Should you circumvent recruiters when applying for a job?

Going to be totally honest, I can't stand 99% of the recruiters I talk to. They remind me of the worst and most stereotypical reps I've ever encountered. I also feel like my odds of landing a job are a lot less when I go through them vs. a referral or knowing someone on the inside.

So therein lies the problem, how do you find your way in the side door of a company if you don't have any connections that work there? I have cold LI messaged VP of Sales / Director of Sales / etc on LI and that works sometimes but it's pretty rare.

Reason I ask is I sometimes don't check boxes (don't have a degree, 5yrs of selling experience, etc) but have always been a top performing AE. This can sometimes prevent me from getting past the screen.

Any advice from past experience is appreciated