I agree that LinkedIn is a terrible place, or a last resort, to find work. It's actually a pretty good place to maintain some connection with former colleagues and people you've met in your professional life.

I will disagree about recruiters (you wrote head hunters, which refers to a specialized kind of recruiter). Most of them are useless, but if you can find a good recruiter they can open a lot of doors. Many companies only work through recruiters, and good recruiters know the local job market and have contacts. How do you find a good recruiter? By asking people in your network.