I disagree with being so blatantly dismissive. If I get spammed with an email, LinkedIn message, or phone call that is <i>totally out of my realm</i> (like when someone requested I interview for a Senior Java Architect position at age 23 having never worked on an enterprise Java application before), <i>then</i> I ignore it.<p>However, if something seems decently interesting and they don't seem like total sleazeballs, I'll talk to the recruiter, even if I'm not open at this time. A good reputation and a few good names to call can go a long way when you need them.