The Effectiveness and Challenges of Online Platforms for Talent Sourcing: A Perception Study of Recruiters in the IT Sector

Abstract

This research examines the role of online recruitment platforms in sourcing talent in the IT industry, using a perception-based study among recruiters at VDart, a global staffing and technology solutions company. Through descriptive and inferential statistical methods, the study explores the effectiveness, challenges, platform preferences, and candidate engagement strategies associated with online talent acquisition. Findings indicate that LinkedIn is the most dominant and effective platform in terms of cost, time, and quality, but high costs and profile limitations hinder optimal usage. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for enhancing digital recruitment and improving platform functionalities.

Keywords

Introduction

Detailed Interpretation

The demographic profile shows that the majority of respondents are young (20–30 years), with over half being women and relatively new to the recruitment field. This demographic trend reflects the growing influx of younger HR professionals in the tech-driven recruitment industry, particularly in the Indian IT context. Regarding platform preferences, LinkedIn clearly stands out as the most preferred online tool due to its comprehensive candidate database, professional interface, and recruitment features. Naukri and Foundit/Ceipal also enjoy moderate popularity, indicating a diversified sourcing strategy. Despite the dominance of LinkedIn, cost concerns and limited free functionality often compel recruiters to explore alternatives. The perceived effectiveness of online recruitment is overwhelmingly positive. A striking 93.6% of respondents agree or strongly agree with the effectiveness of online platforms, and 87.3% acknowledge that these platforms outperform traditional hiring methods. This underscores a shift in perception and reliance on digital hiring tools as primary recruitment channels. Candidate engagement remains a critical part of digital recruitment. The most commonly employed strategy is personalized messaging (42.7%), which indicates a recruiter preference for tailored communication to increase candidate interest. LinkedIn profile assessments are widely used (38.2%), while only 9.1% use skill tests, indicating an area for process enhancement. The minimal use of structured assessment tools may lead to inefficiencies in evaluating candidate capabilities, suggesting a reliance on resumes and profiles over data-driven testing. Key challenges hindering the optimal use of online platforms include high subscription costs (reported by 34.5%), restricted access to features (40%), and a significant issue with outdated or duplicate candidate profiles (72.7%). These issues impact the efficiency of sourcing, screening, and hiring, despite the platforms’ strong potential. AI is increasingly shaping recruitment workflows. More than half (58.2%) find AI-powered candidate recommendations effective, and 16.4% rate them as very effective. While this shows a promising outlook for AI integration, it also indicates room for growth in user trust and functionality of AI tools. The effective deployment of AI remains limited by recruiter experience, platform design, and the interpretability of machine learning outputs. Inferential statistical analysis through ANOVA revealed no significant variation in platform effectiveness perceptions based on recruiter experience (p = 0.689), and Chi-square results also confirmed that platform effectiveness is not significantly associated with years of experience (p = 0.815). These findings imply that regardless of experience, recruiters across levels view online platforms with similar appreciation and criticism. Overall, the findings of this study provide a comprehensive understanding of the landscape of online talent sourcing in the IT industry. The data underscores the dominance of LinkedIn as a recruitment tool, high receptivity toward AI features, and the prevalence of digital-first approaches among new-age recruiters. At the same time, they point to systemic challenges in cost structures, candidate verification, and underutilization of structured assessment tools, which need to be addressed for optimal outcomes.

DISCUSSION

Online recruitment platforms, especially LinkedIn, have become the dominant channel in the IT hiring landscape. Recruiters benefit from broader access to candidates, faster screening, and AI-assisted matching. However, challenges such as premium pricing, limited access, and unreliable candidate data impact recruiter satisfaction. Interestingly, the study reveals that despite varying experience levels among recruiters, the perception of online platforms remains consistent. This indicates a widespread adoption and reliance on digital tools, regardless of experience. The underutilization of candidate assessments like skill tests and background verification suggests an area of improvement. Similarly, overreliance on AI without adequate human judgment can compromise hiring quality.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. LinkedIn Optimization: Use premium analytics, targeted ads, and engagement content
2. Cost Reduction: Negotiate subscriptions or diversify platforms to include lower-cost alternatives
3. Candidate Verification: Integrate automated verification and encourage user-updated profiles
4. Expand Assessment Tools: Incorporate pre-screening skill tests and video interviews
5. Platform Diversification: Combine job boards, niche platforms, and internal referrals
6. Improve Candidate Experience: Balance automation with personalization in communication

CONCLUSION

The study confirms the rising importance of online platforms in IT talent sourcing. LinkedIn emerges as the top choice, offering the best ROI in terms of candidate quality and time-to-hire. While these platforms offer speed and reach, recruiters face limitations like high costs, restricted access, and candidate authenticity issues. By adopting a balanced strategy that includes technology, personalization, and multi-platform integration, companies like VDart can significantly improve their recruitment outcomes.

REFERENCE

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