Research In Motion Ltd., the troubled maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, is in talks to hire a financial adviser that can help it weigh strategic options, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.

RIM is considering hiring one Canadian bank and one global bank, said one of the people, who asked to remain anonymous because the deliberations are private.

The company’s willingness to seek help from external advisers suggests a new openness to a takeover or a strategic investment from a management team that had before now spurned bankers’ pitches, the people said. RIM has declined 75 percent in the past 12 months; yesterday, RIM shares rose 4.1 percent to $13.42.

A spokeswoman for RIM declined to comment.