The Future of the Non-Split Candidate Database in the Network

We’ve received phone calls and emails recently regarding the future of the Non-Split Candidate Database–commonly referred to as the Internet Candidate Pool (ICP).  Some of you have noticed that the ICP is not part of Version 2.0 of the Top Echelon recruiter database software.  That’s because the ICP will soon be discontinued as a service.

Just as many of you are doing as recruiters, we’re evaluating everything that we do and every product and service that we offer.  That evaluation involves a series of questions.  Is the product or service being used?  Is it helping Preferred Members of the Network make placements?  Does the expense to provide and maintain the product or service outweigh the income derived from it?  Does it align with our mission statement?

In regards to the Non-Split Candidate Database, we evaluated whether or not it was being used.  The answer was both yes and no.  Some recruiters were in there all the time running searches, setting up alerts, emailing candidates through the system, copying the candidates to their databases, etc.  Some recruiters ran searches from time to time.  And there were some who rarely–if ever–went in and ran searches.  So we determined that recruiters were running searches, but of all our databases, the Non-Split Candidate Database was being used the least.

Then we looked to see if it was helping the Membership make placements.  Below is a breakdown of the placements reported by Preferred Member recruiters as a result of the ICP during the past five years:

2005–Five (5) placements
2006–Eight (8) placements
2007–Six (6) placements
2008–Five (5) placements
2009–Zero (0) placements
2010 (through 4/30)–One (1) placement

On average, that’s less than five placements per year, or less than 1% of the overall placements reported in Top Echelon Network.  So, is the Non-Split Candidate Database helping Network recruiters make placements?  According to the above numbers, very few.

Next, is it profitable for Top Echelon to keep this service running?  When we analyzed the time, expense, manpower, equipment, space, load, support, software licenses, and liability needed to keep the service running, we determined that the income of the reported placements does not pay for the expense of running and maintaining it.

I realize that some Top Echelon Network recruiters have made placements from this service over the years.  I wish there were more placements being made through this service.  But the bottom line is that the Non-Split Candidate Database is not profitable and hasn’t been for at least the past five years.

For those of you who have called and emailed, I appreciate your concern and comments.  We struggled with this decision.  We had to decide whether it was worth spending the time and money to develop this service in the new platform while it remained unprofitable.  As I said, I wish more placements were reported from the ICP.  That would be the best for everyone.

However, in the final analysis, the number of placements being reported from this service is not enough to justify continuing it.