I've learned enough over the last few years to know that the majority of jobs in animation are never posted on hotjobs. Short of networking contacts at the moment, I have been considering approaching a head hunter or even hiring an agent to get my name out. Problem is, I have no idea where to start (these sorts of things aren't listed in the yellow pages...) Any suggestions, personal stories, or forewarnings? The hoped result would be having the right people see the right stuff and offer me the right $
Safe guess: you are a relative newcomer to the industry???
If so, a headhunter will just take your money.
Your cachet is your abilities, your reputation is your job security--and your calling card. A headhunter would likely do nothing that those things can do for you--and if you don't have those things, a headhunter is pointless anyway.
Why?
If you are a untried commodity, then no-one knows you from a hill of beans. Having some glib headhunter sing your praises is like walking into a animation studio wearing nothing but a sandwich board and a smile.....and asking for work. Its flashy, but trite.
You'd need a animation-industry savvy head hunter--someone who the studios actually talk to on a regular basis.
The headhunter would have to be able to recognize talent from the get-go and have a clear understanding of animation itself, your skill-set, and the studios needs.
I've never heard directly of such an animal.
Such people would, as a matter of course, prefer to deal ONLY with proven talent--usually top drawer-and newcomers are simply too risky because if they don't work out--they make the headhunter look bad.
An agent would be the same.
The best way still remains networking with everyone you can, and sending samples out and hoping for the best.
"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)