Dear CareerBabe:

Please tell me what recruiters are looking for? I don't know if or when I should use someone else in my job search!

Dear Savvy:

Your question is asked quite often. Reputable recruiters are usually paid by the employer. Recruiters make money because they are paid fees by companies seeking experienced help with VERY specific skills and experience.

To see if you are someone a recruiter would be interested in representing, try answering thee questions. If you answer "no," then most likely a recruiter will NOT be interested in representing you.

1. Do you have top skills and top experience in your field? (Recruiters like to work with top level candidates.)
2. Are you making too much money? Too little? (Too much means you might be overpaid and have few places to go to and too little means you might not be a sought-after employee.)
3. Are you relocatable? (If not, are you with your current company for more than 10 years? Do you own a house in an area where houses are hard to sell? Do you have a working spouse who would easily not find a job in the new location?)
4. Are your expectations realistic? (Is there anything about your current package that would make you difficult to represent?)

Overall, just remember this Catch-22: If you are at the top of your game in your field, a recruiter will WANT to represent you, but then you might not need a recruiter. If you are in the lowest 50% of your field, YOU might need the recruiter, but the recruiter will not be able to place or represent you. Sounds like a CATCH-22, n'est-ce pas?