You've seen the signs everywhere: a falling stock market, mass layoffs, corporate retrenchments. No matter what the economists call it, it sure looks and feels like a recession. But what do these events, and the threat of a protracted downturn, mean to recruiters? How does a slowing job market change the way recruiters work? In this article, Part I of a two-part series, we'll discuss the the most obvious and immediate result of a down economy: an increase in job candidates.

Accustomed to hiring in the tightest job market in a generation, talk of a candidate shortage is certainly a switch. On the one hand, the slowdown is a welcome phenomenon. Layoffs bring more resumes to the table, however, managing more candidates in uncertain times does have its challenges. Fact is, if not carefully managed, a surge in candidates can prove to be a curse rather than a blessing. Following are some tips to help you stay productive in the changing times:

Passive Candidates: Keep Your Eye on the Prize

In a recession job market, recruiters can spend all day reviewing resumes and returning phone calls from eager job seekers. If not careful, these activities can take away from precious sourcing time. Recruiters must still continue to search for the cream of the crop -- including the passive job seeker, who in uncertain economic times, is even harder to shake out of the tree. Sourcing time must be jealously protected and regulated during an economic slowdown.

Increased Volume

To manage the resume influx, consider using administrative personnel and interns to presort resumes for you by skill or experience. This will facilitate faster review and turn-over in the decision-making process. No matter what, it is still important to review all resumes, as the probability of finding a diamond in the rough is much greater in a down economy.

The Overanxious Candidate

Out-of-work candidates often grown desperate and can behave unpredictably under stress. Case in point, I recently represented a candidate who went over my head and attempted to set up a meeting with the COO of the client company. This disruption not only caused embarrassment, but forced me to spend time apologizing to my client and reprimanding the candidate. To avoid unproductive situations such as the above, take extra time to explain the boundaries of the recruitment relationship to candidates.

Candidate Misrepresentation
Resume falsification is always a concern for recruiters, however, in a down economy, with desperation at work, falsification can turn into downright deception. I don't need to tell you how devastating it can be to place a candidate with phony credentials -- to you, your client, your business. If you aren't already screening your hires, now is the time to step-up the process.

Recruiters should make it a regular practice to perform background checks on each serious candidate (credit history, diploma verification, credentials verification, reference check). If you don't have the time or expertise to perform this work yourself, outsource this function to a third-party service. An important investment, a credentials check will reduce liability and give you more confidence in your candidates. For more information on investigative service providers, search the Investigative Services Directory in the Recruiters World Resource Guide (www.RecruitersWorld.com).

Read Part II of this series: When the Job Market Starts to Dry Up

Christine Hirsch is a founder and director of RecruitersWorld.com. With over 20 years of recruiting, executive search, and corporate human resources experience, Ms. Hirsch has positively impacted the recruiting functions of several Fortune 1000 companies and consulting firms. For the past 16 years, Ms. Hirsch has headed her own recruitment consulting firm, Chicago Resources. During that time, she has become recognized as a subject-matter expert in the recruitment field.