"A recruiting environment that has been stagnant for over two years showed renewed interest in the fourth quarter of 2003," he says. "This year, job postings on SelectLeaders.com more than doubled during the fourth quarter compared to the previous year, and that includes jobs from all sectors." LoPinto has also observed the same trend in the firm's executive search practice. "From all indications--the boardroom down to our online listings--we are seeing the business gaining confidence and momentum, and looking to fill new positions."

And even though this change is coming at a time when human resources departments are lean, "new technologies are helping them meet the demand," explains Susan Kane, an executive with SelectLeader.com. "In fact there is an accelerated maturing of the job board technology itself," she says. "Although the major broad-based job listing sites continue to dominate in the numbers of resumes submitted, HR managers are getting more sophisticated, turning to industry specific job boards to access qualified professionals and eliminate the time-consuming stacks of irrelevant resumes."

Industry insiders agree. "I have become a believer in specialized job sites. They tend to know the nuances of the industry," contends Dave Alagno, senior employment manager for AvalonBay Communities.