Recruiting in a Tough Economy

With all the layoffs happnening around the country within the retail and hospitality sectors, one would think that recruiting top talent would be easy, right? So many qualified candidates filling out applications..which ones to choose!?! Maybe my expectations were high, but I really thought, for those of us still hiring, that recruiting would be a breeze for the first time in a long time. I'm finding it's not the case. As companies are doing layoffs, they still hang on to their top people. I think a lot of people see layoffs happening around them might be grateful to have a job, focusing on how to keep it rather than spending time on a new job search. I am finding, however, that for those that are still employed and not actively looking, people are open to listening, now more than ever before. LinkedIn has been a great tool for networking and recruiting. Often people will put on their profiles that they are open to career opportunities or job inquiries. What a great invitation to reach out! I think in this economy, people are open to conversations, if not for themselves, then for someone they know who's looking for a new opportunity. Does anyone else have thoughts on this subject?