Recruiters as in independent agents that contact you or help you find jobs? not that there's anything wrong with them, but I tend to apply directly to companies

Recruiters as in independent agents that contact you or help you find jobs? not that there's anything wrong with them, but I tend to apply directly to companies and search Linkedin, other (professional) social networks or ask friends about openings. Some recruiters will cheat you into applying to positions you don't want, but you are responsible to ask your interviewers the right questions. Recruiters can sometimes help negotiating better terms or solve conflicts, so not all are worthless.