By Marshall Loeb, CBS.Marketwatch.com

What should you do if you get a call from an executive recruiter, a professional headhunter? Be sure to take the call. Never brush off a headhunter, or play too hard to get. And never say never. Even if you’re happy and secure in your job, it would be wise to volunteer to at least aid the recruiter in identifying good people in your field in any of his or her future searches. You might say something like, “I certainly won’t leave my job now, but if I can help you, I’m pleased to do it.” That is an invitation for the searcher to call you again, and it keeps your lines open.

Business is changing so fast that the job you love today may be quite different tomorrow. You never know.

Always have ready in your mind – in case somebody asks –a summary of your current job, your talents and what you hope to do next. Said Peter Felix, president of the Association of Executive Search Consultants: “Most people can convey in two minutes the key essentials of who they are and what their credentials are. If you can’t, there’s something wrong with your message.”

And remember: When getting evaluations of you and your performance, headhunters often consult with former employees of your company. Therefore, be nice to everybody.