What It Looks Like to Be a TE Network Member

Joining Top Echelon (TE) Network is more than just becoming part of a recruiting community; it’s about engaging in a dynamic system designed to maximize efficiency, collaboration, and success in the recruiting world.

In this article, I will explore in detail what it truly looks like to be a member of TE Network—the tools you use, the connections you make, and the protocols that support your work.

A Platform Designed for Recruiters

From the moment you log into the TE Network dashboard, you’re greeted with live data about the jobs currently shared in the Network.

This is not a static listing—every job has a lifespan of 90 days to ensure that the listings remain relevant and fresh. If a job isn’t refreshed within that time, it’s removed, streamlining your search experience and keeping your workflow focused on real-time opportunities.

Another powerful element of the platform is the Network Candidates Database (formerly the MEGA Database), housing more than 7 million searchable candidates. The system is designed to make sharing and accessing candidates as frictionless as possible.

For recruiters, this is very valuable. You’re not just working in isolation; you’re instantly connected to a vast pool of potential placements, all indexed and ready to support your current client needs.

Uploading and Sharing Candidates

The process of getting your candidates into the TE system is efficient and user-friendly. By uploading resumes in bulk (e.g., a ZIP folder of resumes), you can quickly populate your database. These resumes are parsed, and key information such as work history and skills is extracted automatically.

Importantly, when you share candidates to TE Network, sensitive information such as names and contact details is redacted. This ensures privacy and intellectual property protection while still providing enough data for other recruiters to evaluate potential matches.

Searching for Candidates

When searching for candidates, you can apply filters to narrow your results—location, skills, job titles, and even resume age.

For example, if you’re looking for a software developer in New York with experience in object-oriented programming and C++, you can define those criteria and retrieve relevant matches. Previewing these candidates gives you a glimpse of their experience and extracted skills without revealing full identities.

When you find candidates who seem like a fit, you can request them for the jobs you’re working. This creates a seamless workflow where collaboration and mutual benefit are at the core. You can request up to 100 candidates at once, further saving you time.

Engaging with Jobs

If you’re on the other side and looking for jobs to fill, TE Network makes it easy to search jobs shared across the Network.

You can filter by industry, function, or specific keywords (e.g., manufacturing roles involving Six Sigma or lean methodologies). Each job listing includes a preview card that offers essential information about the role, helping you determine whether it’s a fit for your expertise.

Once you identify a suitable job, you can submit your candidate through the platform. However, success in TE Network often goes beyond just clicking “submit.”

It’s about building relationships with the job owners. This brings us to one of the most vital aspects of being a TE Network member: collaboration.

Building Partnerships and Trust

In TE Network, submitting a candidate to a job is just the start. The real foundation of the network lies in human relationships.

Before sending a candidate, it’s encouraged that you reach out directly to the job recruiter. Give them a call, understand their expectations, and introduce yourself as a potential partner.

These connections, nurtured over time, become long-term professional relationships that often result in repeated, mutually profitable placements. And that’s the key: TE Network members succeed by playing the long game.

Automated Alerts and Notifications

To help members stay ahead of the curve, TE Network allows you to create custom alerts for job searches. Once you’ve defined your criteria, the system will notify you whenever a new job matching those parameters enters the network.

These alerts come via email, notifications on your jobs page, and within the platform interface. It’s a smart system that works for you, even when you’re not actively logged in.

Ground Rules and Professional Conduct

Being part of TE Network also means adhering to a well-established set of policies. These protocols, refined over 37 years, are the ethical and operational backbone of the Network. They outline how members should engage with each other, handle candidates, and manage communication.

A particularly important principle is the “But-For Rule,” which asks: “But for what action did this engagement occur?” This rule helps resolve disputes by identifying the cause-and-effect chain that led to an action (e.g., a candidate submission or client interest).

The policies are not restrictive; they’re empowering. They create a level playing field and help build a culture of transparency, trust, and cooperation.

Community Interaction

Top Echelon isn’t just a database—it’s a community. Members interact through discussion forums where they can share hot jobs, request contract templates, or seek advice. Whether it’s sharing insights about industry shifts or troubleshooting an issue, members actively help one another.

This collaboration is built upon mutual respect and a shared goal: making quality placements. The platform’s very structure encourages members to become active contributors, not just passive users.

Core Values of TE Network

At the heart of everything are The Four Pillars of TE Network:

1. Trust – Fundamental to any partnership. TE Network builds trust through transparency and accountability.
2. Communication – Open, honest dialogue between recruiters is encouraged at every step.
3. Quality – From candidates to job descriptions, quality is a non-negotiable standard.
4. Active Participation – The most successful members are those who regularly engage with the platform, their peers, and the broader community.

These values aren’t just slogans—they’re reflected in the design of the platform, the policies that govern behavior, and the community ethos that drives the network.

TE Network: More Than Just Software

Being a TE Network member means being part of a collaborative ecosystem where technology meets human connection.

It’s a platform that enables you to work smarter by giving you access to millions of candidates and thousands of jobs. But more importantly, it’s a place where relationships are formed, knowledge is shared, and mutual success is celebrated.

Whether you’re uploading candidates, searching for jobs, reaching out to a fellow recruiter, or participating in a training session, everything you do in TE Network contributes to a greater whole. It’s not just about making a placement; it’s about building a career alongside peers who share your drive, integrity, and vision.

Top Echelon is more than a tool. It’s a team. And when you become a member, you’re not just gaining access—you’re gaining allies.

If you have any questions, please contact me by calling 330.595.1742 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.