Is Recruiting Harder in a Bad Economy?

The answer is actually yes and no! Lets look at both answers and why each would be correct.

Yes:
1) Alot more candidates are available and in the market for a new position. Quality candidates are being laid off every week or they fear a lay-off coming. Companies are slow, financing isn't available for their next big project, and they are making tough decisions to let people go.
2) More and more recruiters are going out of business which means less competition for the rest of us. Not to mention alot less companies are hiring as well.
3) The answer is an absolute yes if you work as an internal recruiter because candidates that you normally wouldn't be able to target from your competitors are now on the job market.

No:
1) Alot less jobs orders which means you need to market constantly if your going to stay a float.
2) Companies are now finding quality candidates to fill their positions from job boards instead of paying fees for those passive candidates that outside recruiters would normally source for them.
3) The companies that are doing well are still skittish when it comes to paying fees because no one really knows when the economy is going to turn around and they fear a bad hiring decision.