The volume of information arising from the growth of the internet and technology is actually more of a problem to researchers, argued Karen Blakeman, founder of RBA Information Services.

Blakeman, speaking at the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) Summit for researchers and associates in London early this month, said that looking at the information on the web has "become more complicated".

"There is no one source I can trust," she said.

Jill Fenton, founder and director of Fenton Research, agreed: "Initial sourcing on the web is useful but we shouldn't forget our traditional tools such as networks and the phone."

David Howells, a researcher at The Curzon Partnership, asked the audience of around 100 delegates from around the world who used Facebook or MySpace for research purposes. Only three or four admitted they did. "I never do," he said, "as even CVs can be embellished."

The panel agreed that researchers still need to look critically at all the information out there and triple-check everything.

As well as demonstrations by business information search engine ZoomInfo; online £50k+ executive job board TheLadders; and risk consultancy firm Kroll, at the summit Blakeman gave delegates additional search tricks and techniques, such as looking at blogs written by people working in a particular sector or blogs on conferences to find out any industry gossip. She advised the audience to use several search engines and to beware of believing profiles. "ZoomInfo, for example, doesn't check profile information," she warned.

Peter Felix, president of AESC, told the summit that "new tools were changing the nature of this business we're in. Imagine what it will be like in 10 years' time."

Rachel Roche, founder of Smart Search, a consultancy specialising in training executive search professionals, gave researchers tips and advice for handling sourcing calls and finding the right candidate through a lively, audience-involved role play, which endeavoured to research a possible replacement for Simon Cowell from the X-Factor TV programme.

"At the executive level, money doesn't often come into the equation, as they would probably already be on a high salary," she said. "Find out what it is that would entice them."

Despite the wealth of advice given for executive researchers, Howells left the delegates with a warning that "60% of FTSE 250 companies have some sort of search facility", and that it looked like the rise of inhouse search might be a trend.