You would do better as an in-house recruiter at a technical company. That way, you're in more direct contact with hiring managers.
Build your rep there, and go out on your own.
My first real job was working for a recruiter who used to be a programmer. He didn't really need to use his programming knowledge, though, because recruiting means sending candidates who won't make the hiring manager look like an idiot if they don't work out. If your choices are a) brilliant dropout, or b) someone who went to Princeton but is really lazy, your incentive is to send b). If a) works out, you get no direct benefit; if b) doesn't work out, well, who could have predicted that?
Build your rep there, and go out on your own.
My first real job was working for a recruiter who used to be a programmer. He didn't really need to use his programming knowledge, though, because recruiting means sending candidates who won't make the hiring manager look like an idiot if they don't work out. If your choices are a) brilliant dropout, or b) someone who went to Princeton but is really lazy, your incentive is to send b). If a) works out, you get no direct benefit; if b) doesn't work out, well, who could have predicted that?