[JeremyD]

Ask the same questions that you would ask an employer. You want to find someone who will work hard on your behalf, that listens to what your goals and aspirations are and applies them. Some headhunters are just in it for the one time fee - some are in it for the long term, repeat business. IMHO, the long term repeat business folks are the only ones that will survive. Ask em if they still keep in touch with their placements. Ask em if they have a 90 day follow up on employees and employers. The smart ones will do both. Ask em what their success rate is after 180 days, 1 year, 2 year? The good ones will know.

I think you will find that some headhunters service specific industries well - those are the ones I would target. You find that information by calling HR at the companies you want to target and find out what agency they use. Then apply to that agency.

In this market I think you need a four pronged attack.

1st Prong consists of local resources - craigslist, newspaper, local resources.

2nd Prong consists of networking - both social and business - linked in, facebook, myspace, twitter, etc. many jobs these days are being filled by people someone knows - they don't even get on the radar.

3rd Prong is the Agency end - either temporary or headhunter. Some companies still will use to do the prescreening - it saves them time and money. Again - look at the resources, locally for horizontal markets, nationally for vertical markets

4th Prong is Internet and job resources that I posted above. You feel like a whore, but throw all your information out there. If you don't - you won't be considered - and in this day and age it would sure suck not to be considered because you withheld info.