Recruiting agencies provide a broad selection of options for professionals searching for new career opportunities. While primarily used by companies seeking new personnel, recruiters can be tapped by job-seeking professionals for their in-depth knowledge of the current job market and their contacts at companies that are hiring.

"Using a recruiter during a job search offers maximum exposure due to the agency's wide network of corporate contact." says Ted Collins, purchasing manager. However, he warns, "Selecting quality in a recruiter is always important. The only disadvantage in working with a recruiter is choosing the wrong agency."

As an initial liaison, recruiting agencies offer insight to both employers and potential employees. They represent both sides of the employer-employee relationship. On one hand, they pre-qualify potential employers for a candidate. At the same time, they protect a company's interests.

Mark Babb, a materials manager who has used recruiting agencies to seek employment says, "Recruiters have insight an applicant won't have without asking questions that can not be asked. Recruiters prepare applications for interviews with specific information about a company's interviewing style, a hiring manager's previous inputs regarding a candidate's strengths and weaknesses and areas where the candidate's resume is particularly attractive or weak to the hiring company or manager. This is a win/win activity, as the recruiter can help the applicant play to their strengths vis-a-vis the employer's needs."

Efficiency is another factor motivating professionals to employ recruiting agencies as a career resource. Says Babb: "Recruiters help provide a focused and targeted application process. The applicant's resume is sent to companies that meet geographic, salary, skill set, advancement, quality of life and work-environment needs better than simply answering advertisements that meet some of those needs. The process saves the applicant time in terms of not having to do tedious research about potential employers, their environment and mind set."