As someone who is also looking for a job, I have heard mixed reviews about recruiters and I am hesitant to get in contact with them. Any advice would be helpful.

Once in a while requiters have a random chance of luck but most of the time they have no clue what talent is.

As a job seeker, I mostly found them to be annoying middlemen. They post vague job descriptions and refuse to reveal the company the job is for. They have to hide the company name because if they didn’t, job seekers would contact the company directly and go around them. The problem is that I need to know who the company is to have a good idea of who I would be working for and what I would be working on. With a recruiter in the way, you have to get to the point of having a scheduled interview to find that out.

They are another reason why every professional should keep professional networking in the back of his mind. You probably went to school with people who work in your field. You’ve worked with them at at least one company. You can meet more through local meet‐up groups and friends of friends. Make a habit of making friends with other people who do what you do. Keep in touch with them. 3 years from now, when you realize your current employer is unable or unwilling to offer a decent raise, or the job is going sour, you can check in with your network for a list of other companies you could work for, or even a recommendation for a job.

I did deal with a recruiter to get one job though. They hid the employer’s name until the interview, as usual, but they coached me before the interview and I got the job. The funny thing is they started contacting me about two years later about opportunities at other companies. I think that’s why the company they placed me at fired them. It was interesting to have a recruiter I could contact to find something new, but it’s not as good as having my own personal network. People you know will tell you anything that might help. A recruiter only wants to fill one of his current leads and won’t talk about anything else.

I think they can be be good if you don't use them exclusively. . My experience is you can't rely on them for filtering either companies or candidates naturally. You have to be very explicit about what you will accept and willing to say no a lot if they can't give you information. They will often negotiate on your behalf which can be useful since they frequently have a relationship with a company already. They often get information about openings early as well. They work best when you are picky and you treat the relationship like they are working for you.