The competent recruiters that I've met in my field have all been running their own small shops or regularly attaching to companies for specific goals. I keep in touch with them and pass their info on to friends.
I don't know nearly enough about your industry to know where reputation fits into the system but it's certainly not a concern from my point of view.
Yes this is true, and you are correct that is my best option.
It is word of mouth and the actual contract/consulting work I have had has come from friends in the industry who know me and pass the lead on.
Having said that some of this is just me being negative and beat down - I've had two positions to fill on a freelance basis and that lead to the CFO recommending me for a third role which was enough to launch a llc!
Then the pandemic happened.
So I'm starting again.
Except now it's five years instead of three since I've been in the game, and really now eight years since my troubles started so contacts start to wane and move on and forget you.
I'm not the guy who can play golf and entertain anymore.
I've been in a similar situation but can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Giving yourself time to feel shitty about a shitty situation is pretty normal, but if you like doing good work then your interest in the work will be motivating when you dig back into it.
Lots of new areas and ideas floating around right now, and it'd be worth looking around before setting your sights on an old career trajectory.
How common is it for recruiters to work with commercial real estate agents? It's weird how little I know about your industry.
I don't know nearly enough about your industry to know where reputation fits into the system but it's certainly not a concern from my point of view.