Computers are the top job search tool of choice for global senior business executives, with the UK’s 97% uptake reflecting greater usage than the global average of 96%, research by the Financial Times has found.

Print newspapers were a distant second around the world, with 40% of the global audience using them as a means to find new jobs. They enjoyed greater popularity in Asia Pacific where print newspapers were used by 53% of senior business executives responding to the survey, according to the findings.

The popularity of tablets peaked in the US with 31%, compared to 29% globally, and smartphones were most popular in the UK for job searches, with 31% compared with 22% globally.

Use of print magazines was most popular in the US, with 26% of respondents saying they used them. 

For their next job search, 57% of respondents globally said they had used, and planned to use, recruitment websites and 53% online job boards. Less than a quarter, or 24%, said they had used, or planned to use national newspapers.

Overall, they show that use of recruitment websites by senior management to search for jobs had increased by 17% between 2010 and 2012, from 40% to 57% and the use of online job boards from 22% to 51% over the same period.

The findings were part of the FT’s 2012 Global Impact Study on recruitment trends, which were released last week. 

• Top executives may be going online, but, as reported by recruiter.co.uk last week, uptake of LinkedIn among the chief executives of Fortune 500 companies has been relatively slow, according to research from search firm CTPartners.