British businesses are missing out on top talent because they are employing out-of-date recruitment methods.

According to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), a large proportion of senior posts remain unfilled because of a mismatch between recruitment and employee job-hunting tactics.

A recent CMI study found that 67% of UK managers regularly browse online and print job adverts, with more than half (56%) of executives actively looking for a new role.

However, 80% of companies say they are struggling to recruit senior staff with the right skills, with many failing to embrace online advertising.

Most managers (72%) are likely to use the internet to job hunt, with 76% saying their focus is particularly on website adverts rather than browsing through print.

However, only 37% actually secured their current job via the internet.

The CMI has called on employers to broaden their recruitment practices in order to net the best talent, specifically by getting online.

Jo Causon, director of marketing and corporate affairs at the CMI, said: “Clearly, a concern for employers should be about how to avoid wasting the impressive talent pool that exists in the UK.

“There is certainly a need to adjust recruitment behaviour because without casting the net wider, organisations run the risk of losing out on senior staff who have embraced technology to boost their career prospects.”