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Step 1
A recruiter's whole life revolves around matching the right people to the right jobs at the right companies. When you post your resume online and are contacted by one, or you seek out a recruiter on your own, you should have a good idea of what your dream job is like. This involves things such as the job description, compensation, company culture, benefits, etc. If you don't know what you want out of your next job, a recruiter will just try to stick you wherever a position is open.
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Step 2
When you speak to the recruiter ask him who his clients are and what kind of relationships he has with them. If he does not work with any companies you are interested in you should consider seeking out another recruiter.
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Step 3
Another question to ask a recruiter is if he has direct contact to the hiring manager or if he is working through a Vendor Management System, or VMS as it is known in the industry. A good recruiter will have a direct line to the manager while a bad/lazy recruiter will simply submit your resume through the VMS where it will end up with dozens of other applicants.
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Step 4
Once you have established that the recruiter you are speaking with is credible and competent with good connections, you should ask him if he has any open jobs that fit your description. Anytime your recruiter contacts you with an open position you should ask these questions:
"How long has this position been open?" If a position remains open for a long time it can mean that either the company is not serious about hiring or the recruiters do not understand what the client is looking for because they don't have a good relationship with the manager.
"Is this an exclusive?" and if not "How many recruiters / recruiting companies are working on this?" An exclusive position means that only one recruiter or agency, in this case yours, knows about the position. This is ideal as you will be a serious candidate immediately. If a position has more than 6 agencies working on it you will likely be one among 10-15 candidates presented for the position. -
Step 5
Make sure you know and agree with all the details about a position before you let your recruiter submit your resume. If you would not be willing to accept the job then don't apply for it. If you back out on an offer or an interview request, not only will it make the recruiter look bad to his client, you will also lose all credibility with your recruiter and all his recruiter friends (this is not good for you).
