You know that timeless break-up line, "it's not you, it's me?"

When it comes to job recruiters and headhunters, it's you. Still, don't take it personally when they showed you so much love one day stopped calling the next. You see, it's their job to find the perfect man or woman and not settle for less.

It's not their job to find you a job. They are hired to fill a position.

They won't dump stacks of resumes on a client's desk. Companies can do that by themselves without any help. So if they stop calling, just assume you didn't make the cut this time. But it doesn't mean you have to cut them out of your lives.

You can keep the relationship going by:

• Sending updated resumes. If your experience changed in some way, send the recruiter periodic updates to stay in touch. You may qualify for something else.
• Checking their job sites. Many recruiters post positions, but do some serious self-editing before you apply. Make sure you are a perfect fit. If you aren't, they won't submit your name anyway.
• Giving them referrals. If a job isn't perfect for you, recommend someone who is. Some pay for leads. You also become a go-to person for them. Personally, I believe if you bless someone else, it will come back to you.

Photo by Kiomi. Courtesy of Stock.xchng.