Good recruiters are a rare breed, but they do exist. You always have to remember that recruiters are middlemen and their ultimate goal is to get paid to place.

Good recruiters are a rare breed, but they do exist. You always have to remember that recruiters are middlemen and their ultimate goal is to get paid to place. Somethings I generally look out for are who are this recruiters clients and how senior they are. The recruiting industry has very high turnover and most people don't last very long. If you're dealing with a recruiter who's been doing it for years, chances are they are doing something right. Finally, see if the recruiter is focused on the industry or even better a niche (selling specific set of skills) or just recruiting generally.