> I'm confused. Is there some aspect about a person being laid off that makes them more/less desirable that they need a specific service to help them find a new

> I'm confused. Is there some aspect about a person being laid off that makes them more/less desirable that they need a specific service to help them find a new job? Yes. There are stigmas. People solve this by just having their perpetual consulting company on their resume, or put back on their resume when convenient. There is bargaining power when you can feign disinterest, as in you're 'open to opportunities' but not 'looking for a job I'll start next week' like a new college grad. Less relevant for engineers in this job market but not irrelevant. > Also seeing a trend of niche job websites popping up... Fragmentation in this industry seems counterproductive. But that buyout isn't counterproductive. Also recruiters either earn a tiny referral bonus or like 20% of the agreed upon salary. The company doesn't pay it from the employee's salary, they just pay that additional amount equivalent to what 20% of the salary is.