There are many recruiters in Top Echelon who are enjoying success using the Network’s tools and services.  In this feature, “The Recruiter’s Resume,” we highlight those recruiters, their accomplishments, and their outlook.  If you’d like to nominate somebody for this feature (including yourself), send an email to marketing@topechelon.com.

Vito Chesky

Preferred Member Recruiter:
Vito Chesky

Agency:
ICONSTAFF in Haverhill, Massachusetts

Achievements:
Chesky has made four split placements in Top Echelon within the past 12 months.  He also won the Network’s 2013 New England Regional Award.  Top Echelon recruiters earn regional awards by compiling the most Frequent Placer Program (FPP) points within their respective region during the calendar year.  Ten such awards are handed out each year at the National Convention.

What do you believe have been the keys to your success in Top Echelon Network?
“As an importer, it’s the ability to show a Trading Partner a variety of similar jobs for a given candidate.  If I can show your recruit two or three things, then we’re going to make money.  So I would say writing good job orders and having many excellent clients.”

What value do you believe the Network provides for your firm?
“An army of self-motivated people who are willing to help with our orders.”

Who are the Trading Partners with whom you’ve been working?
“Lately, it has been Gary Silver, Steve Kohn, and Steve Copeland.”

Why do the relationships you have with your Trading Partners work so well?
“I think there are different reasons, but the common theme tends to be trust and focus.  IF the Trading Partners trust that the jobs orders are solid, they tend to focus on them more.  The other is specialization.  Our firm places only Engineers (software or hardware) and Marketing people for technology-based product companies.”

How would you describe the activity level in your niche?
“Frantic.”

What’s the biggest obstacle on your desk right now, either with candidates or with clients?
“The availability of qualified candidates.”

What’s one new recruiting strategy or technique that you’ve implemented in the past year that you wouldn’t mind sharing with other recruiters?
“PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising.”

What advice would you give to a new Preferred Member recruiter just starting out?
“Call people, speak with them, and develop a relationship with Trading Partners that is not just transactional, but genuine.”

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(Matt Deutsch is the Chief Marketing and Content Officer at Top Echelon.)

Up next in our Top Producers series of posts in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog is a relatively new Network recruiter who has been generating momentum over the past year.

That recruiter is Catherine Bateman of Woods & Paolino Recruiting Solutions, and the momentum she’s generating has been based on the basics of Network Membership,

Catherine Bateman

the fundamentals that every Network recruiter should practice.

Specifically, those basics are Quality and Communication, which just happen to be two of the Four Pillars of Top Echelon Network.

By mastering the fundamentals, Bateman has made four Network split placements in the past seven months, and she’s put herself in a great position to make even more placements in the future.

And THAT is why Quality and Communication are important: because Trading Partner relationships that exhibit these two Pillars are more likely to produce split placements.  Sure, they represent an investment of time and energy, but as you can see, it’s an investment can bring with it a tremendous (financial) return . . .

— — —

What have been the keys to your success in Top Echelon Network?

“The key so far has been finding the right people with whom to work.  I guess success is relative.  I hope to be much more successful going forward.”

What value do you believe the Network provides for your firm?

“Networking between importers and exporters is very valuable.  Since we are primarily exporters at Woods and Paolino Recruiting solutions, [Top Echelon] is our main source of jobs for our candidates.”

Who are the Trading Partners you’ve been working with?

“Paul Johnson, Rob Spaulding, Bob Gabor, and Michael Stuck are some of my favorites.”

Why do the relationships you have with your Trading Partners work so well?

“They are professional and excellent at communication.  They all collaborate to be sure their clients get the best candidates.  I don’t always get the placement, but I do leave the process on their JOs knowing they and I worked together.”

How would you describe the activity level in your niche?  (Bateman places Sales & Marketing and Retail Management professionals, among others.)

“Low.  Although I have experience in a number of areas, I enjoy the Sales & Marketing roles.”

What advice would you give to a new Preferred Member recruiter just starting out?

“Spend time on the front end of working a job order.  Look at the placement history of the importer, the number of job orders they have posted, and call and email them to be sure they communicate.

“In my opinion, success will come from the quality of the Trading Partner over the quality of the job order presented.”

Recruiter Ron Sunshine’s encore performance in Top Echelon Network has become a highly successful one.

Sunshine of Ron Sunshine Associates was once a Preferred Member of the Network back when it was called Nationwide Interchange Services (NIS).  He rejoined in August of 2007, and since then he’s been slowly building momentum.

Ron Sunshine

That momentum culminated with seven Network split placements in 2012.  So far in 2013, Sunshine has made four split placements, putting him squarely on pace to enjoying his best year in Top Echelon since returning nearly six years ago.

Needless to say, we’re glad that Sunshine is back in the fold, and his success is just one reason that we wanted to feature him in our “Recruiter’s Resume” segment in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.

Another reason is that he’s been in the recruiting business for over 30 years.  He’s compiled an impressive amount of recruiting experience, knowledge, and wisdom during that time, all of which we’d like to tap into . . .

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What have been the keys to your success in Top Echelon Network?

“The people who are successful are the people who work the Network.  I’m usually a job order recruiter, but if I see a job posted that I know I have somebody for, I’ll send that person out.  But I post every job [to the Network] as soon as I get it!  People call me for information about the job, and that’s been the key to my success.”

Who are the Trading Partners you’ve been working with?

“I’ve worked with and are working with Bob Gabor, Ken Nunley, Eric Berg, David Smith, Art Rogrove, Chris Ramsay, Frank Gregg, and some others.  I’ve developed relationships with these people beyond just ‘tell me about the candidate and send me the resume.’  I know them as people, and I’ve let them know me as a person.  I’m not calling an affiliate, I’m calling a friend, and that’s why it works.  I’ve made a lot of friends in the Network.

“Develop relationships and it will come.  Don’t be afraid to put your jobs or candidates on [the Network].  You have to trust in the system.  A lot of people look at it sideways, like they’re going to get screwed.  Every day, when Wal-Mart opens its doors, somebody walks out with a hair dryer or something else.  People are people.  Don’t let that 1% taint your relationship with the other 99%.  You have to trust the people you work with.”

How would you describe the activity level in your niche?  (Sunshine places Manufacturing and Engineering professionals.)

“My niche is going very well.  It’s come back.  This is my 33rd year in recruiting.  I’ve been through five recessions, and this one was by far the worst one.”

What are your goals for future production in the Network?

“I just want to keep it going.  I had a good year [in 2012].  I don’t look at the size of the check, I just look at the check.  I know it’s going to even out in the end.  A $10,000 split placement is as dear to me as a $17,000 non-split placement.  The money will be there; you just have to keep working the system.”

What other advice would you give to a new Preferred Member recruiter just starting out?

“You have to stick to the basics: plan your day, get on the phone, and speak to people.  Action begats action, and that leads to placements.

“When I started in this business, Tony Bruno was the corporate trainer for the firm I worked for, Professional Career Development.  He also lived down the block from me, and we became good friends.  Tony taught me the fundamentals of the business, and every time I try to get fancy or find a shortcut that goes against what I learned 33 years ago, I fall on my butt.”

It might be an understatement to say that Top Echelon Network recruiter Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group, Inc. is on a roll.

Stuck was named the Recruiter of the Month in the Network for the month of March.  For another, he’s made nine split placements in the Network already in 2013.  For yet another, he’s currently ranked fourth in the Network in terms of overall production during the past 12 months.

Stuck joined Top Echelon as a Preferred Member recruiter in 2004, but his Network production has grown by leaps and bounds during the past couple of years.  Consequently, we wanted to feature him in our “Recruiter’s Resume” segment in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog . . . so we are!

We asked Stuck some questions, and he was gracious enough to answer them.  So thanks and congratulations go to Michael Stuck.  May he make at least nine more Network split placements during the rest of 2013!

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What have been the keys to your success in Top Echelon Network?

“My keys to success are really simple.  I have found a few key Trading Partners I can trust to provide me with candidates who match what my client is looking for, and when I receive their candidates, I typically look at them quickly and get them right over to my client for review.

“I basically look at my Top Echelon Trading Partners as an extension of my firm, Gables Search Group.  So when I receive a candidate from a Trading Partner, I view it as if it were one of my own recruiters submitting the candidate, and I trust them the same as my own recruiters.  This makes the recruiting process run quickly and efficiently, and it allows for more submittals of good, quality candidates for my clients.”

Who are the Trading Partners you’ve been working with?

“I have worked with a number of quality Trading Partners with in Top Echelon.  There really are too many of them to mention here, but lately I have worked closely with and made placements with Sean Napoles, Mario Linale, Harry Anderson, Bill Law, Steve Strickland, Kevin Bautista, Trey Cameron, and Laurie Gillespie.

“Others who I’m currently working with, but we haven’t quite made a placement are Angela Marasco, Dave Sgro, Bob Small, Kristy Bellingham-Jones, Catherine Bateman, Justin Bidwell, Matt Dahm, Brenda Richardson, and Colleen Switala.  Other talented recruiters in Top Echelon I have worked with in the past, but not recently include Maria Hemminger, Joanna Spaun, and Jim Folger.  While I haven’t made a placement with any of them to date, I’m confident that one day I will.  That’s the beauty of TE.”

How would you describe the activity level in your niche?

“While we place in a few niches, our hottest niche right now is Information Technology, and the activity has been superb in the first quarter.  It goes back to last year, when it really starting picking up from about July through October.  It slowed down somewhat in November and December, but has been non-stop during the first quarter of 2013.”

What are your goals for future production in the Network?

“My goals are to continue the upward movement I’ve had lately in the Network and to catch Maria Hemminger for third place overall before the year is out.”

What advice would you give to a new Preferred Member just starting out?

“I have given advice to Mario Linale and a few other new Members in the past and love to help lead them in the right direction.  I tell each of them to make sure they research who works their niche and then actually call that Member and introduce themselves and see how they can help, as opposed to just sending an email.

“I also highly recommend attending the Top Echelon conventions.  I attended my first one in Nashville back in 2004 or 2005 when we first joined the Network, and I haven’t missed too many since then.  I’m attending the convention in Florida this month and can’t wait.  I’ve found that you do create lasting relationships at these conventions, and whether you’re making splits with the Members you meet or not, it makes the Membership in TE seem more ‘real’ and worthwhile.”

There are many recruiters in Top Echelon who are enjoying success using the Network’s tools and services.  In this feature, “The Recruiter’s Resume,” we’re going to highlight those recruiters, their accomplishments, and how they’ve been successful.

If you’d like to nominate somebody for this feature (including yourself), send an email to marketing@TopEchelon.com.

Preferred Member recruiter:

Russ Schutt, CSP of Progressive Executive, Inc. in Concord, Ohio

Schutt’s Network Accomplishments:

Schutt has made a total of 24 placements in Top Echelon Network, seven so far in 2011.  He earned the “Recruiter of the Month” award for the month of July, and he also recently ascended to the number-one spot in the Network in terms of overall production.  He’s currently ranked fourth on that list.

Schutt’s Keys to Success in the Network:

“I post all of my jobs and I look at other people’s candidates that are in the Network.  Also, I have open communication with other recruiters as much as possible.  When I don’t have job orders, I look at other people’s job openings and see if my industry specialty or candidates would fit them.  That’s led to quite a few placements.

“I also participate in the Virtual Core Group meetings and Regional Core Group meetings like the annual Ohio Golf Outing.  Last November, I attended the Top Echelon [Network regional conference] in Columbus, where I met a lot of recruiters.  I’m not purely an importer or exporter.  I do both.”

Schutt’s Trading Partners:

Steve Kohn of Affinity Executive Search; Jim Strickland of BioSource International; Scott Riffle, CPC of SJR & Associates; and Larry Gallin of Gallin Associates, among others.

Schutt’s Goals for Future Production in the Network:

“I’ve had good success in the Network, and I plan to keep working it.  My goal is to make multiple split placements with my Trading Partners, and I’ve already done that with some of them.  I think that once you make one split, the potential is always there to make more.”

Schutt’s Advice to Other Preferred Members:

“There’s some trial and error involved.  You have to identify people in your niche and reach out to them.  Maybe they can help you, or maybe you can help them.  One of the ways to find somebody is with the ‘Who Works What’ tool, which I’ve used.”

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Remember, if you’d like to nominate somebody for this feature, send an email to marketing@TopEchelon.com.

There are many recruiters in Top Echelon who are enjoying success using the Network’s tools and services.  In this feature, “The Recruiter’s Resume,” we’re going to highlight those recruiters, their accomplishments, and how they’ve been successful.

If you’d like to nominate somebody for this feature (including yourself), send an email to marketing@TopEchelon.com.

Preferred Member:

Glenda Smith of MetalJobs Network in Eastwood, Kentucky

Network Accomplishments:

Smith has made a total of 69 placements in Top Echelon Network since becoming a Preferred Member recruiter, four in 2010.

Glenda’s Keys to Success in Top Echelon Network:

“Staying in touch with recruiters who may have candidates who work my specialty.”

Glenda’s Trading Partners:

“Jeff Ploeger, Janiece Durham, Mike Helffrich, Dave Wick, Bob Millman, and a host of others with whom I stay in touch.”

The Activity Level in Glenda’s Niche (Technical and Professional Manufacturing):

“This year has been a great surprise. The activity level is excellent and it seems it will continue into the new year. Yippee!”

Glenda’s Goals for Future Production in the Network:

“Obviously, I’d like to make more splits. But since the niche I work is very small (manufacturing aluminum extrusions), odds are that the splits I do make will be the unusual ones – the ones where another TE recruiter needs a special candidate with a metals background – something that is outside their own area or when I need a candidate who is outside my area of expertise. I make it a rule to always check the split candidate database for the right candidate before I conduct additional searches.”

Glenda’s Advice:

“Don’t be afraid of picking up the phone and calling any TE recruiter for advice, to get feedback or just to discuss if a concern you have is valid. TE is chock full of the BEST kind of people – recruiters who want YOU to succeed as much as you do. They are always willing to help you in any situation.

“The other thing I’d say is to utilize fully the skills and experience of other TE’ers. That includes using them as your ‘back-office.’  In our TE family, we have experts in all areas of industry and careers, including accounting, construction, plastics, in recruiting doctors, in working with the government, in engineering, in IT and certainly in metals, just to name a few.”

There are many recruiters in Top Echelon who are enjoying success using the Network’s tools and services.  In this feature, “The Recruiter’s Resume,” we’re going to highlight those recruiters, their accomplishments, and how they’ve been successful.

If you’d like to nominate somebody for this feature (including yourself), send an email to marketing@TopEchelon.com.

Preferred Member:

Matt Scheihing of J. Miles Personnel Services in Springfield, Missouri

Network Accomplishments:

Since J. Miles Personnel Services joined Top Echelon’s recruiter network as a Preferred Member firm in February of 2010, Scheihing has made four placements, all of them split placements.  (He also currently has an offer accepted with Dan Simmons of Continental Search & Outplacement, Inc.)

Matt’s Keys to Success in Top Echelon Network:

“We’ve been the supplier and placer an equal number of times, and communication with other Top Echelon Network Trading Partners has been key.  Letting them know what we have that’s really hot and also sharing solid candidates with the Network has also been important.”

Matt’s Trading Partners:

“We’re enthused that of the four splits since we joined Top Echelon Network earlier this year, we’ve worked with three different Trading Partners.”  (John Zurek of Zurek Professional Resources, LLC; Jacquelyn Zajac of ETSI Personnel; and Josie Erent of Talented Minds)

The Activity Level in Matt’s Niche (Technical and Professional Manufacturing):

“The activity level is definitely increasing.  We’re experiencing more job orders being released and candidates are receiving multiple offers.”

Matt’s Goals for Future Production in the Network:

“I will be one of the Top 12 Top-Producing Recruiters in 2011.”

Matt’s Advice:

“I believe it’s critical to locate TE Trading Partners you can work well with.  Finding Partners who I can communicate with and who understand my niche and/or requirements has been key.  In order to accomplish this, you must talk to the other Members to determine who’s a good fit, so pick up the phone and start meeting the people who want to help you.”

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