If you're in the market for a new executive to round out your company, it pays to stay in the know when it comes to executive search and recruiting trends. Even with the help of skilled executive search consultants, many people feel more comfortable knowing what to expect - and what to ask for - from their  recruiter. While the central goals of the executive search process may stay the same, the particulars have  evolved over the years. Specifically, the Internet has shaped the recruitment process in exciting and often unpredictable ways. Here are some of the latest trends in recruiting:

• The decline of job boards. While job boards have been hugely influential in the job market for the past decade or so, their popularity now seems to be declining. The economic downturn coupled with a lack of sufficient filtering on many sites has led some executive search consultants to find other methods of finding candidates for executive-level positions online. While some recruitment agencies still cite the boards as an important tool in their arsenal, few can deny that they lack the power they once had.
• The rise of social recruiting. The practice of "social recruiting" - which involves using social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter to find, screen and contact job candidates - has risen dramatically in recent times. Search professionals are finding that these sites provide an excellent opportunity to get know the "real" candidate without much effort. Many executive search consultants even prefer posting their job openings on social networking sites to the major job boards.
• The emergence of "cultural compatibility" as an important factor in recruiting. In the past, most recruiters focused on career accomplishments and past performance in similar positions as indicators of future potential. However, executive search consultants have now learned to take core values, personality and career goals into consideration as well.

These executive search trends have helped make the practice more useful and relevant than ever. Contact a recruitment firm today and see how they can help your company succeed.