Top Echelon Network ‘Success Stories’: Greg Downs

So . . . just how can you be successful as a Preferred Member of Top Echelon Network?  What are the keys?  How do you do it?  In this ongoing series in The Pinnacle, we’re going to interview some of the Top Producers in the Network and ask them what they’ve done to achieve success.

Recruiter: Greg Downs

Agency: Downs Associates

Accomplishments within the Network:

Greg is currently ranked #14 in the Network in terms of the top-producing recruiters during the past 12 months.  He’s made two placements in the Network so far in 2010 and three in 2009, and all five of them were split placements.  (To view a complete list of the top-producing recruiters in Top Echelon Network, please visit the Members’ Area.)

Greg’s Keys to Success: Communication and Courtesy

Like many of the Top Producers in the Network, Greg’s success can be traced in part to his reliance on one of the Four Pillars of Top Echelon Network.  That particular pillar is Communication.

Downs is an exporter in Top Echelon of Environmental Health & Safety professionals (80%) and Engineering and Manufacturing professionals (20%).  Downs incorporates another Pillar—Active Participation—into his everyday Network experience.

“One of the things that I try to do is watch job orders,” he said.  “I get an email alert when EH&S job orders are posted to the Network.”

Something else that’s crucial to Downs’s success is his recruiting process in the Network.  Once he sees a job order posted that’s within his specialty, he contacts them, either over the phone or via email—or both—depending upon who the recruiter is.

“I especially call them if it’s somebody I haven’t talked with before,” said Downs.  “I let them know of my specialty, and in a lot of cases, they like my assistance, since not a lot of recruiters focus on EH&S like I do.”

If he doesn’t call first, Downs will email a resume and RDS and then make a follow-up phone call after the job order recruiter has had the chance to review those items.

“In many cases, they respond back immediately,” said Downs.  “They’ll tell me whether what I’ve sent them is good or if they need to see more of this or more of that.  They know what they need to fit their client’s needs.”

The type of communication that Downs practices within the Network is just one piece of the puzzle.  Another is how he communicates with the job order recruiter.

“One of the main things, besides providing the candidate, is providing the same service to that affiliate that you would to a client,” he said.  “I try to give them whatever assistance they need to fill their position.”

According to Downs, expressing interest to the job order recruiter is important, and so is paying attention to details and maintaining contact with that recruiter.

“Sometimes, when recruiters respond to an affiliate, they’ll send one or two resumes, and they think if it works, it works,” said Downs. “If not, no big deal.  I’ll try to continue to supply that affiliate with other candidates and additional resumes.  After all, you know you’re going to need more than one or two candidates.  Sometimes it takes months to fill one of those positions.

“I have to continue to look for good candidates to fill those specific job orders, just like I do when I’m working directly with the company.  It’s the same thing when I’m working with affiliates.”

Of his eight placements in Top Echelon Network to this point, three have been with Karen Akbal-Sturgeon of KLA Industries.

“With my first split with Karen, she happened to find one of my candidates [on the Network],” said Downs.  “She lets me know when she has an opening and asks if I might be able to help her.  I’ve been able to find a candidate that fits her client’s need on more than one occasion.”

Downs lauded Akbal-Sturgeon for the way in which she operates as importer within the Network.

“She does an excellent job and has good rapport with the client,” he said.  “If I send her a candidate that’s close to what she’s looking for, I know she’ll get them in the door [for an interview].  I know that any time and effort I invest on her behalf won’t be wasted.  She’s a great Trading Partner.”

With two Network splits under his belt, Downs is hoping to make more before the end of the year.  He indicated that the market is starting to turn a little and he’s seeing more activity.

“Things are picking up,” said Downs.  “It was pretty rough last year, in all categories of Engineering and Manufacturing.  But it’s slowly picking back up.  I’ve had some things that were close in the last couple of weeks.  I think things are picking back up both in EH&S and overall.”