• A good recruiter understands the value of networking and contacts.  They don't want to burn any bridges.  They may not be able to directly assist you but you might be a potentially great resource for them.  Therefore the good ones will give you some type of "closure" so you don't feel left high and dry.  And yes, the above might sound like a self serving statement (which it partially is) but as you develop that type of relationship with a recruiter my bet is you will get some excellent suggestions and tips.  Remember, good or bad, recruiters (especially good ones) know more about job search than any one else because of the amount they do.
• Not everyone can be helped by a good recruiter.  Good recruiters typically only place about 10% of the candidates they see.  Remember that recruiters are paid thousands of $$ by hiring companies to find them the very top talent, the people that are going to make an immediate impact, top 10-20 %.  And by numbers not everyone is going to be top 10-20 % talent.  So we all need to be grown-ups and realistically assess our talent and accomplishments.  And I would ask a recruiter as how they assess me compared to other people they see.  It is better you know this than to be engaging in wishful thinking about your chances of being placed by a recruiter.
• Recruiters, as I mentioned, are paid by corporate clients.  As you all are aware the marketplace has shifted.  Recruiters are full of candidates and short on job openings.  You might otherwise be an excellent candidate for them but they truly don't have anything right now.  So take them at their word when they say they will keep their eyes open.  They probably mean exactly that, which is saying they don't currently have opportunities that match your background.  And remember almost all recruiters, except those in health care, pharmaceuticals and a few other industries, are struggling to get enough openings to pay the bills.
• You wouldn't go to a financial planner that asked you 2 or 3 questions and then asked for your money.  Why would you place hopes in a recruiter that spent 10 minutes or less with you on the telephone?  There are only so many minutes in a day which means I can only talk to so many people on the telephone.  So I have to maximize my time.  And as a salesperson I need to increase the percentage of my "closure" ratio.  I can only do that by knowing a candidate, knowing what they want in an opportunity and understanding the chemistry between a candidate and hiring manager (most people are hired based on chemistry).  A recruiter can only know and understand all of these things by spending time with both the candidate and hiring authority.  An interesting fact is that the majority of candidates hired through recruiters take a lateral move based on several different factors.
• If a recruiter only spends a few minutes with you asked them point blank if they are going to submit you on an opening (keep in mind previous bullet), if they are going to market you (again previous bullet) or if they are placing you in their data base?  They might be an excellent recruiter but not have anything immediate for you.  If so they are only going to do the third and only spend a few minutes with you.  Remember they have to prioritize their time but they should be willing to be candid with you about their intentions.
• Ask them if they are a member of a network like Top Echelon, NPA or First Interview and if so, ask if they are going to give you exposure on that network.  All three, by the way, are secure, confidential networks so you should not have any concerns with a current employer finding out you are looking through that source.  And the additional exposure won't hurt.
• As they have you interviewing follow their directions and requests.  They only get paid if you get placed so they will try to do the best job for you to increase their chances of you taking the position.  And like it or not they are the professionals in this area.
• The best recruiters are arrogant, and sometimes even obnoxious.  They get paid to be that way and have to be pretty thick skinned to do what they do.
• Finally, if the recruiter hasn't already explained to you how they work and how they follow up you ask them.  And try to follow their request.  Don't be calling them every two to three days to see if they have anything.  The best time to call them is late in the afternoon because the good ones are pretty well planned from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.  Also if you want to keep in front of them a little more often than they have requested drop them a brief email.  And remember the idea behind that is to keep you in the front of their mind.  So tell them in the email you don't need to hear back from them if they don't have anything or ideas for you.  They will appreciate your courtesy and you have accomplished your purpose of them thinking about you. 

You also might want to consider picking up a book called "Headhunters Revealed" by Darrell Gurney.  It talks about recruiters and how they work (Darrell is one) and received excellent reviews when it came out two or three years ago.
Bill Gaffney is a career coach.  He works with professionals across all fields to assist them with their careers.  His focus is on job search skills, including search techniques, interviewing skills, negotiating, etc.  Bill also works with career oriented individuals in other areas of professional development.  He is a former executive search consultant with many years in executive search and a former member of Top Echelon Network.  He can be reached at Amaxa Group in Dayton, OH.  His telephone number is (937) 291-2801 and email address is wmgaffney@prodigy.net