Word-of-mouth still counts in IT recruiting

When it comes to recruiting information technology professionals, many executives prefer a low-tech approach, suggests a recent poll, by RHI Consulting in Menlo Park. Thirty-one percent of chief information officers surveyed said employee referrals are the most effective way to locate skilled technology talent, while 19 percent prefer working with IT staffing or recruiting firms. Traditional classified print ads ranked third, with 17 percent of the response, followed by job boards at 9 percent, Job fairs and company Web sites tied at 7 percent each. All other answers added up to only 5 percent, and 5 percent of respondents either said "don't know" or didn't answer the question.

"Although it may seem surprising that IT executives are not relying more heavily on technology to recruit candidates, there is no substitute for peer-to-peer networking," said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of RHI Consulting. "Referrals offer hiring managers access to qualified professionals they might otherwise not have reached. There is also an implied recommendation from the person providing the referral."

Lee noted that staffing firms offer similar advantages because they typically have a strong network of industry contacts in the local business community. "This enables them to reach the hidden talent pool -- individuals who are a match for the position but may not be actively sending out resumes or scanning classified ads."