It's not easy, looking for a job. Quite daunting, in fact, especially in the current economic recession. Jobs are scarce, and job hunters are abundant. This is why so many job hunters have mixed feelings about their impending hunt. There is a high of anticipation, since that next job may be the one that can make dreams come true, but there is also the horror of the gut wrenching processes of actually getting that great job. After all, job hunters are now facing an employer-favoring market, where employers can list any number of qualifications necessary for the position they are advertising. Even discounting all that, finding a job takes TIME. A lot of it. Searching for job openings in the newspaper and on the web, mailing and faxing and emailing CV's and application materials, and doing it over and over and over again until it becomes near robotic. And to make it worse, your CV joins a pile of a million other CV's, unnoticed and overlooked.

What every job hunter really needs is someone that knows how to sell their skills and match them up with the best opportunities that employers have for their skill set. And that's where the great recruiting agencies come in. Recruitment Agencies that cover a broad range of fields, such as Monster UK and Manpower UK are all over the job market. Most of the ads job seekers answer are posted by recruitment agencies. There are also niche based recruitment agencies, that specialize in a specific field and recruit for it, such as finance, education, and hi-tech. Niche agencies include Top Employers (graduate recruitment), ITJobVacancies (IT and Computers), and Aqent (Marketing and Sales).com for the IT industry.

If you're not sure what you're niche is, it's best to start with the general employment and recruitment agencies. The best general recruitment agencies in the UK currently include Monster UK, Manpower UK, and Search. Each agency has their pros and cons, and can suit different types of job seekers.

Job hunters who like to take full control of their job search are ideally suited for Monster UK. Monster's site is user-friendly and places the job seeker in the driver's seat. It is possible to look for jobs, create a unique page that sells the job seeker's skills, and employers can search the database for people who match their requirements, making it easier for the employer to find you. On the down side, Monster UK is utterly online based. There is no personal relationship with a recruiter who knows you very well and can help you find that perfect match.

Manpower UK is of course part of the world-wide Manpower empire, one of the top names in general recruitment just about everywhere in the world. They recruit for varied fields, from temporary administrative to construction and building. Since Manpower UK are office based, the candidate meets and creates a personal relationship with a recruiting consultant. In addition, Manpower has a fantastic reputation with employers, and maintains long term contracts with a great deal of companies all over the UK. The biggest down side of an agency such as this is that there isn't a true personal touch. The focus of the company is very general, and it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.

Search is a recruitment agency that tries to blend the online and offline world as seamlessly as possible. They have offices scattered all over the UK, as well as an awesome website, enabling the job hunter to search for jobs online, find the right division for them within the company, such as Financial Services or the Scientific division, as well as receive CV advice. Search also provides a service called JobMail which is fantastic for lazy job hunters. All the latest vacancies meeting your criteria are sent directly to your mail. The self-driven job seeker benefits the most from this agency, but it also provides personal support if required.

General Recruitment agencies don't always get the great openings, however. In the past two decades, the job industry has evolved and fragmented in fields and specialties. The skills and personalities suited for the IT and computer industry are not the same as those required by the Fashion industry. In the past few years, niche recruitment agencies blossomed addressing this very issue. The rise of the hi-tech industry was the major propeller for niche recruitment agencies, but other niche agencies for everything from Sales to Public and Government positions.

Perhaps the most wide-ranging niche of all is the new graduates niche. To place new university graduates, graduate recruitment agencies should cover a broad range of industries, but focus on the graduate or entry-level positions. New graduates can be utterly intimidated by the job hunting process. People that have been in the job market for years have the savvy and skills to survive the job hunt, and get less flustered than fresh graduates. Graduates, fresh out of the safe university environment are often naive regarding their first job hunt. It is easy for a new graduate to be completely overwhelmed by all the options out there. Top Employers, for example, concentrate their efforts on finding new graduates their first jobs, and have a user-friendly website.

A good recruitment agency can help you find that great job, whether you're a freshman job hunter or the best job hunter out there. Remember not to get lazy, however. Being involved and dedicated in your job hunt cannot be underestimated. No recruiter knows you better than yourself, and the more involved you are in your search, the more likely it will be that you find that perfect job.