Here are five tips to know you are dealing with a good one:

1. He or she handles several large accounts.
There are two keywords in here: “many” and “huge businesses.” The former means the headhunter has a much higher chance of assigning you to a job that fits your experience as well as your preferred job description. The second is pretty obvious. If given a choice, you would surely want to work with companies that are more stable and, as much as possible, multinational. There are several positions you can fill in, there is always room for growth, and there’s a good chance the salary and benefits are superb.

2. Find someone who deals with your expertise.
Contrary to popular belief, headhunters do not really deal with you. They are working for employers or companies that are searching for someone like you. Because the demands of these bosses differ depending on the industry or the need, some headhunters tend to specialize. This way, they can recommend the best people for the job.

So if you say you are a marketing expert, go for those that are working for business executives, marketing companies, and enterprise directors.

3. Seek them in fairs.
Here is one good thing about joining expos and fairs: you could meet headhunters. Usually, these are the ones who need countless talents to build their pool of candidates. They can screen you right away. Seeing them in these events also mean they are dependable. Only the serious ones are willing to spend money to look for people at job expos and fairs.

4. Skip Craigslist.
The most reputable headhunters completely understand the importance of making a good impression to their clients (again, this is not you). How can they bring in business if they are nowhere to be found online except on Craigslist and perhaps some message boards? They have to get rid of any shadow of doubt, and the only way to do that is to set up their own website. Their site contains plenty of details about them, especially what they do, the kinds of people they are dealing with, and their list of services. You may also be able to read a couple (or more) of testimonials.

We are not saying Craigslist is not good. You can definitely find some real people there. However, since it is your future job on the line, we are simply reducing the risk of becoming a victim of scams.

5. Listen to other people’s recommendations.
In the end, it is going to be you who will decide which headhunter you should pick. Nevertheless, it still pays to listen to other people’s ideas as well as recommendations, especially if they themselves found jobs through such process. You may even obtain pointers on how to increase your chances of obtaining the headhunter’s attention.