When you’re looking for a job, you probably spend hours scouring job boards and employer websites, looking for different positions to apply for. One thing you might not have considered, however, is working with a recruiter or employment agency to find a position.

Why would you want to work with a recruiter?

1.) Recruiters know people in your industry. According to Daniel Allen, Director of UX at 3D Results and Co-Founder at Block Interval and of CHIVR, in a LinkedIn post about recruiting, this works in your favor. If the recruiter knows a manager, they know exactly what type of person that manager wants for very specific positions that that manager has to fill. If you are a good fit, it is likely that the recruiter will know it right away. When the recruiter contacts the employer, the manager is likely to respond more positively than if your resume just lands on their desk.

2.) Recruiters want you to work. They get paid when you get hired, says Allen, so they have  incentive to see that you are placed in a good position. You don’t have to pay anything to the recruiter since the employers do that, so it’s a win-win for you.

3.) Recruiters work full-time to get you hired. You only have so many hours in a day and have other obligations, so you can’t apply to as many companies as you might like in a single day. However, a recruiter can get your name out there to many more organizations, giving you a much better chance of getting hired.

4.) Interviews will be fewer and more focused. You may have found that you didn’t even have the right training for a particular position during an interview. Recruiters fit you with companies and positions that are good matches for both you and the employers. This keeps the time that you spend interviewing for jobs to a minimum, allowing you to focus on other activities.

5.) While it’s not always the case, a recruiter can often get a higher salary for you than you could on your own. Talk to a few different recruiters, Allen recommends, to see where they would place your salary to employers. Recruiters make the most money off of employees who are hourly, but they do get paid a flat fee if they place you as a salaried employee, working full-time.

6.) QualStaff Resources’ website notes that a “recruiter serves as another person who can say they know you and can vouch for you.” Even though you have great references, it is always nice to have a recruiter who has personally met you in your corner.

7.) Recruiters have access to jobs that are exclusive or confidential, notes QualStaff. You may not see these jobs on job boards or learn about them even through networking.

8.) If you decide to go to another company in the future, having an established relationship with a recruiter can work in your favor in a future job search.