Recruiters are people just like everyone.. with desires, hopes, and career issues of their own. They want to do a good job, build a reputation and earn money, and help candidates find the right job for them and make a difference in their lives.

But when they are sitting opposite that desk from you and drilling you with hard questions, they can seem like the enemy. They fact is that they are standing between you and the job you want, and, practically speaking, they are an obstacle to overcome.

Any candidate who has been to many interviews can find them baffling. Some are nice and some are not friendly at all. Who hasn’t left an interview with a recruiter wondering things like “Where did that odd question come from?”, “Does this person really understand the technical question she was putting forward and can she adequately evaluate my response?” , “Why hasn’t he called back when he said he was putting my candidacy forward to the hiring company?”

But however strange recruiter behavior might have seemed to you in the past, like it or not, they are a key element to your jobsearch success. You need them to reach your goal, and that means you need to understand what their job is about, what they are looking for and what they are not, what they like and dislike in a candidate, and what they need to succeed at their jobs. You can help them reach their goals, while they help you to reach yours. Many find that once they win over a recruiter’s heart, the desired job is suddenly much closer.. they will find that perfect role for you.

Author Byline: Karen Burns, Working Girl
Author Website: http://www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com

As if it isn’t bad enough that you are out of work, or needing to make a change, when you are job hunting you also often find yourself on the receiving end of tons of advice, suggestions, ideas, opinions, and comments.

And even criticism.

Criticism can be deflating, but it can also be inspiring. The trick is to learn how to tell which comments are worth taking to heart and which are just off-the-wall fault-finding that has more to do with the critiquer than with you or your work.

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In the life of the jobseeker, there are periods of scarcity and periods of turmoil. When job offers finally come, they seem to come all at once. Perhaps we are blessed with an aura of employability? Whatever the lure, you can leverage the situation to improve whatever offer you finally decide to accept. A couple of things to keep in mind:

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