The Canadian Securities Institute has launched an online recruitment portal aimed at financial services professionals across Canada.

The new service, called “infocus”, combines a job board, business surveys, a monthly e-zine, and education and career tips for the financial services industry. “Our research shows a dramatic increase in the confidential use of the Internet for job searches by highly qualified candidates and for recruitment efforts by the companies seeking to hire them,” Lee Anne Davies, CSI’s product manager, said in a statement. “Infocus marries these two trends.”

According to recent reports, many Canadian companies are turning to the Internet to post jobs. Infocus receives about 170 unique visitors a day and more than 4,100 members have signed up since the service went online.

The new service will take advantage of a large pool of talent, Davies said. Infocus member demographics show a high percentage of university graduates (60%) and MBA and other professional designations (16%) Members are from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Davies said the service can act as a time and money-saving recruitment and advertising vehicle for companies. “The service meets CSI’s objectives by successfully combining learning and career management for students while providing quality, targeted candidates to employers,” she said. The service is available at www.infocusmembership.com.