As I announced recently, Early Bird Registration for the 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention starts on December 5 (that’s next Wednesday, for those of you keeping track at home).

As always, the convention will be sensibly priced for the Preferred Membership.  We haven’t raised the price of our National Convention in years.  In fact, we’ve even dropped the price.  That’s how much we believe in the value that the convention offers.

However, we’re not the only ones who believe in that value.  There are plenty of Preferred Member recruiters who believe, as well, and that’s because, as the saying goes, “seeing is believing.”  Specifically, these recruiters have seen the results in the form of split placements and additional revenue for their recruiting firms.

Two of those recruiters—Cindy Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters and Pete Oettinger of Front Line Solutions—are featured below.  They met for the first time this past spring at the 2012 National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

As a result of that meeting, they recently made a split placement together, a placement they might not have made otherwise, and that means they could make even more splits in the future.  (Where there’s one, there could be many.)

— — —

“Pete has helped us by sending qualified candidates, and we look forward to more splits.  We met him at the Nashville convention, and it’s a relationship we will continue!”

Submitted by Cindy Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters, Inc. regarding her split placement with Peter Oettinger of Front Line Solutions, LLC

Position Title—POWER GENERATOR FIELD TECHNICIAN
Fee Percentage—20%

(Editor’s note: this is the first split placement that Szajkovics and Oettinger 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.  Remember, the main speaker for the convention is Danny Cahill of AccordingtoDanny.com, one of the most recognized and respected names in the recruiting industry!

And yes, next year marks the 25th anniversary of Top Echelon Network.  And yes, we want you to attend the National Convention.  And yes, it’s going to be fun.  And yes, if you attend, you could make money with people you’ve never met before.

So when when I ask if you’ll register for the convention next week, I hope your answer will be “Yes!”

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330.455.1433, x156
drea@topechelon.com
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Here at Top Echelon, we’re excited about the Network’s 25th anniversary.  This is especially the case after the robust attendance that we enjoyed at the recent Fall Conference in Chicago.

I say “robust” because attendance at that event represented the most recruiters we’ve had at a National Convention or Fall Conference for a few years.  Six or seven years ago, it was normal for anywhere between 150 and 180 recruiters to attend one of our events.

With that in mind, it might not surprise you to know that our goal is to get that many Preferred Member recruiters to sign up for the 2013 National Convention.  The convention is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, April 27, at the Trade Winds Resort Hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla.

As we’ve mentioned before, this our 25th anniversary convention, so we’re going to blow it up “Gangnam Style”!

Okay, that was a joke.  There’s no way we’re doing THAT.  However, now that I have your attention, I’d like to inform you that “Early Bird Registration” for the 2013 National Convention will be available on Wednesday, December 5.

That might seem like that’s way off . . . but it’s.  It’s only a month and a couple of days.  So if you plan to join us in Florida next April for the convention, be sure to register during the Early Bird period, because that’s when you can take advantage of the best price for the convention.

(And we haven’t raised the price for our National Convention in years.  In fact, we’ve dropped the price.  That’s how much we believe in the value that these events provide.)

If you haven’t already made plans to join us in Florida next April, you should seriously consider doing so.  It’s going to be one of our best events ever—and it will be even better if YOU are there to join in the fun and networking.

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330.455.1433, x156
Drea@TopEchelon.com
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A couple of weeks ago, I invited everybody to check out our “25th Anniversary Facebook Photo Extravaganza.”  That’s because we’ve been posting photos of Top Echelon Network conferences and conventions from the past 25 years, and we love taking a “stroll down memory lane.”

Well, now I bring news of a new batch of photos.  These are from the recent Top Echelon Network Fall Conference in Chicago, and you guessed it—I’m inviting everybody to check these photos out, too!

Click here to access photos from the 2012 Fall Conference!

Keep in mind that these represent a “starter pack of pics” for the conference.  We’ll be posting even more in the future, so be on the lookout for them.

Oh, and if you have time, would you be so kind as to “like” Top Echelon Network on Facebook?  I mean, what’s NOT to like, right?.

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330.455.1433, x125
mdeutsch@topechelon.com
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The 2012 Top Echelon Network Fall Conference is upon us!

The 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention is next April!  Why bring that up?  Because we’ll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Top Echelon at that convention, that’s why!

Where am I going with this?  Potentially, it could be anywhere, but let me take a moment to narrow the focus just a bit.  Although the split fee recruiting Network won’t officially turn 25 years old until March, we’d like to celebrate our 25th anniversary BEFORE we celebrate our 25th anniversary.

Because the only thing better than celebrating once . . . is celebrating twice!

That being said, one of the ways we’re celebrating (or pre-celebrating, if you prefer) is by taking a “walk down memory lane.”  Specifically, this walk entails posting photos from past Top Echelon Network events on our Facebook fan page.

These recruiter networking events include the National Convention, the Fall Conference, and other regional conferences.  The events—and the photo albums on Facebook—go back as far as 1993.  (The first official Top Echelon Network event was held in 1990.)

What would we like you to do?  Visit our fan page, browse through the albums, and see if you recognize anybody.  Heck, you might recognize yourself!  And feel free to tag anybody that you would like.  Let’s have fun with this!

Click here to access our Facebook fan page photo albums!

Let’s also make plans to join us for next year’s National Convention, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, April 27.

Come to the convention, have fun, enjoy yourself, and then we’ll post photos of YOU on Facebook, too.

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330.455.1433, x125
mdeutsch@topechelon.com
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Okay, before I get into my regular spiel about this year’s National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) Conference, let me take a moment to make a personal appeal.  Well, maybe not a personal appeal, but you know what I mean.

The NAPS Conference is a great opportunity for you to increase the productivity on your recruiting desk and within your firm overall.  There is going to be SO much packed into these few days in the way of training and networking that it would be impossible to not come away with something of value.

Sure, there’s an investment of time, energy, and money involved, but there’s also an excellent chance that you’ll receive a return on that investment—and that it will exceed the investment that you made.

And besides, if you attend, you get to see ME there. (Enough said.)

Okay, now for the spiel . . .

This year’s NAPS Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, September 19, through Saturday, September 22.  The location will be the Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas.

Four tracks anchor this year’s lineup of speakers: (1) Direct-Hire Back to Basics, (2) The Direct-Hire Master’s Program, (3) Temp Staffing, and (4) Best Practices and Technology.  Running concurrently with the event on Friday afternoon wil be the owner and manager’s retreat, as well as an executive leadership track.

Due to the success of the 2011 event, NAPS will hold a Wednesday evening “Kick-Off Event and Keynote” with Danny Cahill.  Jon Bartos, Joanie Ruge, and Jim Bleech will each host the morning keynotes.  Overall, there will be four days of education and networking from 25 speakers presenting over 45 sessions.

In addition, there will be two pre-conference credentialing/educational specials.  These include NAPS’ well-known certification programs (CPC and CTS), as well as its new CERS (Certified Employee Retention Specialist).

Not only that, but during the Thursday evening party, there will be a live band, a mechanical bull riding contest, and a live auction complete with a Texas auctioneer.  (Now, really . . . how can you beat THAT?)

NAPS has been the staffing industry educator since 1961 and enjoys its reputation as the oldest industry association.  It continues to maintain the position as the search and staffing industry educator through its certification program, continuing education initiatives, eLearning, and annual conference.

Both Hiring Hook recruitment website design and Big Biller, the leader in online recruiting software, are pleased to be sponsors of this year’s event.

So . . . join me and hundreds of other recruiters at the NAPS Conference.  Don’t make me come find you.

At Top Echelon, we’re advocates of continuous education and training . . . which makes us big fans of the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) and its annual conference!

This year’s NAPS Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, September 19, through Saturday, September 22.  The location will be the Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas.

Four tracks anchor this year’s lineup of speakers: (1) Direct-Hire Back to Basics, (2) The Direct-Hire Master’s Program, (3) Temp Staffing, and (4) Best Practices and Technology.  Running concurrently with the event on Friday afternoon wil be the owner and manager’s retreat, as well as an executive leadership track.

Due to the success of the 2011 event, NAPS will hold a Wednesday evening “Kick-Off Event and Keynote” with Danny Cahill.  Jon Bartos, Joanie Ruge, and Jim Bleech will each host the morning keynotes.  Overall, there will be four days of education and networking from 25 speakers presenting over 45 sessions.

In addition, there will be two pre-conference credentialing/educational specials.  These include NAPS’ well-known certification programs (CPC and CTS), as well as its new CERS (Certified Employee Retention Specialist).

Not only that, but during the Thursday evening party, there will be a live band, a mechanical bull riding contest, and a live auction complete with a Texas auctioneer.  (Now, really . . . how can you beat THAT?)

NAPS has been the staffing industry educator since 1961 and enjoys its reputation as the oldest industry association.  It continues to maintain the position as the search and staffing industry educator through its certification program, continuing education initiatives, eLearning, and annual conference.

Both Hiring Hook recruitment website design and Big Biller, the leader in online recruiting software, are pleased to be sponsors of this year’s event.

We’ll be there for the 2012 NAPS Conference—and we hope you will be, too!

Members of the Fort Wayne Regional Core Group get together for a photo following their most recent meeting.  Pictured, left to right—Pat McCombs of KB Search Team, LLC; Brenda Wylie-Biggs, CPC of KB Search Team, LLC; Jeff Peters of Peters Search Group, LLC; Rhonda Dove of KB Search Team, LLC; Susie Carr of KB Search Team, LLC; Kathy Bruns of KB Search Team, LLC; John Hope of Tri-Force; and Tom Havey, CPC of Corporate Management Solutions, Inc.

If you have a Regional Core Group meeting upcoming, or you plan to meet with another Preferred Member recruiter, be sure to send us a photo!  You can send your photo to marketing@topechelon.com.

Okay, so you’re already a member of our “Split Placements for Recruiters” group on LinkedIn.

What’s that?  You’re not?  You should be ashamed of yourself.  Join immediately by clicking on this link.

Done?  Okay, where was I?  Ah, yes.  Okay, so you’re already a member of our “Split Placements for Recruiters” group on LinkedIn.

The fun doesn’t stop there.  We also happen to have two other groups on LinkedIn for recruiters.

One of them is called “Software Solutions for Recruiters” and the other one is called “Website Strategies for Recruiters.”  The nature of these groups mirrors their names.

“Software Solutions for Recruiters” includes topics pertaining to any and all software that recruiters use to run their desks more effectively and make more placements.

(Of course, our recruiting software Big Biller, might be discussed from time to time . . . but you probably already guessed that.)

Meanwhile, “Website Strategies for Recruiters” includes topics that pertain to ways in which recruiters can leverage the power of the Internet—and specifically their website—to secure more job orders, attract more qualified candidates, and make more placements.

Remember, you do NOT have to be a Big Biller customer or have a Hiring Hook website to be a member of these groups.  You just have to be a recruiter who wants to discuss these particular topics and share valuable information that could lead to more business for everybody involved.

Click here to join ‘Software Solutions for Recruiters.‘

Click here to join ‘Website Strategies for Recruiters.’

Click here to join ‘Split Placements for Recruiters.’

So join us . . . let’s have some fun and make some money!  I’m serious—join us.  Remember, we know where most of you live.  Let’s do this the easy way, shall we?

Don’t make me get Drea involved.

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330.455.1433, x125
mdeutsch@topechelon.com
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At Top Echelon, we believe in the value that industry events like conferences and conventions offer.

We also believe in the value that membership in state, regional, and national recruiting associations and organizations offers.

Those are just two of the reasons that we’re both sponsoring and attending a number of industry events and association conferences throughout all of 2012—and two of those events are this week!

One of them is the Illinois Search & Staffing Association (ISSA) Midwest Conference, and the other is the New England Association of Personnel Services (NEAPS) Annual Conference.

Below is information regarding both events . . .

Illinois Search & Staffing Association (ISSA) Midwest Conference

The ISSA Midwest Conference will be held on Thursday, May 3, at the CareerBuilder offices in Chicago, Illinois.  Top Echelon Internet Strategies Manager Todd Bossler will be in attendance at the event.

Among the speakers scheduled to present during the conference:

• Shally Steckerl of The Sourcing Institute
• Mary B. Lucas, B.D.
• Tom Erb, President of Tallann Resources
• Aaron Green, ASA and founder of Professional Staffing Group

From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, there will be a networking reception that includes the sponsors of the conference.  Top Echelon is a Gold Sponsor for this event, so be sure to seek out Todd and say hello.

We’re all about networking . . . and that’s especially true of Todd.

Click here for more information about this conference.

New England Association of Personnel Services (NEAPS) Annual Conference

Yours truly will be in attendance at this event, which will be held from Thursday, May 3, through Saturday, May 5.  The location is the Sheraton Harborside Hotel in Portsmouth, N.H.

The theme of this year’s NEAPS Conference is “Betting on Success in 2012.”  On Friday, there will be a special “Dinner and Casino Night,” which includes a delicious multi-station buffet dinner that features several New England favorites.

In addition, there will be a silent auction with a number of attractive items.  Among them are Boston Red Sox tickets, New England Patriots tickets, a weekend in the White Mountains, and training sessions by industry favorite Barb Bruno.

This year’s charitable contributions for the silent auction are earmarked for the Richie McFarland Children’s Center.

If you’re attending the NEAPS Conference this week, I look forward to seeing you there and speaking with you in person about your Network Membership, recruiting in general, and other topics you’d like to discuss.

Click here for more information about this conference.

These are just two of the events that we’ll be attending in 2012.  Rest assured that we’ll let you know of other conferences we plan to attend in the future.

As I said, we believe in industry events and we believe in these associations and organizations.  We also believe that you can gain a tremendous amount of value by attending . . . and that’s why we’ll be there.

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330.455.1433, Ext. 172
MDemaree@TopEchelon.com
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I have great news: the dates AND the location for the 2012 Top Echelon Network Fall Conference have been set!

Those dates are Thursday, October 11, and Friday, October 12.

The location, of course, is Chicago.  More specifically, though, the location is the Sheraton Gateway Suites.  We’ve held the Fall Conference at the Suites countless times in the past, but last year we deviated from that routine and the site of the conference was the Embassy Suites.

However, we’re excited to be back at the Sheraton, and we’re excited to invite you to join us in Chicago for another great event.  There was a healthy turnout recently at the National Convention in Nashville, and we anticipate that attendance at the Fall Conference could be even higher.

Below are some things you should look for in the weeks and months ahead:

• The cost of the convention—We’ll be releasing “Early Bird Registration” soon.

• The room rate for the hotel—We’re in the process of negotiating that, and we’ll announce that, as well.

• The speaker for the convention and the preliminary agenda—We’ll release this information at the same time we release “Early Bird Registration.”

In the meantime, circle the dates for the Fall Conference on your calendar: Thursday, October 11, and Friday, October 12.  Make plans to join us in Chicago.

And remember . . . I’ll know if you’re not there.

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330.455.1433, x156
Drea@TopEchelon.com
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