Here are some surprising (and not in a good way) things I learned from the current issue of the Cutter IT Journal, in the article "The Right Way to Recruit CIOs" by Robert Gariano, an executive-search veteran and founder of search firm Robert Gariano Associates:

You probably already know this, but I need to make it clear: Headhunters, the ones from the top retained executive-search firms, aren't in the business of getting people jobs. They work for employers on retainer until they complete a search for an executive vacancy at the client company. (This is different from contingency search firms, which get paid per placement.)