How do most businesses solicit new employees? Go ahead, admit it. You probably know the answer already.

It used to be the newspaper classifieds. And even though there’s much to be said about holding something in your hands, the job search has moved away from paper and made its new home on online job boards.

You get a lot of exposure there; it’s undeniable, but you don’t necessarily get the right people. Ask any employer who’s gone this route. Whether someone is under qualified, out of your area or not what you’re looking for at all, there are many not-so-desirable scenarios people go through as they sift through the slush pile of job board resumes.

It’s called searching blind and both potential candidates and businesses do it. Having hope the right person will come along is nice, but not particularly practical. What should you do? Two words:

Open communication.

Get to know the kind of people you’re trying to recruit. Hop on twitter and friend the tech people you’d like to see filling your cubicles. Join deviantart and scope the galleries for undiscovered artistic talent. Immerse yourself in the culture of those you want to hire. It takes time, but the rewards are huge.

Build rapport. Start conversation. Network. It’s not just people who are looking for jobs that have to do it; you as an employer can benefit from knowing the right person. The account executive that would be a perfect fit in your company may be a friend of a friend of a friend.

The short of it? Get active. Get involved. You find the best people that way.