By Allen Wass ( http://www.linkedin.com/in/allenwass )

“This year (2009) has been a tough one for hiring. We started 2009 with companies looking for ways to cut costs which included reducing headcount. Then, many businesses took a "wait and see" approach for the balance of the year.
When an organization did want to fill a strategic role, they often had a misconception that finding the exact, right candidate for their position would now be easy - they had heard about the vast quantities of unemployed people. The rub was that individuals with the company's specific requirements were not readily available. Meanwhile, the hiring manager did not always want someone else's castoff. Many candidates were considered to be "overqualified" and desperate; therefore, the person would lack commitment and would be looking for better opportunities when the hiring environment inevitably improves. This logic - even when flawed - is often tough to refute.
At the end of the day, organizations were frequently unable to move forward quickly with their searches. Some were still extremely cost conscious and concerned about committing financially to a new employee. Others felt compelled to continue looking for the absolute "perfect candidate" - they were apprehensive about making the wrong decision and were ultimately not ready to hire yet. This lack of urgency was also apparent when members of the interview team were too busy with other objectives to meet with candidates in a timely manner. In the meantime, some companies faced the reality that they could not provide the necessary financial incentives (salary, bonus, relocation assistance, etc.) to attract the person they wanted. Moreover, many firms limited their options because they lacked an appropriate recruitment strategy.
Adding to the difficulties is that hiring organizations faced cautious candidates - people who were wary of changing from a known situation. This included a tentativeness to relocate; a situation exacerbated by the housing crisis that left many with significantly less equity in their homes.
What does this mean for 2010?
The fact is that there is a limited pool of talent for key positions, especially executives with specific technical and/or industry expertise. Nevertheless, the recent stability in the economy will lead more of these people to explore new career opportunities. They will be looking for positions that fit with their skills and interests and allow them to be engaged and rewarded in a successful venture. Of course, everyone wants more total cash compensation, but it is the longer term prospects that motivate people to change jobs.
In 2010, companies will need to be more aggressive at filling roles. Organizations will not tolerate having open positions for long periods of time when additional goals have to be met. Moreover, expecting more from current staff is not a winning long-term strategy. The watchword will be urgency. Once businesses feel an urgency to deliver on growth objectives, the urgency to recruit and hire will follow. This is already happening at some firms and will continue to spread in the first quarter of the New Year.”