1. Find the passive jobs!
Often times recruiting firms and hiring companies will not go straight to the job board route due to time constraints and costs. They will not only source candidates internally but will make a quick call to a recruiter to see who is actively searching right now, or who is “keeping and eye out” for the right job.

2. Break into a company that you have been targeting
A professional recruiter will have contacts with the top employers as well as those that are in dire need. A recruiter will be your insider who can find the jobs by going directly to the source.

3. See what is going on behind the curtain
A good recruiter will have valuable insight into a companies culture, hiring trends, and financial strengths in order to make good placements. They will also give you guidance as to who you are meeting, what are key qualifications, how to get the offer, and assist with interview feedback and even salary negotiations.

4. Protect your current job
In today’s connected world employers have searches set up to not only see which candidates they may want to hire, but also for who may be thinking of leaving their own company! Having a third party doing the search will protect your privacy.

5. Step out of the herd
Swarms of people put themselves out on job boards and hope an employer will see them. A recruiter will be proactive and make calls on your behalf making a candidate stand out from the rest.

6. Simplify
A recruiter working on your behalf will help you manage your schedule and interviews, track your resume, and help in keeping the job search organized. It can be a full time job on its own.

7. Be “the one”
Hiring managers hope for "exclusive" candidates. When they receive a resume through a job board, or through several recruiting agencies their impression is that the candidate may be one of many and perceive lesser value.

8. Control your personal information
There are many stories of posted resumes pulled from job boards being sent into job listings without permission. There are even unethical agencies that send first, ask later. A professional recruiter should always get your permission before sending your information to anyone.

9. Would you go into surgery without a surgeon?
A professional recruiter will be an expert in resume preparation, interviewing skills, negotiating, salary evaluation, and the competitive landscape. Having a recruiter in your corner will build your arsenal for this challenging process.

10. People helping people for free
Recruiters are paid by employers to handle the many hours of sourcing and recruiting qualified candidates. But recruiters cannot find jobs for every candidate and thus do not earn a fee for all of their work. Yet they will bring a personal, hands on approach to one of the most important decisions a person can make, their livelihood. Why leave that in the hands of a computer program?

Clearly we are in favor of working with a recruiter. And job boards can and do have a good purpose. But relying on a job board exclusively to find a job in today's world is not only not recommended, but lazy. Your job is a big part of your life. Give it the professional attention it deserves.

Noel Cocca - RecruitingDaily.com