Everyone has special talents that employers and recruiters can benefit from. However, just like any good product can sell better if it has an advertising campaign, you can increase your chances of finding the job you want if you advertise yourself to recruiters by calling some in your area. Recruiters, also known as Headhunters, are people whose business is based on "selling" candidates to employers. Recruiters are a good channel to use because they already have relationships with employers, and they have a financial incentive to help you land a job if they could see you fitting in with one of their clients. For a recruiter to get you placed with a company, they will often need to "pitch" you to their client. You can help make their job easier by coming up with some of the key elements they could use in that pitch. If you have an interesting story to tell about where you're going and how your past experiences tie in, that is something that can get both recruiters and the direct employers excited.

Recruiters want to hear about the interesting things that make you unique because that helps them pitch you to their clients. If you're just starting out on a job search, contacting recruiters who specialize in your field and meeting with them is a great way to get a feel for your marketability. Recruiting is a people business so I'd suggest meeting with recruiters in person if possible. If a recruiter has met you in person, they'll be more likely to think of you if a client has a position you could be good for. If you contact a recruiter over the phone or by e-mail and they say they don't have any positions for you right now, ask if they might have some in the future. If they think they would, you might suggest meeting in person now so that they'll have already interviewed you if a position opens up. That makes them better prepared for possible client needs and gives you an edge over potential competition.

A good place to go to find local recruiters is Recruiters Online at http://www.RecruitersOnline.com. This site provides a search feature where you can find recruiters in your area and in your field. We have also found a service that will email your resume to thousands of recruiters and employers in your industry for a fee. Because job searching is partially a numbers game, using a resume emailing service is another method that can increase your chances of success. Check out www.ResumeArrow.com to find out about how you can email your resume directly to thousands of recruiters in your area.