from a client.  That is the magic of Top Echelon!”

Submitted by Patrick Staudacher, CPC of Talsco, Inc. regarding his split placement with Sean Napoles, CPC of Career Brokers, Inc.

Position Title—SAP ANALYST SD
Fee Percentage—20%

(Editor’s note: this is the sixth split placement that Staudacher and Napoles have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

— — —

“Dave and I have had multiple splits together, and I really enjoy working with him.  Thanks again, Dave, and I hope some of our other activity we have going results in additional success!”

Submitted by Ed Keil, CPC of Reliance Recruiting, LLC regarding his split placement with David Wick, CPC of Career Center of Cincinnati, Inc.

Position Title—DESIGN ENGINEER
Fee Percentage—25%

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

— — —

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When it comes to defining what a completed placement is and what it isn’t, usually that definition entails “when I get my money.”  Or in other words, when the recruiter receives the placement check (or their portion of the split placement check).

Such is also the case with Top Echelon Network.

From our perspective, a split placement isn’t a split placement until the job order recruiter receives their check AND they send both the candidate recruiter and Top Echelon Network their portions.  Once we receive the check for our 6% brokerage fee, we consider the placement to be completed (and it runs in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog).

So—which placement check was the first one we entered in 2013?  That check was for a split placement between Dan Simmons, CPC of Continental Search & Outplacement, Inc. and Rebecca Kohn of Affinity Executive Search!

Simmons actually has two placements in this week’s issue of The Pinnacle.  So congratulations to him and everybody else who started the New Year with a split placement . . . and a smile!

THIS WEEK’S COMPLETED SPLIT PLACEMENTS!

Job order recruiter: Dan Simmons, CPC of Continental Search & Outplacement, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Rebecca Kohn of Affinity Executive Search

Job title: SALES MANAGER

Fee percentage—25%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Dan Simmons, CPC of Continental Search & Outplacement, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Joanna Spaun of MJ Recruiters, LLC

Job title: QUALITY PROCESS MANAGER

Fee percentage—25%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: David Wood, CPC of The David Wood Company

Candidate recruiter: Thomas Edwards of Front Line Solutions, LLC

Job title: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Fee percentage—25%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Thomas Windsor of Corporate Resources, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Larry Goldberg of Lawrence Personnel

Job title: MOTOR REWINDER

Fee percentage—21%

Action causing split placement: The job order or candidate was found by searching Top Echelon Network’s split databases.

— — —

Job order recruiter: Doris Painter of Painter & Associates

Candidate recruiter: Amy Dunn of Technology Recruiting Solutions

Job title: FINANCIAL ANALYST

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Jim Petitpren of The PRA Group, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Jimmy Folger of ONESource Technical, Inc.

Job title: DESIGN ENGINEER

Fee percentage—30%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

Job order recruiter: Don Lewis of The Doepker Group

Candidate recruiter: Bob Wick of Career Center of Cincinnati, Inc.

Job title: MANUFACTURING ENGINEER

Fee percentage—20%

Action causing split placement: Regular communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter

— — —

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You know who the “Recruiter of the Month” is.

You know who the “Recruiter of the Quarter” is.

Now’s time for the “Highest Split Placement Fee of the Quarter” . . . and as it turns out, that placement was the result of the Top Echelon Network’s MEGA Database!

The MEGA Database is a tool that allows recruiters to search through the default resumes of other Preferred Member recruiters who also use Big Biller.  This search will not only show you “Who Works What,” but it will also show you “Who Has What”—in other words, what (or who) other recruiters have in their database.

The MEGA Database holds tremendous power and potential for Preferred Member recruiters and Big Biller users.  If used properly, it can increase recruiters’ ability to source candidates for their open job orders, thus allowing them to fill those orders more quickly.

That power and potential was realized for the Preferred Member recruiters below, who made “The Largest Split Placement Fee of the Quarter” with the MEGA Database!

For more information about the placements and cash-in totals associated with these recruiters, please login to the Members’ Area and view the placement details associated with their profile.

— — —

HIGHEST SPLIT PLACEMENT FEE OF THE QUARTER
Jay Canowitz of Ives & Associates, Inc. and Frank Chavira of HG Arias & Associates

This placement was for a HR Business Director.  Canowitz was the job order recruiter, and Chavira was the candidate recruiter.  The action causing this split placement was listed as, “Regular phone communication with another Top Echelon Network Preferred Member recruiter in my specialty area.”

— — —

SECOND PLACE
Job order recruiter: Georgette Sandifer of Gallman Consulting
Candidate recruiter: Chuck Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters, Inc.
Position title: Plant Manager

THIRD PLACE
Job order recruiter: Michael Petras of Michael Petras Recruiting
Candidate recruiter: Ken Nunley of 7 Solutions USA
Position title: VP of Operations

FOURTH PLACE
Job order recruiter: Cindy Andrew Cordell of Corporate Resources, LLC
Candidate recruiter: Paul Johnson of Paul Johnson & Associates
Position title: Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis

FIFTH PLACE
Job order recruiter: Terri Conroy, CPC of Executive Search Associates
Candidate recruiter: Russ Lloyd of Cube Management
Position title: Chief Financial Officer

— — —

Our criteria for these recognition awards:

Top Echelon Network is a split placement network.  As such, we place an emphasis on split placements, and that emphasis constitutes the basis of our criteria for these recognition awards.  We determine the quarterly award winners based upon two factors, which are listed below in order of importance:

1.) The number of split placements made
2.) The amount of cash-in dollars earned as a result of those split placements

In other words, the number of split placements that recruiters make is our first consideration.  In the event of a tie, the cash-in total earned from those split placements is the deciding factor and serves to break the tie.  Obviously, the recruiter with more cash-in dollars in the event of a tie is the recruiter who wins the recognition award.

— — —

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Last week in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog, I presented a trivia question in our post containing recent Completed Placements.

That question was as follows: name the product television commercial contained the catchphrase, “No runs, no drips, no errors.”

And then, as a bonus: name the spokesperson for said product, who also appeared in the television commercial.

Cindy Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters, Inc. submitted the correct answer to both questions!

“No runs, no drips, no errors” was the catchphrase for Krylon Spray Paint commercials in the 1980s.  The spokesperson?  Johnny Bench, former catcher for the Cincinnati Reds!

Below is a YouTube embed of one of the Kryon Paint commercials in question.  This one not only features Bench, but it also includes another former Major Leaguer, one who became an actor after his baseball career: Bob Uecker.

“He missed the tag!  He missed the tag!”

— — —

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Why did Top Echelon Network Preferred Members like to work with one another to make split placements together?

This week’s installment of “Comments and Compliments” answers that question rather easily.

Both of the recruiters who submitted comments featured this week described their Trading Partner in glowing terms, especially in regards to working with the other person during the split placement process.

Among the phrases used to compliment the other recruiter are the following:

• “amazing to work with”
• “pleasure working with him”
• “fantastic” to work with”
• “a lot of fun to work with”

Who wouldn’t want to work with another recruiter if the experience was that good and a placement fee resulted from it?  So, c’mon . . . make split placements a bigger part of your business model in 2013.  Just like contract staffing, all the cool recruiters are doing it.

Don’t you want to be cool?  (And make more money, too?  Can’t forget THAT.)

If you’d like to thank another recruiter for their efforts in a split placement situation, send your information to marketing@topechelon.com.  Your comments might be included in an upcoming issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog!

— — —

“Jim provided me with an ‘A’ candidate!  The candidate had the skills and pedigree that the client looks for, but he was amazing to work with.  Jim only sends me candidates that fit what the client is looking for.  It was definitely a pleasure working with him!  I am looking forward to doing more business with him in the future!”

Submitted by Deb North of Deb North Consulting, LLC regarding her split placement with James Compton of Compton & Associates

Position Title—FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
Fee Percentage—25%

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

— — —

“Rich has been fantastic to work with.  He screens his candidates and really gets to know them.  He’s a great sourcer, very dependable, works hard, and is a lot of fun to work with!”

Submitted by Chris Shoulet of Top Dog Recruiting regarding his split placement with Rich Harrold of Front Line Solutions, LLC

Position Title—SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ARCHITECT
Fee Percentage—20%

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

— — —

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