Re:Don't Provide Your References to a Recruiter Until After ...
by tragic on Thursday June 28, 2018 @02:16AM
(#17414498)
It's very helpful, yes, for your third or fourth job. People fresh out of school - or going into a career change, or moving to a new city - typically do not have much of a 'professional network', at least of any relevance.
I've had good experiences and bad with recruiters - the bad ones, fortunately, from the employer's side of the table, although they can't have been good for the candidates in that case either.
Maybe not exclusively, but having a strong network is one of (if not the) best ways to stay gainfully employed. The best jobs I’ve had were found through former coworkers, friends from conferences, or folks I’ve corresponded with on technical issues. Knowing and being respected by someone internal to a company typically bypasses the first two or three interview steps, insulates you from petty interviewers to a large degree, and overall greases the hiring wheels. Keeping in touch with former coworkers and cultivating friendships through conferences pays off tremendously!