Finding a job can be a daunting task – clicking “apply” and submitting your resume and cover letter, and hoping that you will hear back. So why navigate the job search alone? Why not enlist some support to help you land the job of your dreams? Utilizing a recruiter can help, as they know the industry and have relationships with their clients and know what they want and need. 

Rather than you wasting your time and energy wading through job sites and submitting your resume into a black hole, a recruiter brings relevant jobs to you. By developing a good relationship with the right recruiter — who will get to know you, your career aspirations, personality and skills — they will recognize companies and positions that would be a perfect fit. Even if you don’t get the first job you apply for, they will be able to keep you in mind for other positions that fit your experience and skill set.

While there’s plenty of open jobs floating around on job boards, there are some companies who don’t post their opportunities publicly, but rather hire exclusively through recruiters. If you aren’t working with a recruiter, you will never know about these positions – one of which may be your dream job.

Recruiting firms have very close relationships with hiring managers, and oftentimes we will hear NPAworldwide members report that they placed a candidate by sending a resume to their client even if the client doesn’t have a specific opening — they know their clients and the type of talent they covet, and companies are often open to “creating” a position for the top talent that they don’t want to miss out on.

If you build a good relationship with a recruiter and there is a position that looks like a good fit, a recruiter can often help provide guidance on your CV/resume (such as suggesting relevant keywords to include), as well helping prepare you for interviews. A good recruiter will provide you with support and feedback.

Once you have found a recruiter that fits what you are looking for, it is key to build a mutually beneficial relationship – making it more likely you will recommend the recruitment agency to others, use them if you wish to change jobs, or ultimately you may use them to recruit new staff at the company you are with.

Many candidates are turning to recruitment agencies to help take the stress and time obligations away from the job search equation and leaving you better able to prepare for landing your dream job.

This article first appeared on NPAworldwide.