I exclusively use recruiters. My most important filter of whether I should waste my time pursuing a job lead is salary. You hardly ever see salary posted with job posts. I can always find out salary when talking to a recruiter.

"Sorry, you need over 200 karma to create a poll." I still have more points to go :)

No. I try very hard not to use a recruiter, I have done a lot of contract jobs and worked at a few short lived startups. All and all this means I am in the job market a lot. And I find that recruiters take up 80% of my time, and get me 20% of my jobs.

I would and have. I've also used then to fill positions I've got open at my current employer. But in either case you need to have a clear idea of what you are getting.

If you are looking, then are going to try to sell you the positions they have. This can open doors and of course, it's free. But they will never tell you not to take a position.

If you are using a recruiter for a position you have, they want you to hire someone, regardless of how well that person will perform.

Nevertheless, they can automate key parts of looking for a position.

I have used recruiters in the past and have gone direct as well. I've had good experiences with recruiters especially the ones who are knowledgeable.

Generally no. Most companies I've worked at have a no recruiter policy, and many recruiters seem to overstate the relationship they have with a company. On the receiving end, random recruiters using a candidate as a sales pitch often "apply" on the candidates behalf only to discover we won't pay their fees and so they don't tell the client about the position.

Yes.

Most of the time if a recruiter does not come to me with a job in mind, it does not work out. I have had lunches with a lot of recruiters who just want to network and none of them have come back to me with an opportunity. The times working with a recruiter has worked, the recruiter had a job already setup, found me online or through my network, and made the connection that way.

Never have, even when I was contracting I was able to find plenty of work through existing contacts and reputation.

Out of my last five jobs:

Recruiter: 3

Network: 1

Direct: 1

To hire?

no

Vote on answers:

no

yes

Great Karma machine.