The newest breed of professional recruiter, they earn fees when employers hire professionals, managers and executives on an interim basis. The executive search firms account for fewer than 10,000 placements per month on a national scale. Furthermore, in the U.S. fewer than a dozen firms control the majority of the business. Mid-level recruiters have been playing an increasingly important role. Besides specializing by industry, many specialize in accounting, data processing or sales and while some are national franchise organizations, there are many local firms which can be helpful to you.
Recruiters are articulate professionals who have a broad knowledge of business.
While the market they represent is limited, it will pay you to develop relationships with those you respect and to maintain them throughout your career. When they are retained by a corporation for a search, recruiters will often help management determine the type of individual they are looking for, and they may even play a role in setting up job specifications. This consulting role is one reason why leading firms command substantial fees. Certain recruiters enjoy considerable prestige, often working only on select high-level assignments. However, there are many very fine smaller firms who specialize in either a single industry or several industries or disciplines.