When it comes to split placements, it’s not just the third time that’s the charm.

So is the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, and so on and so on.  Such is the case with Top Echelon Network recruiters Catherine Bateman of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions and Paul Johnson of Paul Johnson & Associates.

Bateman and Johnson have made four split placements in the Network during the past six weeks, and they’ve made five split placements overall during the past 12 months.  Clearly, they’ve built a Trading Partner relationship that works and works WELL.

The secret to their success?  It can be summed up best by their comments, which are located below: “effective and timely communication” and “an excellent candidate.”

Bateman started recruiting in 2012.  Johnson started recruiting in 1998.  Once again, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the game.  When it comes to split placements, you can make them with anybody at any time at any stage of your career.

All you need is a good Trading Partner who works well with you. Then you, too, can make four splits in six weeks!

— — —

Catherine Bateman

“Working with Paul is a real blessing.  His relationship with his client is solid, and he treats candidates with the utmost professionalism.  By the way, shall I also mention that he has perfected effective and timely communication?”

Submitted by Catherine Bateman of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions regarding her split placement with Paul Johnson of Paul Johnson & Associates

Position Title—OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Fee Percentage—20%

(Editor’s note: This is the fifth Network split placement that Bateman and Johnson have made together in Top Echelon.)

— — —

“Thank you, Catherine, for an excellent candidate!”

Submitted by Paul Johnson of Paul Johnson & Associates regarding his split placement with Catherine Bateman of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions

Position Title—OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Fee Percentage—20%

(Editor’s note: This is the fifth Network split placement that Johnson and Bateman have made together in Top Echelon.)

THE SPLIT RECRUITERS:

Veronica Snyder has made 54 placements as one of the Top Echelon Network’s top recruiters.  Her firm, Career Professionals, has been a Preferred Member since 1990.

Frank Laux has made 1 placement as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His agency, Strategic Search Partners, has been a Preferred Member of the recruiter network since April of this year.

Carey Towe has made 21 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His agency, Southern Recruiters, has been a Preferred Member since 2001.

THE SPLIT PLACEMENTS:

Last week, we commended David M. Sgro of True North Consultants, Inc. for being a model Network recruiter in Top Echelon . . . and now we’re commending Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.!

That’s because like Sgro, Snyder does all of the things that a recruiter needs to do to be successful in the Network.  Those things include the following:

1. Posting jobs to the Network on a consistent basis
2. Embracing the Network Pillar of Quality, especially as it pertains to another Pillar, that of Communication
3. Attending Network events like the National Convention and Fall Conference

Snyder has made 54 Network placements since becoming a Preferred Member recruiter, including five in 2012 and eight already this year.  With three months still remaining in 2013, she certainly has the chance to hit double digits in placements before the year draws to a close.

Not only that, but one of the split placements highlighted below is the first Top Echelon placement for a Network recruiter.  So congratulations to both Snyder and Frank Laux, who’s celebrating his first TE split!

— — —

“Thanks, Frank, for responding to our TE job posting with such a strong candidate!  Welcome to Top Echelon Network!  I’m looking forward to doing more split business with you.”

Submitted by Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc. regarding her Network split placement with Frank Laux of Strategic Search Partners

Position Title—DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT

Fee Percentage—25%

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

— — —

“Thanks, Carey!  I appreciate you posting good candidates to the Network!”

Submitted by Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc. regarding her Network split placement with Carey Towe, CPC of Southern Recruiters

Position Title—LAB TECH

Fee Percentage—25%

(Editor’s note: This is the second Network split placement that Snyder and Towe have made together in Top Echelon.)

Trust is one of the Four Pillars of Top Echelon Network . . . and it’s also the focus of this story about honesty and integrity in the Network.

Janet Miller of Computer Management, Inc. here and Jeff Gilbert of Kingfish Technology, LLC have been Trading Partners for quite some time.  In fact, the two have made a total of 14 split placements together, but it was their most recent split that demonstrates the fact their Trading Partner relationship has evolved to what could almost be called the “Masters Level.”

Miller and Gilbert have made three split placements so far in 2013.  In June, the two placed a SFDC Consultant.  Gilbert was the job order recruiter, and Miller was the candidate recruiter.  After the placement had been completed, the candidate gave Gilbert the name of a Senior Sales Director.

“Jeff happened to comment to me that [the candidate] gave him the name of somebody,” said Miller, who’s made a total of 63 placements in Top Echelon Network.  “I don’t place sales people, so I really didn’t give it that much attention.  I didn’t know that Jeff called the candidate.”

Call the candidate Jeff did, and you guessed it . . . place the candidate Jeff did, as well.

So what did he do after that?

“Jeff called me up a month ago, and he said, “Good news, you just made $17,000,’” said Miller.  “He had placed the candidate as a Senior Sales Executive.  He never told me that the candidate was interviewing, but he called me after the placement was made to tell me he was splitting the fee with me.”

The total fee for this split placement: $34,000.

“The candidate who gave Jeff the name of this other candidate never called me and told me that he did so,” said Miller.  “Jeff set up all of the interviews and did all of the preps, and after it was over, he called me to tell me that I had made all this money.”

Needless to say, Miller thinks very highly of Gilbert and values the Trading Partner relationship that she has with him.

“Jeff is such an honest recruiter,” she said.  “What he did with this placement blew me away.”

— — —

“Janet, you continue to amaze me with the quality of the candidates you present . . . not to mention all of the hard work and dedication you put into each and every search!  You are the best!”

Submitted by Jeff Gilbert of Kingfish Technology, LLC regarding his split placement with Janet Miller of Computer Management, Inc.

Position Title—DIRECTOR OF SALES

Fee Percentage—20%

(Editor’s note: this is the 14th split placement that Gilbert and Miller have made together in Top Echelon Network.)

Just as there were no Virtual Core Group teleconference call meetings during the second week of September, there will be no VCG meetings during the first week of October.

In September, the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) Conference was to blame.  And now?

The 2013 Top Echelon Network Fall Conference, of course!

Mark Demaree, Todd Bossler, Debbie Fledderjohann, Hannah Laps, and I will be at the Sheraton Chicago O’Hare for the conference next week.  (The official dates of the event are Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4.)

As a result, there will be NO Virtual Core Group teleconference call meetings during the first week of the month.

Other than that, though, there aren’t any other changes to the Virtual Core Group schedule.  In fact, below is the VCG teleconference call schedule for the month of October (all times listed are Eastern Standard Time):

There is STILL time for you to register for the Fall Conference.  In fact, we’ve had signups this week! As I write this, there are 106 recruiters planning to attend the conference, representing an equal number of opportunities to make split placements.

So register for the 2013 Fall Conference!  And attend a VCG meeting next month!  That’s an order!

To join an existing Virtual Core Group or to start a new one, contact me at 330.455.1433, x156 or via email at drea@topechelon.com.

SPLIT PLACEMENTS THIS WEEK:

Everybody wants to know where the money’s at, and Top Echelon Network is no exception.  The good news is that we publish where the money’s at in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.

Every week in Top Echelon Network, recruiters close deals and make split placements, many of them placements they would not have made otherwise, if not for their Trading Partners and the opportunities they consistently present.

However, the positions filled also indicate the positions that companies want to hire with the most urgency.  They’re not just rolling out a job order and seeing what happens, hemming and hawing their way to nowhere while enlisting the services of multiple recruiters to embark upon numerous wild good chases.

No, these job orders were closely tied to urgency, and the companies that issued them were more than happy to pay a recruiter to help fill them.  If just so happens that in these cases, they paid TWO recruiters.

SPLIT JOBS FILLED THIS WEEK:

Below are the split jobs that were recently filled by Top Echelon Network recruiters.

• Sr. Recruiter – In-House
• Director of Engineering
  
• Manager of Human Resources
  
• HR Business Partner
  
• Business Consultant
  
• Database Architect/Developer
  
• Mechanical Engineer
  
• Servicing Performance Analyst
  
• Financial Advisor (Bank)
  
• Color Lab Manager

For more information about how you can be more successful in Top Echelon Network and make more split placements, call Membership Development Coordinator Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS at (330) 455-1433, Ext. 156.

THIS WEEK’S NETWORK SPLIT PLACEMENTS:

Job recruiter: Joan R. Walters, CPC of JR Walters Resources

Candidate recruiter: Larry Gallin of Gallin Associates

Split job title: SR. RECRUITER – IN-HOUSE

Fee percentage: 25%

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

— — —

Job recruiter: Joan R. Walters, CPC of JR Walters Resources

Candidate recruiter: Trey Cameron of the Cameron Craig Group

Split job title: DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING

Fee percentage: 25%

Action causing split placement: The job seeker or client was found through my Hiring Hook web design for recruiters.

— — —

Job recruiter: Pat McCombs, CPC of KB Search Team, LLC

Candidate recruiter: Catherine Bateman of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions

Split job title: MANAGER OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Fee percentage: 25%

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

— — —

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

Candidate recruiter: Catherine Bateman of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions

Split job title: HR BUSINESS PARTNER

Fee percentage: 25%

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

— — —

Job recruiter: Doris Painter, CPC of Painter & Associates

Candidate recruiter: Ram Kola of Stewart Cooper & Coon

Split job title: BUSINESS CONSULTANT

Fee percentage: 18%

Action causing split placement:

— — —

Job recruiter: David M. Sgro, CPC of True North Consultants, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Angela Marasco of A. Marasco Recruiting, LLC

Split job title: DATABASE ARCHITECT/DEVELOPER

Fee percentage: 25%

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

— — —

Job recruiter: George Seipel of Charter Executive Search

Candidate recruiter: Debi Apple of Apple & Associates, Inc.

Split job title: MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Fee percentage: 25%Action causing split placement: The job seeker or client was found through my Hiring Hook Website.

— — —

Job recruiter: Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Brenda Richardson of Stewart Cooper & Coon

Split job title: SERVICING PERFORMANCE ANALYST

Fee percentage: 15%

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

— — —

Job recruiter: Mitch Vigeveno of Turning Point, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Rhonda Dove of KB Search Team, LLC

Split job title: FINANCIAL ADVISOR (BANK)

Fee percentage: 20%

Action causing split placement: 2013 Top Echelon Network National Convention in Florida

— — —

Job recruiter: Karen Akbal-Sturgeon of KLA Industries

Candidate recruiter: Trey Cameron of the Cameron Craig Group

Split job title: COLOR LAB MANAGER

Fee percentage: 25%

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

Every once in a while, there’s a “bump in the road” as far as the Virtual Core Group schedule is concerned.  Just such a bump will happen during the second week in September.

It’s not really a bump, though.  It’s the 2013 National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) Conference.

As many of you know, Top Echelon officials (including myself) will be in attendance at the NAPS Conference.  Since I can’t—as of yet—be in two places at the same time, there will be NO Virtual Core Group teleconference call meetings during the second week of the month.

However, outside of that “bump,” there aren’t any other changes to the Virtual Core Group schedule for the month of September.

In fact, below is the VCG teleconference call schedule for September (all times listed are Eastern Standard Time):

So, since there won’t be any Virtual Core Group meetings during the second week in September, I certainly expect to see you at the NAPS Conference.  Then I certainly expect to see you at the upcoming Top Echelon Network Fall Conference in Chicago.

Then I expect you to attend a Virtual Core Group teleconference call meeting!  (Needy, aren’t I?)

To join an existing Virtual Core Group or to start a new one, contact me at 330.455.1433, x156 or via email at drea@topechelon.com.

— — —

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SURVEY QUESTION:

Split partner relationships are the lifeblood of Top Echelon Network.  There’s no doubt about that.  But how exactly do Network recruiters find new Trading Partners?

After all, even if you’re not a new Network recruiter, you can still find split partners in the Network you’ve haven’t made placements with.  Recent issues of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog have highlighted the fact that’s exactly what some recruiters in the Network are doing.

We recently conducted a survey of Network recruiters, and that survey was based upon the following question:

Which of the following tools do you use most often to find split partners?

SURVEY RESULTS:

The choice of answers that were provided is listed below, along with the percentage of recruiters who selected each answer:

• Split Candidate Database — 15.7%
• Split Job Order Database — 51.0%
• “Who Works What” — 19.6%
• MEGA Database — 0.0%
• Call Drea (TE) — 13.7%

SURVEY ANALYSIS:

Far and away, the most popular answer among survey participants was “Split Job Order Database” at 51.0%.  “Who Works What” was a distant second at 19.6%, while “Split Candidate Database” finished third with 15.7% of the vote.

Top Echelon Network recruiters prefer to search the Split Job Order database in their quest to find new split partners.  While they certainly use other means to find split partners, this is how they find the most success.

FEEDBACK:

Which means to YOU use to find split partners in Top Echelon Network?  Are they the ones listed above, or do you have others?

THE SPLIT RECRUITERS:

Georgette Sandifer has made 33 placements as a member of the Top Echelon split fee recruiting network.  Her agency, Gallman Consulting, has been a Preferred Member since 2005.

Steve Kohn has made 77 placements as one of Top Echelon Network’s job placement recruiters.  His agency, Affinity Executive Search, has been a Preferred Member since 1994.

Matthew Dahm has made 1 placement as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His agency, IT Audit Search, has been a Preferred Member since 2011.

Jim Strickland has made 97 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His agency, BioSource International, has been a Preferred Member since 2003.

THE SPLIT PLACEMENTS:

There are four recruiters in this week’s installment of “‘Comments’ and Compliments” that have been in the Network for varying lengths of time and have enjoyed varying amounts of success.  However, what they all have in common is that they made their first Network split with another recruiter, once again proving that no matter how long you’ve been in the business or been in the Network, your first split placement with another recruiter could be just around the corner . . .

— — —

“This was a great candidate, and I was happy to receive him through Steve’s [Hiring Hook] site.  I knew from the moment I interviewed this candidate, he would at least get to the interview stage.  Nice placement for my first split of the year.  Thanks, Steve!”

Submitted by Georgette Sandifer of Gallman Consulting regarding her Network split placement Steve Kohn of Affinity Executive Search

Position Title—QUALITY ENGINEER ASSEMBLY

Fee Percentage—25%

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

— — —

“Working with Jim has been great!  This placement will be my first with Top Echelon, with hopefully many more to come!”

Submitted by Matthew Dahm of IT Audit Search regarding his Network split placement with Jim Strickland of BioSource International

Position Title—DATA SPECIALIST – DATA DESIGN

Fee Percentage—20%

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

— — —

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THE SPLIT RECRUITERS:

Deb North has made 9 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  Her agency, Deb North Consulting, LLC, has been a Preferred Member since 2012.

Judy Kaplan has made 79 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  Her agency, Prof’l Recruiting Consultants, has been a Preferred Member since 1992.

Joan R. Walters, CPC has made 58 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  Her agency, JR Walters Resources, has been a Preferred Member since 2005.

Chuck Szajkovics has made 10 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His firm, Bulldog Recruiters, Inc., has been a Preferred Member since 2011.

THE SPLIT PLACEMENTS:

These Top Echelon Network recruiting partners obviously enjoy working together, considering the glowing terms they use to describe each other, terms such as “awesome,” “fun,” and “great.”  These are genuine sentiments expressed by happy recruiters who made placements they probably would NOT have made otherwise.  Once again, this exemplifies one of the value proposition statements of Top Echelon Network: “Half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.”  Pass the butter.

— — —

“Judy is an awesome split partner!  Great communication and very fun to work with!  Can’t wait to do more deals together!”

Submitted by Deb North of Deb North Consulting, LLC regarding her Network split placement with Judy Kaplan of Prof’l Recruiting Consultants

Position Title—DIGITAL FORENSICS ANALYST

Fee Percentage—18%

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

— — —

“Chuck is a great Trading Partner!  Looking forward to having many more splits in 2013!”

Submitted by Joan R. Walters, CPC of JR Walters Resources regarding her Network split placement with Chuck Szajkovics of Bulldog Recruiters, Inc.

Position Title—CIVIL ENGINEER

Fee Percentage—30%

(Editor’s note: This is the third Network split that Walters and Szajkovics have made together in Top Echelon.)

— — —

Connect with Matt Deutsch on LinkedIn.
Follow Matt Deutsch on Twitter.
‘Like’ Top Echelon Network on Facebook.

THE SPLIT RECRUITERS:

Robert Briones, CPC has made 32 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His firm, R.A. Briones & Company, has been a Preferred Member since 1997.

Larry Gallin has made 45 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His firm, Gallin Associates, has been a Preferred Member since 2003.

Michael Stuck has made 24 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His firm, Gables Search Group, has been a Preferred Member since 2004.

Sean Napoles, CPC has made 183 placements as a Top Echelon Network recruiter.  His firm, Career Brokers, has been a Preferred Member since 2000.

THE SPLIT PLACEMENTS:

There is NO substitute for networking.  It can not only lead to the first Network split placement between recruiters, but in the case of Briones and Gallin, it can also lead to the first and second Network splits—at the same time!  It’s not like the other two recruiters featured this week are chopped liver, either.  They recently made their ninth Network split together, and for one of the recruiters (Napoles), it was his 183rd Network split as a Preferred Member recruiter.  In the world of recruiting, networking is the gift that keeps on giving.

— — —

“This is another testament to the basic communication one can have.  I began to talk to Larry about golf courses to play in St. Pete.  He mentioned one of his positions in Mexico and asked me for candidates.  I had a similar position elsewhere.  The candidate I sent him has final interviews at corporate today.  His candidate for my job got his offer yesterday.  We may have reciprocal placements within a few days!”

Submitted by Robert Briones, CPC of R.A. Briones & Company regarding his Network split placement with Larry Gallin of Gallin Associates

Position Title—ENGINEERING MANAGER

Fee Percentage—27.5%

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

— — —

“It’s been way too long for Sean and I to go between split placements.  We finally got another one and have a couple more offers pending.  Sean is the ultimate pro.  As usual, the candidate was spot-on, and my clients always interview all of Sean’s candidates.  Thanks again, let’s make a few more now.”

Submitted by Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group, Inc. regarding his Network split placement with Sean Napoles, CPC of Career Brokers, Inc.

Position Title—SOFTWARE ENGINEER – PROGRESS

Fee Percentage—15%

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