Networking and headhunting
I haven't posted on networking in a while, so I thought I'd get something up here on that topic. When I was job hunting about 2 years ago, I posted my resume on Hotjobs and Monster (as one would expect). When I was considering options outside of my previous employer, I spruced up my resumes and kept them visible on these two sites. I regularly was contact about opportunities from these two channels.
You are probably asking what this has to do with networking. Well, I'll tell you: Even when I am not actively looking for a job, I've always kept my resume active on these sites. By doing so, I can help out people in my network. I may not be interested in a new position, but I know a lot of people like me that may be interested in a move. When I get contacted by a recruiter, I
- forward the request to an appropriate friend (if applicable),
- reply to the recruiter that I am not interested but that I would like to help him/her make connections with my network, and
- add the recruiter to my list of contacts.
This can definitely help you to develop a long list of recruiters that can help you when you need them to. In addition, it can help you help the people in your network (remember the first rule of networking: help yourself by helping others first). Finally, it can dramatically expand the size of your network, since recruiters are some of the most connected people out there.
Is it false advertising to leave your resume active on Monster when you aren't looking for a job? I don't think so, especially if you will actively assist those that contact you to find appropriate candidates for their opportunities.