I found my current gig by using a recruiter I was referred to by a respected coworker, and it's by far the best job I've ever had (out of 5 or so). Super small sample size I know, but if you can find a recruiter that you can trust/isn't just pimping you out for a payday and nothing else, you can skip a ton of bullshit.

There's a huge variation in recruiter quality and it's pretty easy to tell the good ones from the bad. Just spend a couple of weeks taking calls and emails and following leads and you learn quick.

Yeah, I kind of liked having an advocate on my behalf. The guy who found me my current job was kind to me, didn't lie to companies about my experience, and kept in touch with the companies he sent me to, so I wouldn't have to.

He even gave me interview tips/advice on a per-company basis and helped me rewrite my resumé for each company he wanted me to interview with. Honestly, it was fantastic.